Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 74

Wiggle, wiggle.

Dr. Ma Dongseop lifted his finger and gestured for me to insert it.

This was to confirm whether the path I had created truly led into the chest cavity.

I wonder if the path is well-made?

I carefully inserted my finger into the patient’s body.

Swish—

Because it was only a 1.5cm hole, even my pinky finger barely fit.

My slender fingers were helpful in times like these.

‘……I can feel something.’

It was a sensation I was feeling for the first time.

The chest cavity inside the pleura was an empty space, and the inner lining was slippery, soft, yet firm. It felt like touching a smooth palate.

“I will insert the chest tube now.”

At my words, Dr. Ma Dongseop nodded.

Soon, he began measuring the length of the chest tube.

Against the patient’s body, from the area I had punctured to the area where the collarbone was.

Okay.

I nodded and began the chest tube insertion.

Swish—

The chest tube slid into the patient’s body.

“Ugh……”

“It might feel a bit tight.”

I soothed the patient, who was groaning, and delicately pushed the chest tube in.

Soon, the air filled the chest tube, and it fogged up.

Soon, Ma Dongseop gave an okay sign with his fingers.

We cut off the end of the chest tube and had the patient cough.

“Can you cough once, please?”

“Cough— Cough—”

Whoosh— Whoosh—

Air leaked from the end of the chest tube.

And not only air, but also yellowish and pinkish pleural fluid from inside the chest cavity splattered out little by little.

‘Good. It went in well!’

Now, only the final procedure remained.

Dr. Ma Dongseop handed me a needle holder and said.

“Suture and tie.”

“Yes.”

Suture (sewing).

Tie (the act of tying).

The final step to secure the chest tube inserted into the patient’s body.

It is important to do this step meticulously.

What if this process is done loosely?

Air might leak from the side of the chest tube.

Or, the chest tube might fall out while the patient is walking around the ward.

No matter how well the chest tube is inserted, it is meaningless if the finishing touches are not done properly.

‘I’m confident in suturing.’

Sewing?

I did it endlessly when I was young.

Because I was good at anything done with my hands.

Of course, suturing in the medical field is different from general sewing, but there is no need to be intimidated.

Stab—

I sutured, passing the hook-like needle through the patient’s skin.

But then.

“Hey.”

Suddenly, Ma Dongseop glared at me.

What is it?

Did I do something wrong?

Just as I was thinking that, Ma Dongseop whispered in admiration.

“……You’re good.”

I was startled.

So ‘hey’ was an exclamation of admiration?

Perhaps it was because of his gangster-like impression, but I still get surprised sometimes.

After being briefly startled, I focused on the handiwork again.

I wrapped the thread around the chest tube several times and then performed the tie.

There are two types of ties.

using a needle holder.

using fingers.

Among these, what I have to do is a hand tie.

‘Since it’s my first time, let’s focus on accuracy rather than speed.’

The key is the ‘middle finger’ and ‘ring finger.’

First, use the middle finger, ring finger, and pinky finger of the left hand to firmly hold the thread.

Then, while crossing the thread, insert the middle finger and ring finger of the right hand and make a knot.

Repeating this process in the forward or reverse direction creates a firm knot.

It looks simple at first glance, but it requires a lot of practice.

“Tie finished.”

At my words, Ma Dongseop reached out and gently pulled on the chest tube.

This was to check if it was tied too loosely.

Of course, it was firmly fixed.

Ma Dongseop conveyed a wordless message to me with a look that seemed to find me admirable.

Eye contact conversations are surprisingly fun.

Now, connecting the chest tube to the chest bottle will complete all the procedures.

Bubble, bubble—

As soon as it was connected to the chest bottle, air quickly rose into the water.

“Patient Yang Songi, the procedure was successfully completed.”

With that, I removed the drape that had been covering the patient and wiped away the blood and povidone-iodine solution [an antiseptic solution] around it.

“Is it over?”

The patient pulled down her patient gown.

I nodded and said.

“Now that we’ve inserted the chest tube, the air will escape from your body, and your lungs will re-expand.”

“Yes, thank you……”

“Was it painful?”

“Honestly, it was really, really painful when you were giving me anesthesia……”

Songi said with a slightly pale face, smiling.

“It really didn’t hurt at all after the anesthesia. I guess it’s because you did a good job, doctor. Hehe.”

Huh?

This scene, it’s familiar.

It was the exact same expression and lines as the scene I had seen a few minutes ago.

As expected, that was also a future prediction.

‘Amazing.’

A new phenomenon.

This time, instead of being sucked into a dream, I only saw fragmentary images.

What are the triggering conditions?

Could it be related to me holding the scalpel?

Various questions arose in my mind.

Before I could think any deeper, the patient’s question continued.

“But doctor, how long do I have to keep this tube on?”

“You have to keep it on continuously.”

“Huh? You mean I have to live with this on in the future?”

“No, that’s not what I mean……”

“No way, doctor! I haven’t even gotten married yet, how can I live with something like this on!”

We burst out laughing again at Songi’s frightened face.

The student’s expression is so serious that it’s even funnier.

“That’s not what I meant, I meant you have to keep it on while you’re in the hospital.”

“Ah, I thought so.”

Songi breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon, the surgical tools were cleaned up, and the nurse asked Songi.

“Can you walk out?”

“Yes……”

Songi got up.

The patient frowned as if feeling discomfort when moving, but still, the procedure seemed to have been successfully completed.

Seeing that, Ma Dongseop raised his thumb towards me.

That’s the expression he had.

Just as the patient was heading back to the emergency room bed from the treatment room.

The emergency room door opened, and a young woman’s excited voice was heard.

“Yang Songi!!”

Songi was startled.

Our gazes also turned towards the entrance.

Is it her mom?

Judging by how similar they look, it seems like it’s her mom.

Having heard the news that Songi had been brought to the emergency room by ambulance, she rushed over in a hurry, her face flushed and her breathing rough.

Ma Dongseop approached the guardian and asked.

“Are you the guardian?”

“Yes. I’m her mom. What happened?”

Ma Dongseop briefly explained the current situation to the guardian.

That the patient was brought in by ambulance, and that she needed to be hospitalized due to a pneumothorax [collapsed lung], and so on.

“I don’t think you need to worry too much.”

Ma Dongseop tried to reassure the guardian, saying that it wasn’t a very serious situation.

However, the guardian seemed to have understood those words a little differently.

“So, you’re saying it’s nothing serious?”

“Yes? That’s not what I mean……”

Step, step.

The guardian ignored our words and walked to the bed and said.

“Yang Songi. Tell me honestly. Where were you today?”

Huh?

We were surprised.

Because the guardian’s voice was full of thorns.

For some reason, she seemed very angry at her daughter.

It was as if she had rushed over not out of concern, but to scold her.

“Of course, I was at the academy……”

Songi replied, trailing off.

Then the guardian’s voice became even louder.

“You were at the academy? Really?”

“I’m telling you, I was.”

“Is that so? I heard something else? Shall we check it out?”

The guardian mother opened the school bag that was placed at the foot of the emergency room bed.

Then Songi was horrified and grabbed the school bag.

“Mom, wait a minute.”

“Are you not going to let go?!”

Tear!

Crash—

As the school bag zipper opened, something spilled out.

Idol cheering tools [items used by fans to show support for their favorite musical artists].

Moreover, there were even concert tickets.

The student’s face turned pale, and the face of the guardian, who was rummaging through the contents of the bag, immediately turned fierce.

“Is this the school bag of a student who’s studying?”

“……”

“Concert? A CONCERT?! Do you know how many days are left until the college entrance exam [a standardized test required for university admission in many countries, especially South Korea]?! Are you in your right mind?”

Crack—

The angry mother threw the cheering stick onto the emergency room floor.

So, to summarize the situation…….

The student lied to her parents, skipped the academy, and went to an idol concert.

And she was rushed to the emergency room so quickly that she didn’t have the mental capacity to destroy the evidence(?).

As Songi didn’t answer, the mother’s voice became even louder.

“Do you know that your midterm grades dropped compared to your sophomore year? Do you think you can get into the university you want by acting like this?”

“I know, so stop it and lower your voice……”

“Do you think I can stop now?!”

“……”

“What’s wrong with her!”

Drop, drop.

Tears fell from Songi’s eyes.

Sadness, shame, resentment, and so on…….

All sorts of emotions passed over Songi’s face.

“You’re crying? What did you do so well to cry!”

The guardian’s voice continued to rise.

Even so, I think it’s too much.

To scold a child who was brought to the emergency room in an ambulance after being in pain and having a tube attached to her ribs like that…….

However, none of the people around could easily intervene and were just looking at each other.

“Madam!”

I couldn’t bear to listen and intervened.

Then, the woman turned around to look at me.