Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 266

Fifth Vital Sign – Episode 266 (266/502)

266. The Reality of Faint Smells

“So, how did you become an organ transplant coordinator?”

“Me? It’s because of my dad.”

“Because of your father?”

“Yes. As you know, I was a nurse before becoming a coordinator.”

Organ transplant coordination didn’t have a specific professional course at the time. So, many coordinators came from nursing backgrounds.

“I had been working as a nurse for over five years, and it was so hard. I was getting pushed around so much that I felt burned out. It felt like I was just surviving each day. And then, my dad’s health started to decline.”

Lee Ye-jin’s father had been suffering from a heart condition for a long time and had been taking medication. After more than ten years, the medication stopped working, and a transplant became the only option.

But organ transplants aren’t something you can get whenever you want. No one knows when a brain-dead donor will become available.

One day, while he was barely holding on, a brain-dead person appeared at the hospital, and he was fortunate enough to receive a heart transplant.

“My dad and our family were so surprised when we were contacted about receiving a new heart.”

“It’s not easy to get a transplant, so that’s really fortunate.”

“Yes. I received a lot of help from many people at that time, and the organ transplant coordinator was the one who took care of everything from beginning to end.”

It was a sudden surgery that was arranged quickly after the brain death occurred.

My dad and our family had always hoped for a transplant, but when it was actually decided, we were all overwhelmed.

The organ transplant coordinator was the one who meticulously managed and took care of everything from start to finish.

In a situation where we didn’t know what to do, the coordinator’s help was invaluable.

After seeing that, Lee Ye-jin decided to quit nursing and become an organ transplant coordinator. And after diligently training, she became a coordinator at that hospital.

“That’s quite a story. Is your father doing well now?”

“Yes, he’s doing well without any major problems.”

“Isn’t it hard work? It’s not an easy job.”

“I’m in my third year this year, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard. I always have to be on standby, and while I’m overjoyed when a recipient I’m managing receives a donation, I also feel bad for the brain-dead person and their family. I think those aspects are difficult.”

Tae-kyung could relate to her stories.

Having undergone an organ transplant himself, he understood the circumstances of the people in that situation.

Also, since there were patients in our hospital who needed organ transplants, Lee Ye-jin’s words felt personal.

“But honestly, I feel more rewarded than burdened. That’s why I’m working so hard today. You might laugh when you hear this, but I’m proud of myself.”

“I’m not laughing at all. And I think you’re admirable and wonderful. It’s not something anyone can do.”

“Really? Thank you. I’m embarrassed to receive compliments from such a famous doctor. Oh! Excuse me, I need to take this call.”

“Go ahead.”

While the two were talking, Lee Ye-jin’s phone rang urgently again.

It seemed like a call about organ transportation that wouldn’t end quickly, so Tae-kyung gestured for her to take the call and got up from his seat.

As he stood up, Tae-kyung’s gaze briefly lingered on the bag containing the organ.

Honestly, he was curious about who the donor of the lung in that bag was and what their story was, but he didn’t ask.

Lee Ye-jin knew that she wouldn’t answer even if he asked. And more than anything, it wouldn’t be respectful to the deceased donor.

“Yes, I received a call that the ambulance is waiting at the front gate. Yes, thank you. I’ll go right away. Yes.”

“Excuse me, passenger?”

A flight attendant who had been waiting behind her spoke to Lee Ye-jin, who had finished the call after a long time.

“Oh! I was in the first-class cabin for too long, right? I was about to go back to my seat. Thank you for calling the doctor and helping me.”

Lee Ye-jin thought the flight attendant was telling her to move back to her original seat in economy class.

“No, that’s not it. You don’t have to move.”

“Pardon?”

“You said you were going to Busan, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“The doctor also said he was going to Busan and switched seats with you.”

“No, what is…….”

A little while ago, Tae-kyung, who had left the first-class cabin while Lee Ye-jin was on the phone, went to the flight attendant’s office. And he asked the flight attendant for a favor so that Lee Ye-jin, who was transporting an organ and had injured her arm during work, could travel more comfortably. Fortunately, the flight attendant team leader, after hearing the situation, allowed the seat change.

“No, Dr. Kim Tae-kyung? He didn’t have to do that. He already helped me enough…….”

Lee Ye-jin felt sorry and didn’t know what to do after hearing the situation from the flight attendant.

“I’m fine, so I’ll just move back to my seat.”

“Please don’t. The doctor did it on purpose, thinking of you. Your arm is also injured, so please sit here and go comfortably.”

Lee Ye-jin, who was about to get up from her seat, decided to stay as planned, considering the flight attendant’s persuasion and Tae-kyung’s thoughtfulness.

“And the doctor told me to tell you not to forget to take your antibiotics.”

“Excuse me, flight attendant, just a moment.”

Lee Ye-jin took out a notebook from her pocket, quickly wrote something down, and handed it to the flight attendant.

“I’m sorry, but could you please give this to that doctor?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Ye-jin handed the note to the flight attendant, said goodbye, and sat down.

An hour later-

The train arrived in Busan, and Tae-kyung, who was sitting in economy class, got up from his seat to get off.

As he was walking out of the train, he saw Lee Ye-jin making eye contact from a short distance away.

Tae-kyung also quietly nodded in response, and Lee Ye-jin, after receiving the greeting, quickly carried the bag containing the precious organ and went up the stairs.

-Thank you, Doctor, for treating me and giving up your seat. I always wish you good health and will always support you.

‘I hope the surgery goes well.’

Tae-kyung, who was watching her, recalled the note Lee Ye-jin had given him and wished for the successful surgery of the recipient receiving the organ transplant.

‘Please go to a good place.’

He earnestly prayed for the repose of the unknown brain-dead person who had given precious life to several people and headed to the taxi stand.

“Welcome.”

“Driver, please take me to Haegippeum Hospice Hospital in OO-dong.”

“Do you know the address?”

“Yes, I’ll give you the address.”

After leaving Busan Station, Tae-kyung took a taxi and arrived at the hospice hospital.

Click-

“Thank you.”

“Doctor!”

Kim Jin-kyung, Yoo Ji-cheon’s daughter, saw Tae-kyung getting out of the taxi and came out of the front gate, waving her hand.

“You must be tired from coming such a long way. I told you I would pick you up. Was it hard to find?”

“Not at all. I enjoyed the scenery of Busan on the way and came comfortably. It’s been a while.”

“I know. It’s been a really long time. Actually, I don’t feel like it’s been that long since I saw you on a TV show.”

“Oh, that.”

“You spoke so well that my family and I were amazed while watching.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m also a fan of yours.”

A man who had been quietly walking next to Kim Jin-kyung while they were talking suddenly greeted him.

“Who are you…….”

“Oh! That’s right. I was going to introduce you, but I was too distracted. Doctor, this is my husband. Honey, say hello.”

“Hello. My name is Lee Dong-gyu, Jin-kyung’s husband. Nice to meet you.”

“Kim Tae-kyung. Nice to meet you. I didn’t know you were married.”

“It hasn’t been long. Thankfully, my in-laws understood my mom’s situation, so we just had a quiet ceremony with both families.”

Lee Dong-gyu was a coworker who had feelings for Kim Jin-kyung for a long time. The two started dating before Yoo Ji-cheon was discharged from the hospital and recently became a couple.

Currently, he was on leave from work to take care of his sick mother-in-law and was staying in Busan with Kim Jin-kyung.

“Congratulations on your marriage, though it’s late.”

“Thank you.”

“The caregiver looked good when I got out of the taxi earlier, and now I know why.”

Kim Jin-kyung’s expression was brighter than when she was caring for her mother, Yoo Ji-cheon. Tae-kyung, who had only seen her looking worn out, felt relieved.

“Me? I think it’s because of my husband. He’s really good to me. But when I think about my mom, I wonder if I deserve this happiness.”

“Of course, you do. Yoo Ji-cheon would want you to be happier.”

“You say the same thing as my parents.”

“But how is the patient doing?”

“Mom? It seems good but not good, and not good but good… I don’t know if you understand what I’m saying.”

Kim Jin-kyung let out a short sigh as if she was frustrated, and Lee Dong-gyu, who was next to her, held her hand tightly.

“Honestly, I’ve been out of it lately.”

It seemed like a slight shadow was cast over Kim Jin-kyung’s face, which had looked bright until just now.

Just as the three of them were talking and entering the hospital entrance, it happened.

“……!”

Suddenly, Tae-kyung staggered greatly and almost fell.

“Oh my! Doctor?”

“Are you okay?”

Kim Jin-kyung and Lee Dong-gyu, who were next to him, were surprised and asked.

“I’m okay.”

“Well, the stairs here are a bit high, so I almost fell last time.”

“Really? Be careful.”

The two were worried, but Tae-kyung, the person involved, didn’t hear their conversation.

“I’m glad you didn’t fall, though.”

“I think I stepped on it wrong.”

That wasn’t true.

His two strong legs were walking straight. There was another reason why Tae-kyung staggered.

‘This can’t be…….’

It was because of the fifth vital sign.

There was a faint, terrible smell from the hospital’s front gate. Tae-kyung had expected it to some extent because of the nature of the hospice hospital.

But the reality of the faint smells rushed and poured down on Tae-kyung the moment he entered the hospital entrance.

It was the most terrible, dizzying, and awful smell he had ever smelled while sensing the fifth vital sign.

The smell of burning sulfur, rotting corpses, and an indescribable toxic smell mixed together, violating his sense of smell and making his eyes sting.

It felt like he was being mocked by an invisible shadow of death, and the smell *was* death itself.

Tae-kyung could instinctively tell that the smell was the 5th stage of the fifth vital sign.

It was a moment when he felt deeply that everyone gathered here was facing death.

‘I don’t feel good…….’

What was even more cruel was the happy faces of the patients that he could see slightly as he passed by the hospital rooms.

Some patients were struggling, but the expressions of the patients who were smiling brightly made Tae-kyung’s heart feel numb.

Feeling the most terrible fifth vital sign, he passed by several hospital rooms and stopped in front of the last room at the end.

“Doctor, this is it.”

Creak-

Tae-kyung followed the two people who opened the door and entered, and there was Yoo Ji-cheon.

“Doct…….”