Towards the goal (4)
“Seeing as you’re setting the mood, I guess it’s a big deal?”
“It’s not a small thing. Hehehe.”
Min-hyuk Min held out a can of coffee and smiled meaningfully.
“There is an athletics competition hosted by the Korean Thoracic Surgery Association this Sunday.”
“Sports competition?”
“Uh. The participating members are Manager Cho, Professor Kwon, and me. But this place is very uncomfortable.”
“….”
“And the people I’m going with. I’m already shivering thinking about the people I’ll meet.”
“Is it okay if I go to the sports festival as a pinch hitter for a senior? Then I’ll go.”
“Oh, how brave are you?”
“My senior listened to my request, so of course I should too.”
Choi Ki-seok took a sip of canned coffee.
In the past, I would not have attended this event because it was burdensome, but now it was different. If you attend the sports festival, you can see the heads of each university’s thoracic surgery departments in person.
If you do well, you might build good relationships.
At the very least, it is a great achievement for Jihye Yoon to see Vice President Soonjae Park, who underwent MIDCAB surgery, again.
“It’s nice that it’s hot. Shall we have a late-night snack after a long time?”
“yes.”
“Order what you want to eat and wait in the conference room. I’ll talk to senior Jihoon on the phone and then go in.”
“yes.”
Choi Ki-seok returned to the conference room and ordered pizza as a late-night snack.
While I was talking with Youngho Lee, Minjoohyuk came inside alone. Seo Ji-hoon said he didn’t have any thoughts, so only the three of them had a late-night snack.
“Very good, good.”
Min Joo-hyuk smiled broadly as he looked at Choi Ki-seok and Lee Young-ho.
“What do you like so much?”
“I just love you two so much. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d be able to get out of being the youngest until this year. Even in the thoracic surgery department at the Big 5 hospital, there are no applicants for residency. But Ki-seok got you in and even Yeong-ho put a fix on it. I’m very happy, very happy. ”
“But won’t it get a little better in the future?”
“Give up your hopes.”
“…yes.”
Choi Ki-seok quickly gave up on Min-joo-hyuk’s words.
It still seemed difficult for thoracic surgery to emerge as a major field.
Although the cost of surgery has increased slightly compared to the past, there is no reason for interns to choose thoracic surgery.
Thoracic surgery is still the best 3D department.
Recently, there has been a movement to create a provision mandating the establishment of a thoracic surgery department in hospitals with more than 300 beds, but it is questionable whether this will actually be possible.
“How can thoracic surgery survive?”
Youngho Lee, who had been silent, opened his mouth.
“If you know that, thoracic surgery will already be doing well. Well, if I had to choose… wouldn’t it be okay to pay a lot of money to thoracic surgeons like in the United States? No matter how difficult it is, if the compensation is clear, I think there will be people who will apply.”
“What you said is realistically impossible, right?”
“Yes. It’s like a dream.”
During the silence, Choi Ki-seok recalled the words of KTBC reporter Park Gwang-soo. They say that if a star doctor emerges from thoracic surgery, then a revival may be possible.
“By the way, Youngho, you were lured by Ki-seok and came to the thoracic surgery clinic, right?”
“Well… how did you know that?”
“It’s perfect if you look at it. Didn’t you know that I’m an elbow master? I think you’d at least trick me into teaching you how to use it…” ”
Yes. That’s right.”
“You seduced a senior? I discovered a new talent in the thoracic surgery department.”
“Is that how it works?”
Minjoohyuk scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed expression.
“Try your best. You know what kind of guy this guy is because you’ve been in our department. I’m sure of his skills, so if you don’t know something, ask Kiseok, not me.”
A friendly conversation continued, led by Min-hyuk Min.
After a while, the three arrived, ate their late-night snack, and dispersed.
Min Joo-hyuk went to the dormitory, Lee Young-ho stayed in the conference room, and Choi Ki-seok went to the duty room.
‘I got a call.’
Choi Ki-seok belatedly remembered that he had put his cell phone on silent and checked the number.
I received a call from Kim Jeong-hyeok at the orphanage.
Kim Jeong-hyuk was a child who suffered from a medical accident in the past and received help from Choi Ki-seok.
“Uh. Jeonghyuk, what’s going on?”
Choi Ki-seok made a call via video call.
[brother. hello. [I wanted to hear my brother’s voice after a long time.]
“Hey. Now you’re good at telling stories about how to grow fat.”
[I actually like chicken.]
Choi Ki-seok held his stomach and laughed at Kim Jeong-hyeok’s joke. .
Just in case, I looked at Kim Jeong-hyuk with the eyes of Hippocrates.
Both condition and progress are good.
The worries I had for a moment seemed to have disappeared. It looks like the rehabilitation treatment is going well.
“Are you using the tablet PC your brother sent you well?”
[yes. We gather the kids together and watch movies every weekend. Thank you so much.]
“Then I’m glad. You’re a sophomore in high school this year, right?”
[yes. I’m still studying hard. I also want to become a doctor like my brother.]
“Yes, you can do it. Are you going to come to the thoracic surgery department where your brother is?”
[no. I need to see my grades, but I want to go to one of the Pianseong (dermatology, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery departments).]
Kim Jeong-hyuk’s answer made me feel sick.
Jeonghyeok, you too…
[I have a question… Oh no.]
“What’s wrong? Tell me.”
[The director said earlier that he had a stomachache. That bothered me a little.]
“Pick up the phone and go to the director’s office. I’ll tell the director what happened.”
[Wait a moment.]
A thumping sound was heard and the image of the floor appeared on the screen.
Soon, I saw Son Yang-hee in the director’s office.
[It’s been a while, Professor Choi.]
“Hello, Director. Is everything okay?”
[yes. The daycare is running well and the children are doing well.]
“Jeonghyuk said he had a stomach ache.”
[My side feels a little sore. It’s okay.]
Son Yang-hee waved her hand, and Choi Ki-seok looked at Son Yang-hee with the eyes of Hippocrates.
For a moment, his eyebrows twitched.
“Director. Would you please try pressing your lower right abdomen with your hand?”
[Why all of a sudden?]
“Just do as I tell you.”
“Okay. Argh!”
A moan burst from Son Yang-hee’s mouth.
“Director, please come to our hospital right now. I think I will need surgery.”
[It’s not enough to go to the hospital.]
“It’s enough to need to go to the hospital. I’m having pain in my lower right abdomen and I’m probably vomiting. It’s most likely appendicitis.”
[No way….]
“No way, they caught someone. Come quickly to the hospital now.”
Choi Ki-seok persuaded Son Yang-hee to come to the hospital.
How much time has passed?
Yanghee Son arrived at the emergency room and made a call.
Choi Ki-seok met Son Yang-hee and daycare teacher Lee Na-rae at the emergency room reception desk.
“Welcome. Let me help you.”
He stayed by Son Yang-hee’s side while she checked into the emergency room and received treatment and examination.
The result of an abdominal CT shortly afterwards was appendicitis.
It’s just as Choi Ki-seok expected.
“Chu… If it’s appendicitis, I guess I’ll have to have surgery?”
Yanghee Son stared at Kiseok Choi and the medical intern with anxious eyes.
“Don’t worry too much. Nothing bad will happen.”
“I’m so nervous because it’s my first time having surgery.”
“Everyone has no choice but to be worried and nervous when undergoing surgery. It’s not just the director.”
Ki-Seok Choi used encouragement by holding Yang-Hee Son’s hand.
As a result of the encouragement, Son Yang-hee’s expression brightened somewhat.
Choi Ki-seok escorted Son Yang-hee, who was lying in bed, to the operating room and sat in the guardian’s waiting seat.
I wanted to go into the operating room, but I couldn’t.
Then, there is no one to take care of other thoracic surgery patients who come in as an emergency.
‘Now that I think about it.’
A bitter smile appeared on Choi Ki-seok’s lips.
I realized it too late.
As a guardian, this is my first time waiting for surgery.
Even though the difficulty of appendix surgery was not high, I felt anxious and nervous for no reason. This is because you have no idea what is going on in the operating room.
The calm appearance that comforted Son Yang-hee disappeared everywhere.
“The teacher will be busy, but please come in. I will be here.”
“No. I don’t think things will get out of hand even if I go to the duty room. If anything happens, I can just come down from here.”
I declined Narae’s offer and kept my position.
While the surgery was in progress, Choi Ki-seok was in and out of the emergency room about four times. Chest tube intubation was performed on a traffic accident patient, but there were no serious patients.
Jiiiing.
After a long wait, the operating room door opened.
Choi Ki-seok looked at Son Yang-hee with the eyes of Hippocrates and sighed in relief.
The surgery was completed successfully.
He returned to the duty room only after watching Son Yang-hee being admitted to the ward.
The feelings of a guardian realized for the first time.
The feeling of anxiety and nervousness as if I had sent the patient away to a faraway place still remained in my heart.
‘You have to be strong. more.’
Choi Ki-seok made a promise as a doctor.
I will make sure that the guardians do not cry when they leave the operating room.
* * *
Three days have passed since then.
The ward was running well as Lee Young-ho, who was skilled in treatment, came to Fixton and Seo Ji-hoon started working as a resident.
Since that coincided with the time when Min-Woo Han was kicked out to the branch, the thoracic surgery staff jokingly referred to this as the Min-Woo Han effect.
Choi Ki-seok spent four days safely.
While assisting in surgery, I collected various videos and continued to practice on my own, such as reading papers, practicing housework at the hideout, sewing stuffed toys, etc.
His only headache was Moon Min-kyung, a saber surgery case, but he did not focus on persuading her.
I just visited occasionally and had normal conversations.
For the first time, tension arose in the once peaceful daily life of thoracic surgery.
First Thursday of May.
It is the day when the lung cancer symposium is held at the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Uijin University.
* * *
Main auditorium located on the 5th floor of the annex.
Jo Ji-hwan looked at the doctors sitting in the auditorium with a happy smile.
Even though there were 30 minutes left until the symposium started, the auditorium was full.
Even if there are staff from other departments, the number of attendees is enough to pass.
“I guess you prepared well for the presentation, right?”
“yes.”
Yoon Ji-hye and Park Yong-il, standing next to him, answered at the same time.
“I know the skills of both of them well, but other people don’t. So, let’s make the most of this opportunity. Especially Professor Park.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Let’s go now.”
At Jo Ji-hwan’s gesture, the two entered the auditorium.
Trudging. Trudging.
There was a particularly annoying sound of shoes.
I turned my head and saw Lim Jin-woo and his staff coming this way.
Jo Ji-hwan’s brow furrowed slightly upon spotting Lim Jin-woo.
“long time no see.”
Jo Ji-Hwan said hello first.
“It’s been a really long time. It feels like it’s been almost half a year since I last saw you. You’re exaggerated and your face is full of flowers.”
“….”
“Do you think they will fly away because we sent away Professor Song, who was like a thorn in their eyes?”
Lim Jin-woo, a classmate from medical school, threw a fastball from the beginning.
“Professor Song went out on his own. I’m not the one who kicked him out.”
“Why are people like this doing this to each other? Everyone else knows that too.”
“That sounds unpleasant.”
“Uh huh. Don’t you know that a friend who is usually bitter is a true friend?”
Jin-Woo Lim joked.
“But what about the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Uijin University without Professor Song? “I guess it’s sweet red bean bread without red beans, right?”
“Contrary to your expectations, it’s working very well. By the way,”
Jo Ji-hwan cleared his throat and changed the topic.
“I heard that a patient at your thoracic surgery clinic recently died due to a medical accident. You, the manager, are so good at getting around by breaking things apart.”
“What?”
“Did I say something wrong? Moreover, according to rumors, among the thoracic surgeries at the Big 5 hospitals, the one with the lowest level is the thoracic department at Jinhyeong University. Shouldn’t you, the manager, stand upright in order for the department to stand upright?”
“You’re still subtly teasing me.”
Lim Jin-woo’s face turned red.
“But you’ll find out sooner or later. No matter how hard you struggle, our thoracic surgery department cannot catch up. Let’s go.”
Lim Jin-woo passed by Jo Ji-hwan in a flash, and Jo Ji-hwan also gritted his teeth and entered the main auditorium.
‘Try as much as you want. I will have the last laugh.’
