Living as a beginner (8)
Rooftop of Uijin University Hospital.
Choi Ki-seok lowered his head in despair.
Across from him stood Minjoohyuk, with a frown on his face.
“Hey. What on earth did you mean by that?”
“I’m sorry. I thought the patient was going to die, so I was grasping at straws.”
“Haa…fuck.”
Minjoohyuk messed up his hair.
Choi Ki-seok’s actions crossed the line of an intern.
Who are you to judge a patient’s condition without even examining it?
That’s not the only problem.
The thoracocentesis that Choi Ki-seok attempted is a procedure that first-year thoracic surgeons usually learn and perform under the supervision of their seniors.
Sometimes it is done by interns, but even then, there must be someone nearby to look after it.
However, Choi Ki-seok arbitrarily attempted a thoracocentesis.
It was something I wouldn’t have dared to do if my liver didn’t come out of my stomach.
I wanted to hit Choi Ki-seok, but I couldn’t.
The patient suffered a traumatic pneumothorax as diagnosed by Ki-Seok Choi. And thanks to timely treatment, his life was saved.
Looking at the results alone, it means that Choi Ki-seok was right.
“You were honestly lucky. If there was anything wrong with the patient, it was this.”
Minjoohyuk pretended to slit his throat with his finger.
“······Yes. I will be careful from now on.”
“You are not the only doctor in the medical school. If you do this again, you will die by my hands.”
Whoa whoa!
Min Joo-hyuk slapped Choi Ki-seok on the shoulder and left.
Choi Ki-seok watched Min Min-hyuk’s back and then stood on the hospital railing and looked up at the sky.
It was frustrating.
He previously served as a third-year resident in thoracic surgery.
I performed simple thoracic surgery, including thoracotomy, by myself. The thoracocentesis performed during the first year of registration was not a difficult procedure.
Of course, the problem is that I am an intern now.
Still, I was satisfied that I saved Choi Mi-soon.
“Sir, thank you.”
Choi Ki-seok muttered, thinking of Kim Tae-sik.
The Frozen Heart skill I received from Kim Tae-sik was a great help. In the past, I probably would have been so empathetic towards the patient that I would not have been able to provide proper treatment.
Ki-Seok Choi quietly stared under the railing.
All of the people who were rioting in the intensive care unit were taken to the earth team. Among them, I heard that the woman who trampled on Choi Mi-soon’s body would be punished.
Jiyiing.
The call phone suddenly trembled.
I have something else to do.
* * *
Confronting pseudo-religious people.
Diagnosing a patient and attempting a thoracentesis.
With these two things, Choi Ki-seok quickly became a celebrity.
Even though it wasn’t long after the incident happened, there were people who recognized him and started whispering to him. However, Choi Ki-seok does not care about the opinions of those around him.
When he entered the central supply room because he had a surgery scheduled, Myungwoon Jeong smiled at him.
“Hey. I heard you had an accident?”
“Yes. It just happened to be like that.”
“An intern performed a thoracentesis on his own. Forget it.”
Contrary to his sarcastic tone, a smile appeared on Jeong Myeong-woon’s lips.
“After you finish your internship, come to the gastrointestinal surgery department. How about that?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve already decided on the department I want to go to.”
“Where?”
“This is thoracic surgery.”
In response to his answer, Myungwoon Jeong made a circle with his thumb and index finger.
I thought he would recommend gastrointestinal surgery again, but he left the central operating room without saying a word.
Choi Ki-seok entered the operating room, took a time-out, and stood in the position of assisting.
Soon the surgery began.
Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
The surgeon’s blade cut into the patient’s upper abdomen.
Choi Ki-seok looked at the situation and opened the patient’s abdomen with a retractor. Then, I stared at the surgical site with wide eyes.
It’s time to start practicing Hawk Eyes again.
Since I would not be in the operating room for a while, I kept my concentration as sharp as possible.
The fishy smell of blood filled the operating room.
The sounds of surgical tools being used, the sounds of various machines, and the conversations exchanged between the surgeon and the assistant surgeon came together to create a harmony.
Before I knew it, the surgery had entered its second hour.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the operating room was still tense.
‘What is this?’
Choi Ki-seok frowned.
My vision became blurry, as if I was waking up underwater.
At the same time, an excruciating pain surged from my temporal region.
It seems that after concentrating hard to acquire the skill, there were aftereffects.
‘You can’t do this.’
I bit my lip and held on, but the sudden symptoms did not go away.
As a result, the strength in the hand holding the retractor apart gradually decreased.
“What are you doing? Come to your senses!”
“I’m sorry.”
Ki-Seok Choi quickly concentrated on securing the view.
But it is that moment.
Tiring!
[You have succeeded in acquiring a new skill.]
[You have learned Hawk Eye. The additional bonus of the first skill learned is applied to the skill to acquire a higher skill.]
With the notification, my vision cleared.
The headache also disappeared.
Choi Ki-seok could barely restrain himself from cheering.
I’ve put in a lot of effort to get an eagle eye in the operating room over the past three weeks.
Even a simple stomach surgery usually takes about 3 hours.
But the whole time, they were watching the surgical site as if they were going to eat it. Without any other thoughts, just with the sole intention of gaining the eagle eye.
But the time has come to reap the fruits of that effort.
Choi Ki-seok used medical mode with excitement.
[Dragon’s Eye Lv.1]
– Provides optimal vision required for surgery.
– A zoom-in mode and zoom-out mode are created that allow you to control your gaze at will.
– As your level increases, you can use the second special mode.
– The maximum level is 3.
‘reel? Dragon’s eyes?’
Choi Ki-seok’s eyes widened.
I tried to get the hawk’s eye, but the skill I actually got was the dragon’s eye.
[I have learned the eagle eye. The additional bonus of the first skill learned is applied to the skill to obtain a higher skill.]
Is that what that notification meant earlier?
Ki-Seok Choi tried the Dragon’s Eye and was amazed.
As explained in the skill, the surgical field of vision has improved dramatically.
It was difficult to see the surgical site when using the retractor, but now it seemed like the surgical site was within reach.
[Do you want to use zoom-in mode?]
[Do you want to use zoom-out mode?]
Ki-Seok Choi used zoom-in mode first.
As the field of view narrowed, it focused on the pyloric area of the stomach.
‘Nonsense.’
My mouth dropped open.
Thanks to the zoom-in mode, it seemed like even the fine wrinkles on the stomach wall could be touched.
Usually, surgeons wear optical glasses called luperes when performing surgery.
In the past, Choi Ki-seok also had surgery while wearing optical glasses. However, the zoom-in mode was able to observe the surgical site in detail that was incomparable to optical glasses.
This time I used zoom out mode.
The surgery scenes caught my eye one by one, as if I was watching them on the screen in a theater.
I was briefly worried that my field of view might be too wide.
However, it was unfortunate.
The field of view was adequate and was helpful in identifying the connectivity of surrounding organs and nerves.
As I was using the dragon’s eye, a fire arose in a corner of my chest.
I wanted to have surgery as soon as possible.
* * *
The final surgery and handover were completed.
Choi Ki-seok went around the ward and said goodbye to gastrointestinal surgery residents, nurses, and patients.
I was sad to say goodbye to Modu and Choi Ki-seok.
Choi Ki-seok also hated leaving the people he loved, but he had no choice.
Interns must gain clinical experience by attending various departments.
Also, his final home is not gastrointestinal surgery but thoracic surgery.
After saying hello, I headed to the internal medicine intensive care unit.
Where Choi Ki-seok’s steps stopped, Choi Mi-soon was there.
Choi Mi-soon was awake, unlike when she came before.
Treatment for the traumatic pneumothorax was completed at the thoracic surgery department, so the patient will be discharged after treating only pneumonia.
“Doctor bachelor.”
Choi Mi-soon cried out when she saw Choi Ki-seok.
“I got scolded earlier. I told those mentally ill people not to come, but they came and started abusing me. It was because the big guy told me about the hospital.”
“······.”
“I’m sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Choi Ki-seok showed an expression that nothing was wrong.
“But, do you really mean that the bachelor is going somewhere else now?”
“Yes. I’m a novice doctor, so I have to move around and learn.”
“I’m sorry about that. I like being a bachelor the best.”
Choi Mi-soon pursed her lips.
Choi Ki-seok chuckled at the sight of a pouting child.
“I feel like I want to give you something… but since you said you’re leaving today, why can’t I even give you a gift?”
“It’s a gift… There is a gift I want to receive…”
“Just tell me something. I will do everything I can. Even if I can’t give it to you today, I will have my son give it to you.”
“Then promise me. You will definitely give me a gift.”
“Am. Graze!”
“Now. It’s a promise.”
Choi Ki-seok and Choi Mi-soon linked their little fingers.
“Let’s relax and feel refreshed.”
“What gift do I want to receive…”
“······.”
“Grandma, live a long, healthy life. Please don’t get sick again and be sure to see your second son and grandchildren.”
Choi Mi-soon bowed her head at Choi Ki-seok’s words.
My shoulders were shaking slightly, and when I looked up again, there were tears in my eyes.
“Oh, young people are very greedy. I see an old man with cancer and bad lungs and I tell him to live a long life.”
“I’m naturally greedy.”
“I’ll make sure to give you that gift. So, the doctor bachelor also works hard and stays healthy.”
Choi Mi-soon held Choi Ki-seok’s hand with her small, wrinkly hand.
The warmth coming from my hand was warmer than anything else.
The two people looked at each other and smiled.
Tiring!
[You have acquired a new title.]
A notification rang in my head.
Normally, I would have been curious about the title and checked it right away, but not today.
This moment of communicating with Choi Mi-soon was so precious.
“Grandma. I’ll take a look at this.”
“That’s right. I’m busy, so let’s go.”
Choi Ki-seok left the intensive care unit.
As soon as he left, Choi Mi-soon shed tears.
