Holding the end of the internship (2)
that evening.
An hour has passed since the surgery was completed for the patient with a dissection of the Daedong dissection.
Choi Ki-seok took a seat in the party office with Min-joo Hyuk.
Ssssssssuk. Sssssssuk.
The hands that were knitting suddenly stopped.
The blood overflowing from the river and Song Myeong-jin’s eyes filled with despair passed through my mind.
Even though I immersed myself in knitting to forget the pain of that time, I could not easily forget it.
‘It’s not even the first time.’
Choi Ki-seok looked down at his needle-like nose with a bitter smile.
This is Choi Ki-seok, who has participated in the 3rd year of registration in the past.
There’s no way I couldn’t have seen the patient die.
Nevertheless, I could not get used to the patient’s death at all.
It felt like my heart was breaking every time a patient died, and the feeling of shame and helplessness that followed was difficult to explain in words.
“Is this your first time seeing a patient die?”
Minjoohyuk asked calmly.
“no.”
“But why are you so upset? Professor Song, I, and you all did the best we could. In that situation, no matter who entered the operating room, the patient would have died.”
“······.”
“Don’t beat yourself up for nothing.”
“It’s not self-harm.”
Choi Ki-seok paused before continuing.
“I just don’t want to forget that the patient died in my hands. I need to remember today so I can prevent the patient’s death next time.”
“That’s self-harm.”
Min-hyuk shrugged his shoulders.
“Are people dying one by one in the hospital? Besides, our department is called thoracic surgery. It’s a place where people die every day.”
“······.”
“If you count people who die like you, you’ll have to create a graveyard in your heart.”
Choi Ki-seok remained silent in response to Min-joo-hyuk’s words.
I had something to say, but I didn’t bother to say it.
If different values clash, the only thing that will result is a fight.
Jiyiing.
The cell phone I had placed inside my gown rang.
Choi Ki-seok’s eyebrows twitched as he checked the number.
“Sir, I’ll go out for a moment and then come back.”
“Bring some cup ramen when you come.”
“yes.”
After answering, I headed to the hospital rooftop.
When I opened the door and entered the rooftop, I saw a man leaning on the railing and smoking a cigarette.
Cigarette smoke puffed out of the mouth and spread out in the shape of a cloud.
Choi Ki-seok was frozen like a stone at the unexpected sight.
“professor?”
“came?”
Song Myeong-jin took a deep breath of his cigarette and stared at Choi Ki-seok, who was approaching.
“······Have you ever smoked?”
“That’s a long explanation. Cough. Cough.”
Song Myeong-jin coughed and placed one hand on his forehead.
“I originally quit smoking when I became a specialist. From then on, I smoke whenever a surgical patient dies.”
“ah······.”
“It’s been a while since I smoked, so I’m dizzy.”
Song Myeong-jin smiled bitterly and shook off the cigarette ash with his index finger. Then he took out a new cigarette and lit it again.
The two looked down at the rooftop in silence for a while.
Meanwhile, Choi Ki-seok took a peek at Song Myeong-jin.
The sight of my teacher in pain while smoking a cigarette pierced my heart.
Isn’t this what Min-hyeok Min actually refers to as self-torture?
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Professor… you did your best.
“And the patient died.”
Song Myung-jin coldly accepted Choi Ki-seok’s consolation.
As the heavy and long silence continued, Song Myeong-jin began to cry.
“I’m sorry. Because my mind is twisted, my words seem to come out twisted. I guess I still have a long way to go in terms of personality and surgical skills.
“No, Professor…”
“I have decided.”
Song Myung-jin interrupted Choi Ki-seok and continued.
“I decided to go to the Mayjo Clinic.”
A calm voice echoed across the rooftop.
Ki-Seok Choi eventually realized that what he had feared had happened.
Song Myeong-jin, exhausted by the useless power struggle at the thoracic surgery department, faced the ordeal of a patient dying during surgery.
No matter how good I was, I couldn’t help but feel shaken.
“Even if you think I’m running away because of what happened today, I won’t deny it.”
“······.”
“No matter what happens, I want to leave Korea for a while.”
“yes.”
Choi Ki-seok did not catch Song Myeong-jin.
No, I couldn’t hold it.
“Is it possible for me to go to the Mayjo Clinic with the professor?”
“Of course you can go.”
Choi Ki-seok was startled by Song Myeong-jin’s answer and shook his head.
Mayjo Clinic is one of the top hospitals in the United States and has a world-renowned reputation.
It would be an honor to be able to train there.
“But not now.”
Song Myeong-jin continued speaking, placing his hand on Choi Ki-seok’s shoulder.
“I understand your desire to go with me, but I still have to stay in Korea.”
“······.”
“I’ll call Teacher Choi after I’m settled in. So, in the meantime, I’m studying English hard.”
“All right.”
“And it may be difficult without me, but if possible, stay at our hospital instead of going to another hospital.”
“Our hospital?”
Ki-Seok Choi asked back.
If Song Myung-jin was leaving, I honestly didn’t think there was any need to be tied down to Uijin University Hospital.
Because my abilities were enough to become a thoracic surgery resident at another university hospital.
“Our thoracic surgery department is a place where the struggle for power is more severe than at other hospitals. Not to mention Chief Jo Ji-hwan, and the new Professor Jang will be formidable. If you can survive here, you will be able to survive at any hospital.”
“······.”
“Please show Mr. Choi that he is a worthy candidate to work at Mayjo Clinic.”
Song Myeong-jin’s words penetrated Choi Ki-seok’s heart.
It’s that moment.
Tiring!
[The long-term mission ‘Towards Meijo’ has been created.]
① Master English. Raise all your English skills to intermediate level or higher.
– Current ability level
– Reading: Medium
– Conversation: Low
– Listening: Low
② Hang in at Uijin University Hospital until Song Myeong-jin’s offer comes.
[If the mission is successful, you will be given a skill book that can increase the level of the desired skill by one level.] [
With Song Myeong-jin’s help, the probability of entering the Mayjo Clinic increases significantly.]
“Yes. I will definitely show you.”
When Choi Ki-seok answered bravely, Song Myeong-jin nodded slightly.
“I like Mr. Choi because his answers are always brave. Let’s go in now.”
Song Myeong-jin took the lead and Choi Ki-seok followed.
Afterwards, Ki-Seok Choi broke up with Myeong-Jin Song, bought cup ramen for Min-Hyuk Min, and returned to the dormitory.
I leaned against the back of the bed and looked at the surgery video filmed today.
[professor! The bleeding won’t stop.]
[Attached blood pack and IV hemostatic agent.]
[9:30 p.m. Patient Yoo Ki-hwan’s table death.]
The video clearly shows the staff struggling and the patient cooling down.
Although the pain at the time tormented him, he played the video again and again.
To prevent a situation like this from happening again in the future.
Choi Ki-seok shed tears while watching the video and then fell asleep.
* * *
The next morning.
A morning meeting was held with all thoracic surgery staff gathered together.
After the inpatient progress reports and surgical patient briefings were completed, there was some time to spare.
“Professor Song. Do you have anything to say?”
Jo Ji-hwan looked at Song Myeong-jin and tapped the table with his fingers.
A smile that could not be hidden was revealed at the corner of his mouth.
Judging from the expression on his face, it seems like he heard about last night’s incident from someone.
“I was planning on talking about it now.”
Song Myeong-jin continued speaking with a dark expression.
“Last night, a patient with an acute aortic dissection came to the emergency room. He went into emergency surgery right away, but the false space in the aortic arch ruptured and there was a lot of bleeding.”
“······.”
“The patient died because we could not control the bleeding.”
Song Myeong-jin’s words echoed through the conference room like an echo.
It has been quite a while since Song Myeong-jin performed the surgery himself and a patient died.
The shock did not go away easily.
“After listening to Professor Song’s story, the guardian remains silent? From what I see, I don’t think there will be anything to say even if this is filed in a lawsuit.”
Jo Ji-hwan’s irritating tone.
It was as if the guardian wanted to file a medical lawsuit.
“I already went to the hospital funeral hall in the morning and said hello to the guardian, but he didn’t say anything.”
“Well, that’s good, but… don’t let your guard down.”
Jo Ji-hwan took a pause and then continued.
“That way, you can reassure Professor Song and then stab him in the back. You know better than anyone that a guardian is on the doctor’s side only when the patient is alive, right?”
“I know. And there’s one more thing I’d like to talk about here.”
Song Myung-jin set the mood.
“I recently received a love call from Meijo Clinic. While contemplating where to move forward, I eventually accepted Meijo’s offer. I will remain at the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Uijin University until a successor is chosen.”
“Hey~ It’s Professor Song, of course. A love call from Meijo Clinic….”
Jo Ji-hwan smiled brightly.
“But please think again. We still need Professor Song in our thoracic surgery department.”
“Don’t say anything you don’t mean.”
Song Myeong-jin gave a stinging blow. Nevertheless, Jo Ji-hwan joked as if nothing had happened.
“Anyway, if you’ve already made up your mind, I should send it to you, Mr. Yu. Try to set a date for the farewell party sometime this month.”
“yes.”
The Chief nodded at Jo Ji-hwan’s words.
After the meeting, morning rounds were held.
During the night, the patient died and Song Myeong-jin, the most talented person, announced that he was leaving.
Nevertheless, the daily life of the thoracic surgeon ran smoothly like a cogwheel.
* * *
Trap, plod.
Choi Ki-seok headed to the ward with a smile on his face.
Now that I am off for a long time, I am studying ECG diligently.
But suddenly Nam Kang-Jun called me asking for help treating the patient.
Of course, I didn’t have the slightest desire to help him.
The problem was that I couldn’t stay still, thinking about the patient who was having a hard time because of Nam Kang-Jun.
I arrived at the pediatric thoracic surgery ward and looked around the room.
I saw Nam Kang-jun standing blankly in front of the young patient.
“I’m here?”
Nam Kang-Jun pretended to know and continued speaking.
According to him, the patient was supposed to receive an intravenous injection according to the doctor’s instructions, but the intravenous line was nowhere to be seen.
So it is said that he inevitably called Choi Ki-seok.
“It’s been a few months since you were an intern, and you still can’t even get an IV?”
“Look at this kid’s veins and tell me.”
Nam Kang-jun finished speaking and his face wrinkled.
“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“I ate milk and bread in a hurry earlier, but I guess that was wrong. I’ll go to the bathroom and come back.”
Nam Kang-Jun left the hospital room in a hurry.
Choi Ki-seok found a syringe on the table and looked down at the patient.
The patient’s name is Somang Yoon.
He was two years old and suffered from congenital mitral valve malformation. Song Myeong-jin is the patient who will undergo surgery within this week.
“Do you want to play?”
At Choi Ki-seok’s words, the child vigorously waved the air with his hand.
“Peekaboo! Peekaboo!”
When I played the joke, the child started laughing.
Choi Ki-seok also smiled brightly.
‘Why not…’
Nam Kang-Jun frowned and sat on the toilet seat.
I didn’t want to miss the important moment, but my lower abdomen hurt so much that I couldn’t bear it.
Shoot.
After finishing my errands, I washed my hands in the sink. And like lightning, I ran to the hospital room.
Choi Ki-seok was gently pressing the child’s wrist with an alcohol swab.
Nam Kang-Jun watched this in silence.
The operation announced by Cho Tae-ho not long ago was successful.
This is the very operation that can turn Choi Ki-seok into an asshole and get him kicked out of the hospital.
In fact, the drug he asked Choi Ki-seok to inject intravenously is Maliant.
Maliant is a drug frequently used in pediatric patients and is administered by intramuscular injection. Fatal side effects can occur if administered intravenously.
However, Choi Ki-seok was fooled by his ruse and ended up injecting intramuscular medication into a vein.
It was an obvious medical accident.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. Kangjun asked for an intravenous injection, so I gave it to him.”
After the incident occurred, it was useless for Choi Ki-seok to deny it.
“I said, ‘I definitely need to give you an intramuscular injection.’”
If Nam Kang-Jun catches it, that’s it.
If that happens, Choi Ki-seok will be treated like trash and kicked out of the hospital. Nam Kang-joon, who has fulfilled Jo Tae-ho’s mission well, will walk a solid path.
The operation was completed successfully, but my emotions were complicated.
It is refreshing to see Choi Ki-seok kicked out, but the patient was not guilty of anything.
“This kid. I definitely couldn’t see any blood vessels.”
“That’s right?”
“But isn’t he cute?”
Choi Ki-seok held the child in his arms and smiled.
The child smiled brightly and waved at Nam Kang-jun, not knowing what state he was in.
Is it because of a lingering ray of guilt?
Nam Kang-Jun instinctively avoided the child’s gaze and hand gestures.
“Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“It’s good.”
He readily accepted Choi Ki-seok’s offer.
However, when Choi Ki-seok arrived at the break room, he slammed the door shut and pressed the stopcock to lock it inside.
There are only two people in the break room right now.
There was a lot of tension between the two.
“Are you human?”
Choi Ki-seok spoke first. The gaze he looked at Nam Kang-jun was as hot as a flame.
“Why all of a sudden?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know that?”
Whoa whoa!
Choi Ki-seok’s fist hit Nam Kang-jun squarely in the face.
