Chapter 15 – Grandmother Mi-seon (6)

Having succeeded in suturing the inferior vena cava, Kim Ji-hyuk immediately turned his gaze toward the mesenteric artery.

The superior mesenteric artery was also ruptured.

The superior mesenteric artery was a vessel that supplied blood to the duodenum and pancreas. It was an important vessel because if it was damaged, the duodenum and pancreas could become necrotic.

“Clamp!”

“Yes, sir!”

Nurse Erika used a highly respectful tone. That was probably proof that she now acknowledged Kim Ji-hyuk’s skills.

“Suture! Nurse Erika! You must absolutely not make a mistake this time!”

“Pardon? Calling me seonsaeng?”

“Yes. Is something wrong with that?”

“Ah, no, nothing.”

“What are you doing! Give me the clamp!”

“Yes. Understood.”

She smiled slightly.

Taking the needle and thread handed to him by Nurse Erika, Kim Ji-hyuk immediately began suturing the superior mesenteric artery.

‘Since the main fire has been put out, the remaining embers won’t be that difficult! Since the patient’s condition is at its worst, we must finish as quickly as possible! However, we are short on blood! Grandfather! Please, please come quickly!’

Like that, Kim Ji-hyuk began the suturing.

But the patient’s condition was not so simple.

*Squirt—*

Once again, a jet of blood spurted out.

It was common in forest fires for embers to become the main fire again.

“Senior Shin Jeong-eun! Blood! We need a transfusion!”

“Sigh, there is none. Blood! The pack we just administered was the last one!”

Shin Jeong-eun’s brow was deeply furrowed.

“Any news from Yun-seok? Has he contacted us?”

“No. Not yet!”

He looked out of the operating room blankly, but there was no sign of Kim Yun-seok.

“Damn it, what do we do about this?”

*Squirt—*

The jet of blood spurted out again.

“Block it with gauze for now! Quick!”

What they could do now was plug the spouting jet of blood with gauze. Kim Ji-hyuk, Erika, and Nurse Ena used all their strength to block the blood vessel with gauze.

The gauze turned red in an instant.

It had reached a point where it could no longer be managed with gauze packing.

‘Blood! I need blood. If only we have blood, I can save her!’

Kim Ji-hyuk packed the gauze with all his might, desperately blocking the collapsed dam.

But even this was the end!

*Gush, gush—*

Now the intensity of the escaping blood became even stronger.

It was a situation where the grandmother could no longer hold out.

‘How futile! Is it going to end like this?’

The grandmother’s blood type was O, a common type. Before his regression, in a university hospital, they would never have given up on a patient due to a lack of blood.

Kim Ji-hyuk stood there with a devastated expression.

It was right then.

*Slam!*

The sound of the operating room door opening roughly.

And, a man’s clear, ringing voice was heard.

“Ji-hyuk!”

It was Kim Yun-seok, who had gone to Beomeosa to get blood.

*Panting—*

Yun-seok took deep, ragged breaths.

“G-Grandfather!”

The words slipped out of Kim Ji-hyuk’s mouth unconsciously.

“Haha, yes, I am your grandfather!”

“Y-yeah. What about the blood? Did you get the blood?”

“Yes! The US military medical team is stationed at Beomeosa, and they had spare blood. For the shortage, I drew blood from soldiers with matching types!”

“Okay!”

Finally, the blood they had been waiting for so desperately arrived.

Now, all that was left was to save Grandmother Mi-seon. Kim Ji-hyuk had no leisure to think of anything else but that.

“Starting the surgery again!”

Kim Ji-hyuk encouraged the medical team in a booming voice.

“Yes!”

The operating room regained its vitality as Kim Yun-seok returned with the blood.

The medical team became one and began to save the patient.

A moment later, the observation room.

“Fufu, it seems they succeeded.”

A smile hung on the lips of Director Gustafsson, who was silently watching the surgery scene.

“That is correct! It seems our Dr. Kim Ji-hyuk pulled it off!”

Surgeon General Yun Chi-wang smiled brightly, pointing to Kim Ji-hyuk, who succeeded in suturing the superior mesenteric artery.

“Incredible!”

“Yes. The medical capabilities of our South Korea have grown to this level, Director!”

He even had tears welling up in his eyes.

“Indeed. I intend to reward all the medical staff who participated in today’s surgery, including Dr. Kim Ji-hyuk, so please arrange it, Surgeon General.”

“Yes! Understood, Director!”

Surgeon General Yun Chi-wang grinned from ear to ear.

In this way, the surgery, which had been a fierce battle full of twists and turns, was completed successfully.

* * *

A few days later, the hospital ward.

Grandmother Mi-seon, who dramatically returned alive from a fierce struggle at the crossroads of life and death.

Thanks to the efforts of the medical staff including Kim Ji-hyuk, and the secondary surgery performed by the professors who returned from their outreach medical treatment at the Geoje camp, Grandmother Mi-seon was able to pass the critical crisis.

“Did the doctor save me?”

Having undergone a major surgery, Grandmother Mi-seon’s stamina was depleted, and her cheeks were sunken, looking like skin and bones.

“You went through a lot, Grandmother.”

Ji-hyuk held Grandmother Mi-seon’s hand tightly.

“Thank you truly. Handsome doctor.”

Grandmother Mi-seon wore a faint smile on her lips.

‘Grandmother, why on earth did you say those words to me?’

“Now, you will get better if you just receive your treatment well.”

Although he wanted to ask right away, since the grandmother was not yet fully recovered, Ji-hyuk could not bring himself to speak.

“The surgery costs must not be cheap.”

“Don’t worry. The US military decided to support the full amount. Not only that, but there will also be compensation coming.”

“Compensation?”

“Yes. It will be a substantial amount, so you will be able to live a bit more comfortably now.”

“Oh my, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. This is strictly the US military’s fault. It is only right that they bear all the responsibility.”

‘Certainly her mind is clear right now! My thoughts were correct. Grandmother Mi-seon is absolutely not senile!’

“Still, I am grateful…”

“Then please rest. After a nap, you will feel much lighter.”

Ji-hyuk pulled up the blanket and covered her.

“Doctor Ji-hyuk!”

It was just as Ji-hyuk was about to leave the hospital room.

“Yes? Grandmother?”

*Thump, thump—*

Ji-hyuk’s chest was pounding.

“I think I wet myself. It’s wet!”

*Sigh—*

Ji-hyuk had a helpless expression.

‘It can’t be helped. There will be an opportunity to hear the story later.’

Just as Ji-hyuk was changing the wet sheets to new ones.

“The enemy is always in the closest place. It’s best to always be careful and careful again.”

“Yes? Grandmother, what did you just say?”

“This is as far as it goes. The words I can give to Doctor Ji-hyuk.”

“I don’t really understand what you mean. Can’t you explain a bit more? An enemy is in a close place?”

“Ohohoho, don’t ask any more. Because my spiritual power has also withered away and nothing is left.”

‘As expected, she wasn’t senile!’

“Spiritual power?”

“Didn’t Doctor Jeong-eun tell you everything? That I was a shaman.”

“Yes. I heard.”

“I lived while receiving all kinds of contempt and mistreatment in the meantime. But there is no need to do that anymore, and I feel I shouldn’t either.”

“………”

“Since I have our Mi-seon, Min-jun, and even an eldest grandson now, I shouldn’t be like this.”

She was a grandmother who decided to accept Cheol-woo.

“Grandmother, can’t you explain in more detail? Why you told me not to go to Fairy Rock, and what it means that there is an enemy around me, I am so curious.”

“Ohohoho, no. Didn’t I say my spiritual power has withered away? I don’t know any more than that either.”

“Grandmother……”

Grandmother Mi-seon did not seem to need to pretend to be a dementia patient anymore, but she did not tell him everything.

‘Hmm, it can’t be helped. Although it’s regrettable, at any rate, it’s a relief that Grandmother Mi-seon has regained her health. Surely the day will come to uncover the secret. I have no choice but to wait for the future.’

Ji-hyuk bit his lip with regret.

* * *

Professor Jo Dong-ki’s office.

The Korean professor, Jo Dong-ki, summoned Kim Ji-hyuk to his research office.

“Have a seat.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Would you like a cup of warm yeopcha?”

‘Gasp, yeopcha… I remember hearing about it in bacteriology class. The 1970 dye-adulterated yeopcha incident! At that time, the E. coli count per 100cc of yeopcha reached 92,000, causing an uproar across the country. Of course, it must be even worse now, certainly not any better.’

“It is fine. I don’t digest corn very well. I apologize.”

Kim Ji-hyuk glossed it over roughly.

“I see. According to a Chosun Ilbo press release, they say yeopcha is good even for babies. What a pity.”

“I apologize.”

“There is no need to apologize. What should I treat you to then? I don’t have anything in particular to give.”

“It is fine.”

“Indeed. This war must end quickly for us to drink proper tea.”

“Yes.”

“First of all, congratulations on the successful surgery.”

Professor Jo Dong-ki took a sip of the yeopcha.

‘First of all? What is this uncomfortable feeling?’

“Thank you.”

“Saving a patient in an emergency is a truly rewarding task as a doctor. You seem to have a very excellent sense of duty as a doctor.”

“You flatter me.”

“No. The war will end soon, and there will be many things for young people like you to do for this country. Please continue to devote yourself to medicine even more in the future.”

“Yes. Following your wishes, I will devote myself to medicine even mo—”

“That’s what I mean. I am telling you to devote yourself ONLY to medicine.”

Professor Jo Dong-ki cut off Kim Ji-hyuk’s words and changed his expression.

“Pardon?”

“You have shaken up the entire system of our hospital.”

“Ah, I apologize.”

“I understand that you have a connection with John Eisenhower, but acting arbitrarily like this without asking for your supervisor’s opinion appears to be nothing but ignoring me, the person in charge of the Korean doctors here.”

“That was because the situation was extremely urgent, and we were not in a position to contact you immediately—”

“Do you not know we are currently at war? You were not stationed here to treat civilians! Do you not realize that because you mobilized all the medical staff to save that patient, other soldiers could not receive proper treatment?”

Jo Dong-ki scolded Kim Ji-hyuk with a solemn expression.

“Civilians are also human beings. I could not just stand by and watch a dying patient.”

“I told you we are in a wartime situation. Are you going to let soldiers die just to save a civilian? Keep in mind that one healthy soldier is worth a hundred civilians.”

‘He’s crazy! What is the reason for putting forward such ridiculous, forced logic? Could it be that you are actually jealous of a mere rookie trainee?’

“With respect, Professor, as a result of my check, there are currently no patients at all in our hospital who require surgical treatment. Isn’t that why you professors were also able to move to Geoje?”

‘Why? You have nothing to say because I hit you with facts, right? Do you think I stayed quiet because I didn’t have a mouth? If you continue to be so unreasonable, my respect for you as a professor ends here.’

“W-what did you say?”

“I, too, would have split the medical personnel if there was a patient who urgently needed surgical treatment. However, since there were no urgent patients other than those needing internal medicine treatment, I focused on Grandmother Mi-seon.”

“Are you talking back to me right now? You clearly ignored the hospital’s procedures!”

As Kim Ji-hyuk unexpectedly counterattacked, Professor Jo Dong-ki appeared flustered.

“It was a surgery permitted by Surgeon General Yun Chi-wang and Director Gustafsson. Did I really ignore the procedures?”

“……”

“Even a matter as light as air can be as powerful as biblical evidence to a person with negative thoughts. Although failing to contact you in advance was a mistake, I believe there was no problem in either the process or the procedures.”

“And so? Do you intend to continue acting up recklessly like this in the future?”

“I learned that if it is about saving a person, I should act not just recklessly, but even wildly! And I learned that from you, Professor.”

“………”

*Groan,* Professor Jo Dong-ki wore a displeased expression. His face was flushing red, perhaps from rising anger.

“If you have nothing more to say, I will take my leave now. Because it is time to disinfect the wounds of the soldiers you value so highly, Professor.”

“………”

“May I be excused now?”

As Professor Jo Dong-ki remained silent, Kim Ji-hyuk asked once again.

“Fufu, do as you wish. However, I hope you take responsibility for what you just said to the very end.”

“Yes. Then I will be leaving now.”

‘My grandfather used to say: a doctor must do their best in front of a patient, regardless of their status. Yes! I will take responsibility for the words I spoke. Professor!’

With that, Kim Ji-hyuk stood up from his seat, gave a polite bow, and left the professor’s office.