Chapter 38 – Starting Anew (5)

“You need my help? What kind of nonsense is that?”

A bewildered Yun-seok asked Ji-hyuk.

“This surgery… because you have to do it.”

“Right, I have to… Wh-what? What do I do? I’m performing the surgery?”

“Why are you so surprised? You are the only one who can perform this surgery right now.”

“Y-You’re joking, right, Ji-hyuk?”

“No! I’m not joking. I’m not saying I’ll just stand by, but you should perform the surgery! I’ll assist you from the side.”

“No, no, how can you speak so calmly while suggesting such an outrageous thing? Do you think that is even possible?”

‘Grandfather! I know I’m making an unreasonable demand. But right now, you are the only person who can save this patient!’

“Yes! It is possible. Because you are a genius.”

“This is driving me crazy. I can’t do it! Absolutely not! Why would I perform an emergency decompressive craniotomy? I’ve never even done it, and only in textbooks…”

“That’s exactly it. In your head, the entire process of emergency decompressive surgery is stored perfectly. Right now, there is no one who can perform an emergency decompressive craniotomy better than you.”

“That’s only in theory…”

Ah, damn, Yun-seok had a troubled expression.

“Even if it’s only in theory, you are the only one who can perform the surgery. I’ll help you from the side, so let’s try it. We can’t make the baby, who barely saw the light of day, an orphan, can we?”

“…….”

Hesitation.

Yun-seok was still unable to make up his mind.

“Let’s do it, Yun-seok! We don’t have time to hesitate like this!”

“Okay! Let me ask just one thing.”

“Speak quickly!”

“Are you telling me to do it because you can’t perform this surgery, or are you telling me to do it even though you can perform this surgery?”

‘That’s the wrong question, Grandfather!’

“We are doctors. A doctor has the responsibility to save patients. So your question is wrong! It’s not about who performs the surgery well or poorly. We are doctors, so we just save the patient. But my judgment is that the probability of making this surgery successful is much higher for you than for me. Are you satisfied now?”

“Hmm… Okay! Let’s give it a try!”

“Yes. Good decision. This is the best we can do right now.”

With that, Yun-seok decided to perform the emergency decompressive craniotomy on the patient.

“Hmm, currently the brain is swollen, and the pressure in the skull is elevated!”

Yun-seok began to organize the situation calmly.

“Right!”

“Then that means the brainstem, cerebellum, and even the cranial nerves will receive immense pressure?”

“Precisely.”

Kim Ji-hyuk nodded.

“In the end, performing an emergency craniotomy to lower the elevated intracranial pressure is the best option!”

“That’s exactly it.”

“Got it! I’ll try it.”

Gulp, Yun-seok swallowed his dry saliva.

And,

‘The surgery is relatively simple! Incise the scalp in the shape of an upside-down U!’

Yun-seok recalled the surgical technique of decompressive craniotomy.

‘After that, expose a part of the skull! Once exposed, if we open the meninges wrapping the brain, the pressure within the skull is bound to drop significantly.’

Yun-seok was meticulously recalling the technique.

‘After that, suturing the torn meninges completes this surgery! It’s certainly not a surgery that is as difficult as one might think! I can fully do it!’

Finally, Yun-seok was determined to perform the surgery.

“Nurse! Scalpel, please!”

With that, Yun-seok received the scalpel from the nurse, and the emergency decompressive craniotomy was immediately carried out.

* * *

A few hours later.

“……!”

Yun-seok’s surgical technique was literally as precise as a textbook.

“Subdural hemorrhage! A problem occurred in the vein connecting the dura mater and the pia mater! The vein near the superior sagittal sinus stretched due to the accident, causing bleeding!”

Yun-seok, who successfully relieved the brain pressure through craniotomy.

Having gained confidence, he now seemed intent on addressing the subdural hemorrhage as well.

“Fortunately, the veins extending from the cerebral cortex to the meninges are intact! If we suction out the bleeding area and suture the torn blood vessel, I think there won’t be a major problem!”

‘Wow! Grandfather is crazy! Honestly, I knew he would be able to do it to some extent, but I never dreamed it would be to this level!’

Ji-hyuk, who was watching Yun-seok’s surgery, could not close his open mouth.

Finally!

In that way, after Yun-seok lowered the intracranial pressure and drained all the blood that had flowed into the subdural space, he finished the brain surgery.

“Dr. Yong Tae-in! What about the patient’s ICP and oxygen saturation?”

Yun-seok did not miss the final confirmation after finishing the surgery.

“Yes! ICP is 8 mmHg! Completely normal, and oxygen saturation is also normal!”

Wow—

“It was truly the best surgery I’ve seen recently!”

At anesthesiologist Yong Tae-in’s declaration, all the medical staff in the operating room breathed a sigh of relief.

Through the dedicated efforts of Ji-hyuk and Yun-seok, the mother and child dramatically saved their lives.

* * *

A moment later, Kim Ji-hyuk came out of the operating room after finishing the surgery.

“Father! The hero of the day is coming out from over there!”

Professor Lee Gil-sook, who had finished her surgery first and gone outside, welcomed the two warmly. Beside her stood an elderly gentleman with graying hair.

“Professor? You didn’t leave?”

Discovering Lee Gil-sook, Ji-hyuk ran to her side in a single bound.

“Hahaha, of course! How could I go home when our Hope’s mother is undergoing surgery?”

“Our Hope? Ah! That baby?”

“Yes, yes. In this current situation, what else do we need more than hope? So I gave him a temporary name before the parents name him!”

Professor Lee Gil-sook had a bright face.

“That’s wonderful!”

“Anyway, the surgery went well, right? The mother is healthy?”

“Yes! It’s a pity you couldn’t directly see Dr. Kim Yun-seok’s almost divine surgical technique, Professor.”

“Oh my! As expected of Dr. Kim Yun-seok! But where did he go? I don’t see him.”

Professor Lee Gil-sook looked around.

“Yes! Since the patient is not in a stable condition yet, he went with the patient, saying he would monitor her condition in the intensive care unit first.”

“I see! Oh! Look at my mind! I forgot to introduce my father.”

“You rascal! Why didn’t you chatter some more?”

The elderly gentleman pouted as he looked at Lee Gil-sook.

“I’m sorry! Ji-hyuk, this person is…”

“I am the director of the National Medical Center!”

“……!”

Startled, Ji-hyuk was at a loss for words. Director Lee Tae-soo, the head of the National Medical Center, was Professor Lee Gil-sook’s father.

“Director! I’m sorry for not recognizing you! I am Kim Ji-hyuk, who has been assigned here this time!”

Bow—

Kim Ji-hyuk bent his waist and greeted him at the speed of light.

“Are you the one who dragged my daughter into the operating room without permission?”

“Hahaha, no. The one who dragged me here was Dr. Yun-seok, and this person is Dr. Kim Ji-hyuk!”

“I see! Anyway, did the surgery end well?”

“Yes, it did. The colonic adhesion was severe, but fortunately, the surgery went well, and the subdural hemorrhage was successfully resolved with an emergency decompressive craniotomy.”

“Hahaha. You resolved colonic adhesion and subdural hemorrhage! Director Gustafson said he sent up some quite clever talents, and it seems that is indeed the case! That friend Gustafson didn’t make a hollow boast!”

Director Lee Tae-soo nodded continuously with an appreciative expression.

“You flatter us!”

“Well, in a situation where surgical staff is already severely lacking, you are like rain during a drought.”

Capital city Seoul, where the scars of the Korean War had not yet faded.

Medical personnel were severely lacking. In particular, surgical staff was even worse.

In the event of a traffic accident patient of this kind, the situation was so poor that no action could be taken.

Yet, didn’t the two rookies who had come up from Busan perform a task that no one else could?

From the perspective of Director Lee Tae-soo, who had roamed the battlefields as the top commander of the field hospitals during the war, Yun-seok and Ji-hyuk must have been like an army of thousands of men.

“We will do our best to work.”

“By the way, is it alright to break into the operating room without permission, perform surgery as you please, and mobilize the hospital staff at will? The cost won’t be cheap, you know?”

“I will bear all the costs incurred for the patient.”

“Hahaha, it seems our Ji-hyuk is wealthy? The surgical fees will be quite substantial.”

Snicker—

Director Lee Tae-soo smiled warmly.

“That’s not the case, but since Dr. Yun-seok and I decided to take responsibility for everything, we will somehow prepare the surgical fees!”

“Hahaha, it’s a joke, a joke! Although our hospital’s finances are not very plentiful, how could we place that burden on a new doctor who performed a righteous deed? The hospital will bear all costs regarding the treatment of the mother and baby. If it’s not feasible, I intend to cover it with my personal funds, so do not worry needlessly.”

“Is that true?”

“Haha, would a director tell a lie in front of a rookie?”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Tomorrow, once you wrap up your work, come to my office with Dr. Kim Yun-seok.”

“Yes! Understood!”

In that way, the dramatic first meeting between Kim Ji-hyuk and Director Lee Tae-soo took place.

A moment later.

“Professor! What exactly is the Director talking about? Did Yun-seok really drag you here without warning?”

“That’s right. It was like a bolt out of the blue, and Dr. Yun-seok just dragged me along.”

“I have no idea what that means.”

Ji-hyuk tilted his head.

“Hehehe, actually…”

Professor Lee Gil-sook explained the story to Kim Ji-hyuk while suppressing her laughter.

“Sigh, really?”

“Yes, yes. That’s what happened.”

She had visited the hospital to celebrate the birthday of her father, Director Lee Tae-soo.

She had caught the eye of Yun-seok, who was rushing to the hospital.

It was the story of how she was led by Kim Yun-seok’s hand and ended up performing the surgery in a daze while waiting for Director Lee Tae-soo on a hospital bench.

“But how did he know that you are a professor of obstetrics?”

“Hehehe, this. I was looking at this book, so I guess he inferred it from that.”

Professor Lee Gil-sook showed a book related to obstetrics.

“Ah! This is crazy. Even so, to bring a professor without warning! What if you weren’t one?”

Kim Ji-hyuk rubbed his forehead as if he found it absurd.

“Hahaha, but it turned out right! That’s all that matters. Wasn’t this all God’s revelation to save the mother and Hope?”

“Haha, it was.”

“Well! Anyway, you two are really amazing and admirable! Father also said he has high expectations for you two.”

“Thank you! You helped us so that we could successfully finish the surgery, Professor. I am truly and deeply grateful!”

“Hehehe, if you are so grateful, how about buying me dinner?”

“Pardon?”

“Why? Is that a no? Does it mean public matters are public and private matters are private?”

At that, Professor Lee Gil-sook showed a slightly sulky expression.

“No, no! I should buy it ten or a hundred times. Of course! I will buy it.”

Kim Ji-hyuk waved his hands in denial repeatedly.

“Won’t you regret it?”

“Oh, what regret? Of course I must do that.”

“Well, good! You said a hundred times? I’m starting to keep track from now on! I’m quite a persistent person. Since you said a hundred times, buy me lunch tomorrow first, and then next Tuesday, since I don’t have plans…”

Scribble, scribble—

Professor Lee Gil-sook tilted her head and took out a notebook, starting to write something down.

‘Ah! I should have said I’d buy it just once!’

In less than a minute, Kim Ji-hyuk regretted the words he had uttered.

Anyway, after going through all kinds of hardships, both the mother and the baby were safe.

‘What a relief! What a huge relief!’

With that, Kim Ji-hyuk breathed a sigh of relief.