Chapter 158
Normal saline?
Baek Eun-seo blinked with wide eyes and asked.
“No, no. I was just joking. Nothing actually got in my eye.”
“What on earth did you see to make you react like that? Did poison gas come out of the monitor or something?”
“Hmm... CPR ABC... no, there’s just something like that. Don’t worry about it.”
“Hmm...”
“Just get back to work.”
“Ah, yes. Understood.”
Baek Eun-seo tilted her head and went back to her spot.
I sighed and looked back at the blue window.
I still couldn’t shake the shock from 2005 earlier.
But separate from that shock, curiosity about the system was rising.
So if those people got trapped in there once, they could never get out?
Like a lingering spirit?
If they had to live there forever, fighting over whether ABC was right or wrong with knowledge from 2005, wouldn’t that be an endless hell?
I wrote a new post.
[Dead Medical Scholar Gallery]
===============
Just came back from the old gallery, lol
Author: HellJoseonSlave1
I just went to the 2005 gallery and nearly threw up.
But I’m curious—does that mean those guys stay trapped in there forever?
They don’t get updated?
===============
[Comments]
Back in my day: No, not really. You can lurk in the latest gallery. You just can’t post.
ㄴ HellJoseonSlave1: ? Then how do you move to the latest gallery?
ㄴ Back in my day: If you study the latest knowledge and learn it, doesn’t it just happen on its own? I think that was it, but I don’t really remember.
ㄴ God of the Scalpel: Yep, that’s right. You can come over. The ones still stuck there are just too lazy to study or too stubborn.
Ah.
So that’s how it works.
ㄴ Rheumatism Hag: Grandpa Descendant of Hippocrates has the habit of moving to the latest gallery about a year late every time a new guideline comes out because he can’t adapt.
ㄴ Descendant of Hippocrates: A habit!? I’m not an animal, that’s a bit too harsh, isn’t it!
“Pfft.”
I snorted.
Still, at least they’re trying.
So I’ve checked out the 2005 gallery...
Once I understood the principle, I became curious about even deeper pasts.
I knew it was Pandora’s box, but isn’t wanting to do the thing you’re told not to do human nature?
1995... feels like it’d be similar to 2005 somehow. Then 1985?
That’s even before Reply 1988.
I scrolled all the way down and found [Dead Medical Scholar Gallery (~1985)].
Click.
As the screen crackled and changed, I clicked one of the most viewed posts.
===============
I think we should discuss surgical methods for gastric ulcers.
Author: Gastrointestinal Tract
If a stubborn gastric ulcer patient doesn’t respond to medication and keeps relapsing, what do you think is the surest solution?
Please choose between vagotomy and gastrectomy.
===============
[Comments]
Surgeon Here: Wouldn’t vagotomy be better? You need to stop acid secretion at the root. I think cutting the nerve carries less risk.
ㄴ Nice to Meet You: Even if you cut the nerve, it comes back, so I think it’s much better to remove about two-thirds of the stomach, including the ulcer area.
Click.
I closed the window right away.
Why the hell are these bastards arguing about something so pointless?
Gastric ulcer.
Nowadays it’s a condition that gets better after a few weeks of antacids from the pharmacy or PPIs prescribed at the hospital.
And the biggest cause of recurrence is Helicobacter pylori.
Just take antibiotics for a week and the bacteria die; you’re cured.
But back then, they didn’t know Helicobacter was the cause of gastric ulcers.
They thought it was due to stress or excess stomach acid.
Give them antibiotics, you idiots! Stomach and nerves, same difference, you crazy bastards!
To cut open a belly and take out an organ just because of one little bacterium.
It was a moment that made me truly realize how far modern medicine has advanced.
I closed the gallery completely.
“Dr. Han!”
Just then.
A very solemn voice came from behind me.
“Huh? Why? What’s up?”
When I turned my chair, I saw Baek Eun-seo standing there holding something in both hands.
On a stainless-steel tray, a huge 1-liter bottle of normal saline, a syringe, and a towel were neatly arranged.
“Here’s the saline you asked for!”
“Huh?”
I froze.
No way, she actually brought it?
Why?
Why?
“No, Eun-seo. I was joking earlier...”
“It looks like something got in your eye, and no matter how I think about it, washing it out seems best!”
Baek Eun-seo’s expression was serious.
“I saw you rubbing your eyes earlier, frowning, and muttering curses to yourself, so there’s definitely some foreign-body sensation or chemical irritation.”
“No, that’s just because I’m stressed...”
“Even if it doesn’t hurt, if something’s in your eye and it’s uncomfortable and stings, it gets in the way of work! And there’s also a risk of infection during the procedure! So let’s go to the treatment room obediently...!”
Baek Eun-seo advanced with solemn determination.
That.
That look is weird.
I can see the desire to legally douse a senior with water under the pretext of helping, can’t I?
“Hey, hey, wait! I’m fine, seriously!”
“Stay still! It’ll be over quickly!”
Baek Eun-seo grabbed my arm and shoved me in front of the sink in the treatment room.
Then she expertly turned my head to the side, placed the towel under my eye, and popped the saline cap open.
“Now, open your eyes! Wide!”
“No, wait a sec!”
Fwoosh!
A cold stream of normal saline slammed into my eyeballs.
“Gah! It’s going into my nose...!”
“Stay still! We have to wash it out!”
Splash, splash, splash.
It does feel refreshing, but... is this right?
After a long session of water torture...
rather, after the rinsing was over.
I looked like a drowned rat and wiped my face with the towel.
My vision was crystal clear.
“Oh... yeah, thanks... thank you. That was really refreshing. Thanks to you, my eyes feel like they’ve been reborn.”
Baek Eun-seo tossed the empty bottle into the trash and smiled proudly.
“Not at all! Your eyes are precious, Doctor!”
Yeah.
They are precious.
But could you maybe respect my rights as a person too?
It felt like I’d been overthrown by a junior.
…
***
“Doctor!”
Someone’s voice rang out through the chaotic noise of the ER.
It was Senior Nurse Jeong.
“Me? I’m the one?”
The intern, looking utterly clueless, was led behind the curtain by Senior Nurse Jeong.
And a little while later.
The intern came back out, hesitated, then approached Baek Eun-seo, who was sitting at the station.
“Dr. Baek.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“The patient...”
After hearing the intern, Baek Eun-seo frowned, let out a deep sigh, and stood up.
“Got it. I’ll go.”
Baek Eun-seo disappeared behind the curtain with a grave expression.
And about three minutes later.
Baek Eun-seo came back out and came to find me.
“Dr. Han.”
“What? What’s wrong? Is the patient’s condition bad?”
“Doctor. So, um, it’s just that...”
Baek Eun-seo hesitated, unable to continue.
“Could you come with me?”
?
I followed Baek Eun-seo, trying to understand the situation.
This was the gist of what I heard on the way.
“So they want a doctor to give the shot, not a nurse?”
“Yes. They say their veins are weak and they don’t trust nurses. They want a doctor to do it no matter what.”
A classic difficult-patient routine.
In fact, if you only look at IV skills, nurses who stick dozens or even hundreds every day are far more skilled.
How often do we even need to catch a peripheral vein ourselves?
“Didn’t the intern go in earlier? He can do it.”
“But they said they don’t want the intern either. They want a higher-ranking doctor.”
“Hah...”
Unbelievable.
“So? You went, didn’t you? You’re higher-ranking than the intern.”
“I went, but they still said no.”
“Why?”
“I look a bit young, you know? They said I seem like a rookie and don’t want me. They want someone with experience.”
“Crazy...”
Leaving aside the shamelessness of saying it herself that she looks young, the patient’s demands are...
They’re getting an injection, so why the hell is this turning into a job interview?
Before I knew it, we had arrived at the problem curtain.
Swish.
When I pulled back the curtain, I saw a man in his fifties sitting with his arms crossed and a very dissatisfied expression.
Looking at the chart to see why he’d come, it was just simple gastroenteritis.
“Sir, then if you’ll allow me, I can get an IV set up in your arm here...”
I put on my most courteous smile and picked up the tourniquet.
Then the patient looked me up and down and snorted.
“Huh? Not that! Not some young kid!”
Not that?
“Why do you keep sending me trainee-looking kids? I won’t entrust my body to just anyone!”
The patient waved his hand dismissively.
“I’m a third-year resident. Among the doctors here...”
“Enough!”
The patient shouted angrily.
“A professor! Bring me a professor! Get the highest-ranking person here!”
Every eye in the ER turned this way.
Damn, this guy...
No.
Hold on.
The highest-ranking person? A professor?
Right.
If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.
I bowed very politely.
“Understood, sir. I’ll bring the chief in as requested.”
“Huh? Uh... yeah. Hurry and bring them.”
The patient nodded haughtily.
Swish.
After closing the curtain and turning around, Baek Eun-seo followed me, looking baffled.
“Oh, Dr. Han. Where are you going? You’re really calling them?”
“Yeah.”
“Who? The on-call professor? Professor Kim Seong-chan is in the treatment room right now...”
“No.”
I pointed to the end of the hallway.
“The chief’s office.”
“What?”
I headed straight to the chief’s office.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
When I opened the door and went in, Park Woong was focused on his computer.
“Did you sleep? What’s going on? Another disaster?”
“No, sir. It’s just that a very important VVIP patient has come to the ER.”
“VVIP? Did a congressman come or something?”
“No, not that. But this person strongly insists on being treated by you, Chief.”
“Me?”
Park Woong looked puzzled.
“Yes. They don’t trust any of the other doctors, and they’re earnestly asking that the center director himself come and treat them. Your reputation must be truly famous.”
“Well, then... what kind of patient is it? A critical case?”
“You’ll see when you go. They’re someone who needs a very delicate, precise procedure. IV.”
“Really? Let’s go.”
Park Woong made a bewildered face, then smiled and stood up, his coat fluttering.
Thus, we entered the ER with solemn determination.
Swish.
The curtain opened, and Park Woong said in a deep voice.
“Sir, I am Park Woong, director of this emergency medical center. I heard you were looking for me.”
Seeing Park Woong’s face and the center director’s embroidered insignia on his gown, the patient smiled with satisfaction.
“Ah, yes! Just looking at you, I can tell you’re somebody important! Yeah, this is more like it. I can’t trust those young kids.”
“What’s bothering you?”
“They told me I need an IV for gastroenteritis, but they said my veins aren’t easy to see. Professor, please put it in on the first try.”
The patient thrust out his arm.
I signaled with eyes full of reverence, “Only the chief can do this.”
“Sure. Well then, let me take a look. Tourniquet, please.”
In fact, university hospital professors don’t do injections.
Especially not a simple IV line for fluids.
In other words, the patient was kicking out a max-level player and demanding a level 1 user.
Park Woong’s brow furrowed.
“Your veins are hiding a bit.”
“Please take good care of me, Professor.”
“Don’t worry. This’ll sting a bit.”
…
“Kwaaaah!”
A scream burst from the patient’s mouth.
“Now, stay still. Your veins are running away. If you move, it’ll hurt more.”
“I said it hurts! Ah, Professor! Aaaagh!”
“Now then, what’s going on here? Sir, the thing with IVs is, depending on the state of the veins...”
…
“Sss... Ah! Ouch! That stings! Agh, Professor! Gently!”
“No, but this is just how it is... Please stay still! Honestly!”
…
In the end, Park Woong stabbed three more times, and only after a deep blue bruise had formed did he finally succeed in getting the line.
“Done!”
Park Woong stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
The patient stared at his battered arm with tearful eyes.
“Thank you...”
His voice was full of resentment and regret.
He probably would never ask for a professor again.
Park Woong swept the curtain aside with dignity and whispered to me as he came out.
“Don’t call me over for things like this too often, ya hear.”
“You worked hard, Chief. You’re the best.”
I gave him a thumbs-up.
Baek Eun-seo, the intern, and the nurses watching from behind covered their mouths, trying not to laugh.
It was a peaceful day in the ER, full of lessons.