Chapter 107
The doc.u.mentary ‘Noted Doctor Han Myungjin’ was broadcast nationwide.
And one day pa.s.sed.
“You must be upset, sir.”
The nurses came up to Suhyuk with a blank face for words of comfort.
Other doctors appeared on the doc.u.mentary, but Suhyuk was only seen sleeping.
“I’m alright…”
Letting out a long breath, Suhyuk moved to make the rounds.
Then Park Sungjae grabbed him and said, “Did you have a good sleep, sir?”
Suhyuk made a bitter smile. Did he sleep well enough?
“Let’s go, sir.”
When Suhyuk moved, Park followed him.
Per Im Gyongsu’s direction, he had Park take care of simple stuff such as blood collection, disinfection of a surgery area, dressing, etc.
Of course, Suhyuk watched Park carry out his duty quietly.
On such occasions, patients made some pitiful look at Suhyuk.
“What a pity he was seen only sleeping in the doc.u.mentary!”
“Among other doctors Dr. Lee should have been seen most.”
Hearing such gossip, Suhyuk just came in and went out of the patient’s rooms.
But that was it. Nothing more happened.
All he could notice was another appreciation of his face by those acquaintances of his at the hospital. Suhyuk felt his uneasiness was going away for some reason.
Was it a useless worry on his end?
Making the rounds of the patient’s rooms, he gave Park the a.s.signments of the day.
“Please get the consent for the CT from the patient with liver laceration, and let me know as soon as his CT is taken.”
Nodding his head, Park opened his mouth,
“Sir, when you want to apply a needle in the belly…”
Park suddenly took his question back, when Suhyuk was turning around to see him.
“I didn’t hear you well. Can you tell me again?”
“No, never mind it. Let me go and take the CT.”
Then Park turned back quickly to head to the imaging room.
“Huuuuuuh…”
He let out a sigh of relief before he knew it.
If he had asked him his question, he would not have breathed well, digesting his vast knowledge of that specific question.
It would be much better for him to ask Im Gyungsu, even if he got scolded.
Park’s gait was much faster now because he was afraid he might be called back by Suhyuk.
It was the best policy for him not to be caught by Suhyuk as much as possible.
Suhyuk smiled at Park’s appearance from behind.
Park had the right att.i.tude to learn, and once given an order, he moved fast to handle it.
He felt Park would be a good doctor.
Of course, Suhyuk never knew what Park was really thinking.
Besides, he did not know either what was going on in the internet since the doc.u.mentary was aired.
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***
Suhyuk was watching the monitor quietly.
He was the patient with liver laceration.
On the monitor there was no blood pool, no inflammation.
Depending on his condition over the next few days, he could get discharged if he regained energy.
Suhyuk talked to Park looking at it next to him,
“What do you think about his condition?”
Park was looking into the monitor closely.
If he could not answer, he would get a good scolding.
“Looks like it’s normal, sir.”
Suhyuk smiled at his hesitant reply, saying,
“You’re right. But it’s important to keep an eye on it because…”
At that moment his cell phone buzzed.
Looking at it, he made a curious expression.
The call was from the hospital director.
“Yes, this is Lee Suhyuk, sir.”
“Long time no see. Are you busy now?”
“Not really, sir. What is it?”
“Can I see you for a moment? I’ve got a favor to ask of you.”
What could it be?
He could not figure out the reason however hard he thought of it.
“I’ll be right there, sir.”
He instantly moved, saying to Park, “Have a break here.”
Park did not respond. He waited until Suhyuk was gone, and then went to see Im.
Suhyuk headed straight to the hospital director’s office.
His secretary welcomed him, saying, “Hi, Dr. Lee. I saw you on TV.”
With a bitter smile he opened his mouth, “Is the director in?”
“Yes, wait a moment.”
She let him know Suhyuk was here.
A middle-aged man sitting against the background of the outside landscape through a wide window. Director Jang Kitaek offered him a seat.
“Have a seat. You want coffee or juice?”
Putting his cell phone down, Jang sat across him, saying,
“How is your life here? Can you manage it?”
“It’s fine, sir.”
Jang smiled, shaking his head as if he could not believe him.
“You must be very busy. Doctors are short-handed all the time. They should take care of their health under that kind of situation, and they should know how to take a break sometimes…”
Suhyuk nodded his head lightly, asking him, “Any reason you brought me here?”
“Oh, you must be hot-tempered… Do you know how to treat patients?”
Suhyuk made a blank expression at Jang’s question out of nowhere.
“There are so many patients in the lobby waiting for your treatment.”
Actually the hospital lobby was crowded with patients who wanted to be treated by Suhyuk.
There was no way of knowing how many more would come.
The patients would not go back even if they heard that they could not see him.
Even a certain patient shouted back when he was rejected.
Almost 30 patients had to be turned back in the morning.
Jang was afraid that the hospital’s image would get damaged because of that.
“Yes, I think I could treat them…”
Jang asked some doctors about him a moment ago, who all said Suhyuk was a competent doctor even though he was only a first-year resident.
Besides, there were lots of praises about him everywhere.
He could believe it because reliable doctors testified to it.
“After lunch, please take care of those patients.”
***
There took place a very unusual thing.
Daehan University Hospital belonged to the third category of places for treatment.
Without referrals from the first or second category places, it was difficult for patients to be treated at the third category place, because they did not do general practice.
Of course the patients could get the treatment there, but their paperwork is usually handled by the emergency team with no coverage of insurance.
But a special arrangement was made today so that Daehan Hospital could provide an ad hoc office for general practice. The office in the corner of the 2nd floor was emptied, with a nameplate hung in front of the door.
Inside Suhyuk looked around, scratching his head.
When he came there right after lunch, such an office for general practice was installed immediately.
The door opened, and a nurse put down lots of paper with simple personal information about the patients.
The paperwork of patients seeing him in order was piled up one by one on the table.
Looking at them blankly, Suhyuk asked, “What’s all this?”
“They’re all here to see Dr. Lee.”
With a smile, the nurse opened her mouth, looking at him,
“You must feel good as you have so many patients.”
She meant it. It seems all those patients waiting came here to see him.
“As this is a makes.h.i.+ft office, we still can’t work electronically. As soon as you’re done treating patients, you can give it to the patient after filling out the prescription.”
“Got it.”
When she went out, Suhyuk let out a long breath, but soon brightened his expression.
Accepting new patients was always the same for him.
Then the first patient came in. Her name was Oh Jina, 20 years old.
Suhyuk said first, “How are you?”
“Wow! You look much better than on TV. You’re really handsome!”
‘Isn’t it strange that she began with talking about my appearance? Isn’t it normal she mentions her symptom first?’
“Thanks. What brought you here?”
“Oh, I have stomach ache. I had a diarrhea. Yesterday I was ‘admitted into the restroom’ all day long.”
Smiling at her witty remarks, Suhyuk opened his mouth,
“Can I touch your belly?”
“Of course.”
Suhyuk took his stethoscope to her stomach. He heard something growling inside.
Then he pressed around her navel to check if she felt any pain there.
“Do you feel any pain here?”
She shook her head. Then he put his hand on her forehead, saying, “You’ve got a fever.”
“Right, doctor?”
With a smile he nodded his head, asking, “Do you see any b.l.o.o.d.y excrement or have any dizziness?”
“No, just diarrhea.”
Suhyuk smiled as she was fortunate.
“Looks like it’s simple enteritis.”
“If it’s simple, that means I can get treated quickly, right?”
Suhyuk nodded and said, “You don’t have to get a shot. Instead let me give you a prescription.”
Writing down a prescription, he handed it to her.
“Thank you, doctor.”
“Just give it to the nurse.”
After stealing another glance at him, she was about to turn back when Suhyuk said,
“I’m not done yet…”
She sat back on the chair.
Suhyuk explained to her about her disease, so she could understand easily.
“Most enteritis is caused by harmful bacteria from foods. It is in the same category as food poisoning. You said you’ve been ‘admitted into the bathroom’ because of enteritis, so you’ll be careful next time, right?”
She nodded.
“For the time being, it is good to eat a meal that is good for digestion. Of course, you can have food with lactic acid bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria keeps down the growth of bad cells in the body. Please stay away from fatty foods, salty foods, milk, fruit and cold foods.”
Hearing his explanation, she made a big smile without realising it
She could understand exactly why he was so famous.
Even though she did not ask first or even if she was not curious enough, he initiated an explanation like this.
It was the first time she met a doctor like this.
“Thank you. Doctor.”
Rising from the seat, she cautiously opened her mouth,
“Sir, can I take a picture with you?”
Suhyuk, scratching his head, posed with her for a picture.
Oh Jina went out and in came the next patient.
“Uh?”
Suhyuk’s eyes opened wider.
An old woman holding a black bag.
She was that very woman who, living in the shanty town, had drunk milk mixed the seeds of Angel’s morning glory flowers at the Hannul Park.
“Who is this? Our dear Dr. Lee, your cheeks are sunken in!”
That was just the beginning.