Chapter 49: If Left as Is, I'll Die (2)

‘Now that you mention it… indeed…’

Suhyeok tilted his head and looked at the video.

The neurology resident, who had already lost interest in the video, was on the phone with the ward.

It seemed he was just eager to prescribe the medication and complete the admission procedures.

[The area is too small. It's highly likely that the loss of consciousness is due to other reasons.]

Meanwhile, Baruda continued to impress his thoughts on Suhyeok.

It was too plausible to dismiss as mere noise.

Indeed, the area was small.

‘Then what’s the cause?’

[It seems impossible to determine from the brain MRI alone. The information is limited. I suggest prioritizing other tests.]

‘Other tests.’

[It would be good to first list organs that could cause loss of consciousness.]

‘Hmm.’

Suhyeok frowned for a moment.

It was a scene that anyone would find strange.

After all, it was quite unusual for him to come and see a patient who had nothing to do with him.

In a university hospital, one is already busy enough with their own work.

Yet, he had come, and now he was looking at a video that seemed to have a clear conclusion.

Fortunately, no one was paying attention to Suhyeok.

The radiologist was focused on the patient nearing the end of the examination.

The neurology resident was still on the phone.

It seemed that finding a bed at Taehwa Medical Center was not an easy task.

‘Organs that can cause loss of consciousness… the heart?’

[Yes, the heart cannot be overlooked.]

‘But there was no mention of pain in the patient’s chart.’

[The case you presented in front of the students earlier also had non-specific symptoms.]

‘That’s true, that’s true. Hmm.’

It seemed a cardiac examination was necessary.

Of course, there was a device monitoring the heart rate, but it provided limited information beyond the current heart rate.

“Excuse me, sir.”

So, Suhyeok hesitantly spoke to the resident.

The resident, still on the phone, turned to look at Suhyeok with a slightly irritated expression.

“Why?”

“Has an ECG been done for this patient?”

“ECG? Probably.”

In a university hospital emergency room, an ECG is a routine test.

Even if the attending physician doesn’t think it’s immediately important, it’s still done as a matter of course.

‘It seems it hasn’t been checked.’

[We should check it. Or have it done again.]

‘Maybe the intern didn’t notify if something was wrong.’

Suhyeok, slightly deflated by the resident’s nonchalant response, asked Baruda.

But Baruda was very firm.

[Think back to when you were an intern. Was the intern a doctor?]

‘A doctor, of course! He has a license recognized by the state!’

[Compare that to the current you. Can you really recognize him?]

‘Ah, hmm.’

Indeed, it had only been a few months since he became a resident.

But there was a world of difference from when he was an intern, just following orders.

It wasn’t just because of Baruda’s help.

His peers had also clearly improved.

‘An intern can miss… things.’

[Yes, just consider them as knowing nothing.]

‘That’s a bit harsh. You’ve been saying that all along.’

[Why are you defending an intern when you’re not one?]

‘Because I was an intern until recently.’

Sometimes, he still felt confused about whether he was an intern or a resident.

Baruda, unable to understand or care about Suhyeok’s feelings, decided to ignore them.

[Anyway, we need to check or do an ECG.]

‘Hmm.’

Baruda’s opinion was not just his own; Suhyeok also agreed to some extent.

So, Suhyeok looked up at the resident again.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the resident’s expression seemed better than before.

It seemed the admission process was going smoothly.

‘But it might all be for nothing.’

While thinking this, Suhyeok cautiously spoke.

“Sir, have you seen the patient’s ECG?”

“Huh? No.”

As expected, the resident had not seen the ECG.

After all, he had come down to see a patient with loss of consciousness and neurological symptoms.

The heart was not a consideration from the moment he decided to come down.

Therefore, he looked bewildered.

The patient’s diagnosis had already been determined as a cerebral infarction, and an ECG was not an urgent test.

In other words, it could be checked the next morning.

“Then it would be good to do it right away. The examination is just finishing…”

But Suhyeok was not backing down.

He was confident that the cause of the patient’s loss of consciousness was not a cerebral infarction.

If not, there must be another cause, and the heart was a strong possibility.

He believed that confirming this would have a significant impact on the patient’s prognosis.

“The examination is over, so we should give the medication and move the patient to a ward! Why an ECG all of a sudden? You saw the video, didn’t you?”

Of course, the neurology resident was not willing to back down either.

He believed that the best course of action for the patient was to immediately start treatment for the cerebral infarction.

“We still need to check. The area of the infarction is small! It’s not a lesion that could cause loss of consciousness!”

Moreover, Suhyeok’s words touched on the resident’s pride.

No matter how excellent Suhyeok was as an internal medicine resident, he was still in internal medicine.

To boldly criticize a neurology case was unacceptable, especially from someone of a lower rank.

“Dr. Suhyeok, are you a neurologist? What does a first-year internal medicine resident know to teach a third-year neurology resident?”

“I’m not trying to teach! Just look. Isn’t the area small?”

“Is the area important in a cerebral infarction? The location is what matters.”

“But…”

“Anyway, this isn’t even your patient. We’ll handle it in neurology. Please leave now.”

The neurology resident said this and forcibly pushed Suhyeok out of the room.

In the past, he might have been able to stop it somehow.

But with his leg now impaired, he had no way to resist.

Bang.

All he could do was stare at the firmly closed door.

[Damn, what a temper.]

Baruda sneered, clearly displeased.

But Suhyeok could understand.

‘If someone from a different department came and acted superior, I’d be annoyed too.’

Frankly, the neurology resident’s reaction was relatively mild.

Others might have used informal language or even physically pushed him.

[It wasn’t just being superior; it was stating the facts. He probably knew the area was insufficient.]

‘Anyway, this can’t be left as is. Hmm.’

He lacked the courage to go back in.

He also lacked the strength.

‘First, my cane is inside.’

[Damn…]

‘You got hurt in the explosion!’

[Who says? I just feel bad, that’s all.]

‘That’s not how it sounded at all.’

[Whatever. Are you just going to leave it like this?]

‘No.’

Suhyeok shook his head at Baruda’s words.

He then reached into his gown pocket and took out his phone.

Baruda, seeing this, spoke in a very peculiar tone.

[You know this is pretty underhanded, right?]

‘What else can I do? They won’t do the ECG otherwise.’

[It needs to be done.]

‘Then stay quiet.’

Suhyeok quickly silenced Baruda and called the director.

“Hey, Suhyeok.”

Lee Hyunjong, who was supposed to be in a meeting, answered the phone as soon as it rang.

‘He must have been half-hearted about the meeting…’

Especially if the meeting was about money, he would almost block his ears and leave.

Suhyeok, guessing that today’s meeting was about money, spoke.

“Yes, Director. I’m calling about the patient you mentioned earlier.”

“Oh, really? Is it an urgent case?”

“No, it’s not that… just the ECG…”

“I got it, I got it! If it’s a heart problem, I’ll go see it!”

“What…?”

Suhyeok looked at his phone, wondering if the call had been misconnected.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyunjong, putting on a great act, hurriedly left the meeting room.

“Hey, Director! Where are you going!”

Shin Hyuntae, the internal medicine department head who had barely avoided a deficit, tried to stop him but to no avail.

“Patient, patient!”

How could he be stopped when he was pointing at his phone and rushing out?

If it was a patient of Director Lee, it was likely a myocardial infarction.

“Is this a real patient this time?”

Of course, Shin Hyuntae still had a suspicious look.

Lee Hyunjong had often used fake patients as an excuse to leave.

But no one dared to check who had called.

“Dr. Shin, don’t change the subject. What about the deficit and the other issues? The money earned by the gastroenterology and hematology-oncology departments is all gone.”

He was in a difficult position himself.

Anyway, Lee Hyunjong managed to escape the chaos.

‘What’s he talking about?’

[Is the cerebral infarction on that side?]

Meanwhile, Suhyeok and Baruda were continuing their bold and rude speculations.

“Hey, Suhyeok. I’m out now. What’s up?”

Of course, once Lee Hyunjong’s act was over, Suhyeok’s imagination also came to an end.

He quickly returned to reality and thought about the patient.

Or rather, he didn’t need to think about it.

Baruda had neatly organized the information for him.

“It’s about the patient you asked me to follow earlier.”

“Ah, I’m heading to the ER. Tell me on the way.”

“Yes, Director. The patient’s history is quite unclear. They were found collapsed and brought to the ER, but only three minutes had passed since they were last seen as normal, so the golden hour hasn’t passed yet.”

“Go on.”

Lee Hyunjong nodded at Suhyeok’s smooth notification and continued walking.

For a man over sixty, his steps were surprisingly light.

Just by looking at that, one could tell that the hospital hadn’t given him the chair professor position for nothing.

“A brain MRI just done shows a cerebral infarction.”

“Oh, an infarction is visible?”

“Yes, but it’s not extensive enough to cause loss of consciousness.”

“The area is small?”

“Yes, the area is small, and the boundaries are very unclear compared to an infarction caused by a blocked vessel.”

“Ah, it’s a diffusion issue, right?”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyunjong was already thinking of a diagnosis.

And that diagnosis matched exactly what Suhyeok and Baruda had in mind.

“It seems to be a right ventricular infarction. In such cases, symptoms are more likely to be due to low blood pressure rather than chest pain…”

“Some case reports have mentioned that a lack of blood flow to the brain can cause a cerebral infarction. Wait. No, hang up and book a cardiac catheterization room. Use my name. I’ll head to the ER right away.”

“Yes, Director.”