Chapter 80

Chapter 1 of Episode 80: Towards the Intern (5)

“Haa… Haa… Haa….”

My breathing was as rough as my footsteps.

I ran from the basement 1 parking lot to the basement 3 parking lot, scanning the surroundings.

That's right.

The place I estimated the patient might have collapsed was the parking lot.

If the patient had collapsed in the parking lot, it made sense that the time to transport them to the emergency room was delayed.

This was because the number of people in the parking lot was extremely low compared to outside or inside the hospital.

Among the parking lots, I focused on the blind spots where my view didn't reach well.

My eyes, searching for the patient, were probably desperate.

I still didn't know what illness had caused the patient to collapse.

But if the delay in transportation had led to aftereffects, it was definitely an emergency condition.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the patient's outcome was in my hands.

So, I couldn't help but feel anxious and rushed.

After failing to find the patient on the 1st and 2nd floors, I descended to the 3rd floor with exhausted steps.

Although it didn't feel like I had been running for long, my whole body was drenched in sweat.

My bangs hung limply, and my well-pressed suit and shirt were terribly wrinkled.

But if I could save the patient, this much was bearable.

“I found you!”

The place where I involuntarily let out a voice of excitement.

It was at the edge of the basement 3 parking lot.

An elderly man with white hair was lying next to the driver's seat of a luxury sedan.

On either side of the sedan were large SUVs, and in front of them was a car with the gear in neutral.

The location was already secluded, and the angle of view was the worst.

It was natural that the discovery of the patient was delayed.

No, rather, it was a miracle that the patient was found at all.

I pushed the car with the gear in neutral slightly and approached the fallen patient.

Finding the patient was half the success.

To achieve complete success, I had to attempt emergency treatment and bring the patient to the emergency room.

“Hey… Are you okay?”

I caught my breath and bent down towards the patient.

The patient turned his body towards me.

The patient's eyes looked straight at me.

Fortunately, the patient was conscious.

My deduction that the patient might have collapsed in the parking lot.

My sturdy legs played a significant role in realizing this deduction.

“B… Breathing is too….”

The old man's face was contorted in pain, and he was clutching his chest with one hand.

The old man seemed to want to say something more, but his lips only moved.

A notable point was that the old man kept staring at the car as if he was missing something.

“Is your breathing the most uncomfortable? Or something else?”

“……”

I fell into deep thought while examining the old man, who couldn't speak due to his labored breathing and pain.

What exactly was the illness tormenting the old man?

From the symptoms alone, it seemed like the early stages of acute myocardial infarction.

There were symptoms that overlapped with hyperventilation syndrome.

Given that the old man was coughing continuously and complaining of breathing difficulties, it was impossible to rule out ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome).

First, I decided to carry the old man and run to the emergency room.

As I approached the old man to make this decision, I heard something.

Sssssss.

Sssssss.

A faint wheezing sound hidden in the old man's rough breathing.

Wheezing is a distinctive breathing sound made when a patient's airway is narrowed, sounding like "sssss" or "grrr."

This meant there was a problem with the respiratory system, including the airway and bronchi.

‘Ah… So that's why you were looking at the car.’

Finally, the scattered puzzle pieces began to fall into place.

The patient had collapsed due to an asthma attack.

Labored breathing, chest pain, and wheezing.

These three were typical symptoms of asthma attack patients.

“May I borrow this?”

Beep!

I grabbed the car key next to the old man's head and opened the car door.

I carefully entered the car and took out a small device from the storage compartment between the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

This was the item the old man had been desperately looking for.

A bronchodilator.

The bronchodilator the old man used was a U-shaped inhaler, the most common type.

The moment I confirmed the bronchodilator, my tension began to ease.

‘Now I get it.’

I reconstructed the events that must have happened to the old man while grabbing the inhaler.

Because of his age, the old man probably knew he had asthma through health check-ups.

If so, it was natural for him to carry the bronchodilator he received from his doctor.

The old man left the bronchodilator in the car and headed towards the elevator for his appointment.

But unfortunately, an asthma attack occurred at that moment.

In a hurry to return to the car, the old man couldn't withstand the attack and collapsed in front of the car.

This was the sequence of events I reconstructed.

“Is this what you were looking for?”

As I approached the old man with the inhaler, his eyes lit up.

Just by his eyes, I was confident that my judgment was correct.

“Breathe in slowly, hold your breath, and exhale.”

I knelt on one knee and helped the old man use the bronchodilator.

After two consecutive inhalations, the old man's condition improved significantly.

His breathing, which seemed like it would stop at any moment, calmed down, and his expression became gentle.

Only then could I relax.

I felt proud that my efforts to save the old man were not in vain.

‘Definitely not the me from my previous life. I can change many things from now on.’

This belief began to well up deep in my heart.

The keen eye for spotting the location where the patient had collapsed.

The accurate diagnosis based on the patient's symptoms.

The bronchodilator found by simultaneously using keen eye and diagnostic skills.

Although it wasn't an incredible feat, this incident clearly showed the growth of the me who had returned.

I'm sure my contributions will continue even as I become an intern and a resident.

“Phew, thanks to you, I survived. If it weren't for you, I would have suffocated to death in the parking lot.”

The old man, now more relaxed, expressed his gratitude.

What the old man said was not wrong.

If a severe asthma attack continues for a few minutes, the patient can die from breathing difficulties.

I had heard that the old man from my previous life didn't die from this attack, so he must have been transported late and suffered brain damage.

“No, it was just my duty. How are you feeling now?”

“I can breathe better now. If I rest a bit more, I might be able to walk on my own.”

“You shouldn't push yourself. If you're okay, I can take you to the emergency room.”

“Thank you. Since I'm already in your debt, let me ask one more favor.”

“Relax and lean on me.”

Instead of supporting him, I carried the old man.

Despite my busy schedule, I exercised at least twice a week.

My stamina and endurance were on par with any doctor.

My breath, which had been heavy from searching for the old man, had now mostly settled.

“Still, you managed to find me despite the cars parked in front making it hard to see me.”

“I didn't see you, but I heard a groaning sound and came to check. It was lucky.”

I improvised an explanation.

The first weapon of the me who had returned was extensive medical knowledge, and the second was the eloquence I had developed since I was one year old.

If it came to a verbal sparring match, I wouldn't lose to even my arch-nemesis, Kang Tae-sub.

“Ha ha, it seems heaven sent you to me. You're not supposed to die yet. Are you a hospital staff member here?”

The old man, curious, asked another question.

“No, I'm not a staff member, but I will be soon. I'm an intern applicant, and I have an interview today.”

“An interview? If you have an interview, shouldn't you hurry? I don't want you to waste your time because of me.”

The old man, whom I had been worried about, was now worried about me.

The situation had turned 180 degrees.

‘Will it be close?’

I checked the time on my wristwatch.

The interview was scheduled to start at 2 PM.

It was now 2:15 PM.

My interview number was 63, and assuming a 5-minute interview for 5 people…

My interview time would be 2:30 PM.

If I take the old man to the emergency room and run to the interview room, I might just make it on time.

‘Should I be worried?’

Time was tight, but surprisingly, my heart wasn't.

Because the most solid insurance was on my back.

The old man who had collapsed from an asthma attack.

He was the father of the emergency medicine professor who was interviewing me today.

During my rotation in emergency medicine,

I clearly remembered what a first-year resident senior had told me.

The emergency medicine professor had left the interview room in a hurry after receiving a phone call.

But if I, who saved the professor's father, fail the interview?

That was impossible.

In other words, I would save the old man and not fail the interview.

“Isn't saving the elderly more important than the interview? That's what I think.”

“Ha ha, if all doctors in our country had your mindset, it would be great.”

The old man paused and continued.

“Actually, my son is a professor at this hospital. I can't let my savior fail the interview, so I'll do my best to help.”

“There's no need for that….”

“Please don't make me an ungrateful person. Student, what's your name?”

“My name is Lee Min-seok.”

I pretended to hesitate but then gave my name.

“You have a solid foundation. Tell me your phone number too.”

The old man took out his phone and wrote down my name and phone number.

He planned to call his son, the professor, to help me pass the interview.

With the old man also looking out for me, I felt very secure.

This way, I could form a new connection with the emergency medicine professor.

Looking back, I was really foolish in my previous life.

Why didn't I realize that the strength to overcome trials ultimately comes from people?

“You can tell my son to help you, so don't worry too much and do well in the interview.”

“……”

“From your determined personality, I think you'll do well even without my worry.”

“Please get well soon, sir.”

After parting ways with the old man, I ran to the interview room like lightning.

On the way, I checked my phone.

There were dozens of missed calls and messages from Shin Cheol-woo, Nam Chorong, and Kwon Ah-reum, who had been worried because I hadn't shown up for the interview.

I was grateful and apologetic for the concern and worry from my friends, whom I hadn't had in my previous life.

“Hey, where have you been? You didn't answer any calls. Are you in your right mind?”

As soon as I came out of the elevator, Shin Cheol-woo, who was waiting in front, scolded me.

Kwon Ah-reum, who was with Shin Cheol-woo, also chimed in.

“Sorry, I'll explain everything after the interview.”

“Hurry up. Chorong is pleading for you to be allowed to take the interview.”

“Thank you and I'm sorry.”

I straightened my clothes and headed to the interview room.

By now, the old man's call must have reached the professor, right?