Chapter 52

Doctor Choi Daeho - Chapter 52

Without showing the slightest sign of agitation, Daeho looked at Seo Juran and asked quietly,

"Did this patient get a CT scan?"

"What are you talking about? Cerebral infarction is an ultra, ultra, ultra-emergency. Why are you suddenly talking about a CT scan?"

"Nurse Hwang, please arrange an emergency CT scan. As fast as possible."

Daeho gave Hwang Semi a sharp order.

Sensing that something was seriously wrong, Nurse Hwang Semi immediately pulled out her phone.

"Any faster...? Okay. Dr. Richard, ten minutes!"

The call and her report came almost in one breath.

Seo Juran, on the other hand, couldn't understand what was happening.

"Why are you doing this? Last time, you just pushed the patient straight into the emergency procedure room!"

"Wait."

"..."

Daeho raised one hand to stop her, and Seo Juran froze.

His gaze wasn't on the patient.

It was on the guardian.

He introduced himself first.

"I'm Richard Choi from Emergency Medicine."

"I'm Shin Yuri. Doctor, my friend's name is Jo Hyeri. What's wrong with Hyeri?"

"I'm going to ask you a few questions so I can find that out."

"Yes. I'll tell you anything. Ah, Hyeri's been like this for about an hour."

Shin Yuri quickly explained what had happened, looking as if she might burst into tears.

But Daeho's next question went in a completely unexpected direction.

"Were you on your way back from an overseas trip?"

"What?"

Shin Yuri stared at him blankly.

At the same time, Seo Juran scolded him from the side.

"What kind of question is that right now?"

Daeho ignored her and continued questioning Shin Yuri.

"Was it somewhere in Southeast Asia?"

"Yes. Bali. But... I never told you that."

The moment Shin Yuri answered in confusion, Seo Juran's eyes widened.

"Wait, really?"

Her expression made it clear she couldn't understand how Daeho had figured that out.

Daeho remained focused only on Shin Yuri.

"Do you happen to enjoy scuba diving?"

"Why are you asking about our hobby?"

"It's important. How many times did you dive during this trip?"

As Daeho continued questioning her, Shin Yuri folded her fingers one by one with a puzzled expression.

"About seven times in total, starting from the first day."

"Did you scuba dive today as well, before getting on the plane?"

"Gasp! Yes. We had just gotten our licenses, so we said we'd go down one last time to celebrate."

Shin Yuri stared at Daeho as though she were looking at a ghost.

After hearing her answer, Daeho lightly bit his lip.

"I hope I'm wrong."

"Senior, what is it? It's not that disease, is it? No, seriously, why are you asking questions like that?"

Seo Juran deliberately avoided saying the name of the disease.

It was the kind of diagnosis that could greatly upset both the patient and the guardian.

Even in a moment like this, her consideration for them was impressive.

But Daeho couldn't give her an answer yet.

Instead, he grabbed the bed.

Clack.

"Let's go. It's time."

"What? Where... the CT room? Hurry!"

"I'll help too!"

Following Seo Juran, Nurse Hwang Semi quickly lent a hand.

The CT room.

Whirrr.

The huge CT scanner slowly swallowed Jo Hyeri inside.

Daeho and Seo Juran watched from behind the glass.

Daeho's brows were tightly furrowed.

"Please don't let it be that."

"Senior, what exactly is it? What disease are you suspecting?"

Seo Juran kept pressing him relentlessly.

Since the guardian wasn't there, Daeho answered without holding back.

"Pneumocephalus."

"What? Wh-What's that?"

Seo Juran didn't understand the term right away.

In that sense, she wasn't much different from Kang Jinsu.

But this time, Daeho didn't scold her or get angry.

It was a fairly uncommon condition.

With a calm expression, he gave her the Korean term.

"Pneumocephalus. Air inside the skull."

"What? You mean the brain becomes deformed?"

"It's a condition where, for a specific reason, air enters the skull and compresses the brain. Like that."

Daeho pointed toward the monitor.

A newly taken CT image of Jo Hyeri's head was displayed on the screen.

Seo Juran jumped in shock when she saw it.

"Th-Th-That black hole inside her head... Why does it look like that?"

"Haa... Damn."

"Her brain is compressed and there's air filling that space? Senior, how can that even happen?"

"I told you. There's a specific reason."

Seo Juran flinched.

"Scuba diving?"

"Exactly. It's one of the conditions that can occur in divers. Sudden changes in atmospheric pressure can cause air to accumulate inside the skull."

"Gasp... How? But how did you know?"

"That flowery dress. Her deeply tanned skin. And the swimsuit strap marks."

Daeho listed the clues one by one.

Seo Juran's eyes gradually grew as wide as saucers.

"It's spring in Korea right now. Ah! So that's why!"

"Observation is also an important part of diagnosis."

"Ah, yes. But are the symptoms of pneumocephalus similar to cerebral infarction?"

Seo Juran hurriedly asked another question, eager to satisfy her curiosity.

Daeho answered readily.

"They're very similar. That's why you need a CT scan to tell the difference."

"So that's why you asked if she'd been scuba diving. Wow."

Seo Juran stared at Daeho with awe.

But Daeho had no time to accept her admiration.

His expression remained hard as he spoke in a heavy voice.

"At this level, she needs emergency surgery."

"Emergency surgery? Then let's do it. Let's just push straight in!"

Seo Juran immediately charged ahead, as though she had already made up her mind.

Surprisingly, Daeho stopped her.

"We need to follow procedure."

"What? You've been forcing things through this whole time. Why are you suddenly worried about procedure now?"

"I'm done cutting away pieces of my own flesh."

Seo Juran didn't understand what he meant right away.

"What?"

"Wait a second."

Daeho asked for a moment and pulled out his phone.

It was approaching midnight, the deepest part of the night.

But that didn't matter.

A critically ill emergency patient had appeared.

The hour was irrelevant.

Daeho chose one person from the emergency contact list saved on his phone.

Park Youngjun.

The two of them had a fairly troubled relationship.

Hmm.

Daeho had already made up his mind.

He pressed the call button.

Soon, Park Youngjun's polite voice came through.

"Who is calling at this hour?"

"It's Richard."

"Dr. Richard? What do you want from me?"

Park Youngjun immediately became cautious, though his voice remained calm.

Daeho didn't care.

"I have a patient with pneumocephalus."

"What?"

"Pneumocephalus. It's an extreme emergency, so I'm calling you in."

Daeho stated his business briefly and clearly.

But Park Youngjun's answering voice trembled badly.

"P-Pneumocephalus? Why would we handle that? No, why is a resident even getting involved?!"

"..."

"Transfer the patient to NS, Neurosurgery, immediately. Hurry!"

"There isn't enough time for a transfer."

"What? It's that serious? Damn it!"

Park Youngjun's voice became even more agitated.

Even so, Daeho answered calmly.

"I have experience performing emergency treatment for this. Just authorize me to open an operating room."

"Wh-What are you talking about? How much experience could you possibly have? And this is brain surgery! Absolutely not!"

"Then you do it. I'll open the OR and wait for you."

"..."

Park Youngjun suddenly went completely silent.

Daeho could practically picture his expression.

He can't move either way.

Even if Park Youngjun rushed over immediately, this wasn't a patient he could easily provide a solution for.

But after receiving an emergency call, he couldn't simply pretend nothing had happened either.

"..."

Daeho quietly waited.

Jo Hyeri was still undergoing the CT scan anyway.

Whirrr.

The scan continued, nearing completion.

Now it was time for Park Youngjun to give him an answer.

Then, finally, Park Youngjun's confused voice came through.

"I-I don't know anything about this. I never received this call. And you never called me."

"..."

Daeho's face twisted sharply.

At the same time, Do Unjong's words flashed through his mind.

They're doctors too.

Daeho shot back inwardly as though arguing with those words.

And you still call this a doctor?

Then Park Youngjun snapped at him.

"Richard! Why aren't you answering?"

"Understood. I never called you, and you never received the call."

"R-Right. G-Good. At least you understand."

"But I will act according to what I believe is right."

Daeho's answer sounded almost like a declaration of war.

But Park Youngjun couldn't do anything about it.

"I-I don't know anything about this. I'm hanging up!"

Click.

The call ended with Park Youngjun's irritated voice.

"..."

Seo Juran, who had heard the entire conversation from beside him, couldn't say a word.

Daeho lowered his phone and asked her,

"Dr. Seo. You said you'd assist me, right?"

"Yes. Of course."

A fierce light flashed in Seo Juran's eyes.

At that exact moment, Daeho gave the order in a strong, clear voice.

"Open the operating room."

Thump!

Daeho's decision was firm.

But not everything went according to plan.

A short while later.

At the nurses' station, Nurse Lee Suyeon was on the phone.

Her face was slightly flushed as she frowned and snapped at the person on the other end.

"Nurse Oh, what's wrong with you? I told you it's an emergency... No, what are you talking about right now?!"

Hearing her, Seo Juran walked over.

"Nurse Lee, what's wrong?"

"Dr. Seo, the OR staff are saying something ridiculous."

"Give me the phone. I'll explain... This is Seo Juran from Emergency Medicine. No, that's not what I mean."

Seo Juran had taken the phone confidently, but her expression gradually stiffened as the conversation went on.

That was when Daeho appeared at the nurses' station and immediately pressed her.

"Dr. Seo, why are you standing here instead of preparing for emergency surgery?"

"Ah, Senior Richard... No. I understand what they're saying, but this is an emergency."

Seo Juran flinched, then immediately resumed arguing with the person on the phone.

Daeho's expression hardened slightly.

"Hm."

Seeing that, Nurse Lee Suyeon nervously explained.

"We're talking to one of the OR nurses, but they're saying they can't open the operating room."

"Why?"

"Because you're not a specialist."

Nurse Lee Suyeon's voice trailed off as she carefully watched his reaction.

Daeho didn't hesitate.

He walked straight over to Seo Juran and held out his hand.

"Give me the phone."

"Senior..."

"I said give it to me."

Daeho crooked his fingers once.

His expression was frighteningly rigid.

He looked like he was about to cause one hell of an incident.