Chapter 32: Here Too (1)

“Uh… The patient’s consciousness!”

Not long after confirming the blood sugar level at 48, the patient suddenly lost consciousness. It was aptly described as ‘suddenly’ due to its abruptness.

“H-His breathing… Oxygen saturation is decreasing!”

The change in consciousness affected his breathing significantly.

Like most inexperienced doctors, Suhyuk found it challenging to react promptly during emergencies. He felt almost overwhelmed, as if he himself were losing consciousness, and struggled to catch his breath.

[Breathe tube him, Suhyuk!]

However, Baruda’s voice echoed in Suhyuk’s mind.

‘Ah, right. Yes… Intubation!’

Thanks to this reminder, Suhyuk quickly snapped out of his panic and moved towards the patient’s head.

Apparently, all the nurses present were veterans as they immediately recognized what needed to be done. They had been preparing for intubation ever since confirming the patient’s weakened spontaneous breathing.

“Here you go, Doctor.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Suhyuk took the plastic tube with a water-soluble lubricant and metal laryngoscope blade, letting out a brief groan.

[What are you waiting for?] Baruda’s reproach continued predictably.

Despite this, Suhyuk hesitated momentarily.

I’ve only done this…just once before.

[Pardon me? You mean you’ve performed endotracheal intubation only once?]

It’s my first year… I haven’t even rotated through the intensive care unit yet…

[You should have relied on someone more experienced.]

What?

[N-No, never mind. J-Just stay calm and wait.]

Suhyuk looked down at the patient’s face with disbelief. As spontaneous breathing ceased, his limbs were rapidly losing strength. Moreover, the facial muscles had significantly relaxed, making him appear somewhat comfortable.

[I inserted the stylet too early. If the patient struggles, it could break my teeth.]

‘Ah.’

[Remember that he isn’t asleep due to medication, Suhyuk.]

‘R-right.’

In such sudden respiratory arrest situations, the most common mistake made by novice doctors was rushing. What would happen if they forcefully pushed the large and rigid stylet into the throat while the patient still had some muscle control and hadn’t fully lost consciousness?

The patient would likely thrash in pain, potentially leading to broken teeth or bleeding, causing blood to trickle out continuously. This could obstruct vision and hinder further intubation attempts.

The blood would obstruct my vision and interfere with subsequent intubation.

‘Should I wait more?’

[There is still tension remaining in the muscles.]

‘The oxygen saturation level is decreasing! Can’t you just call for an emergency doctor?’

[If you lack confidence, do so. An internal medicine doctor unable to perform intubation… What reaction will Lee Hyunjong or Shin Hyun-tae have when they hear about this…]

‘Fuck off! Then put it yourself!’

[Do you wish me to possess such physical control?]

‘N-No. No way. My mistake.’

Being controlled by Baruda’s body…

Just imagining it gave me goosebumps.

“Doctor! The oxygen saturation is in the 60s!” At that moment, the nurse next to me shouted.

I suddenly looked at the monitor, realizing the patient’s oxygen saturation had dropped to 65.

‘Wait more?’

[Not yet.]

‘Shit… It’s almost at 50!’

[Now! Insert it now. It should be fine. Probably.]

‘Probably? Did you just say probably?’

Baruda had instructed Suhyuk to wait until the patient was on his last breath, and then he used ‘probably’? If Suhyuk could grab Baruda right now, he would have beaten him up. However, this wasn’t the time for that.

“Doctor! The oxygen saturation is at 49%!”

The patient before them was slipping away.

“Suhyuk! Quickly insert it! Otherwise, I’ll call another doctor.”

Even Oh Jinsung, known for his calm demeanor, sounded frantic.

Clunk.

Thus, Suhyuk picked up the laryngoscope he had set down earlier. After properly attaching the light source, a bright light turned on at its end. Its purpose was to illuminate the dark interior of the throat.

[Press the tongue downwards while moving towards the left.]

‘Like this?’

[If you want to break the patient’s front teeth, continue.]

‘Don’t be difficult!’]

[Currently, you are pressing too much on the front side. Overall… Hmm, now it is good.]

‘Okay… Luckily, the patient is thin.’

Due to his long and slender neck, Suhyuk had easy access. As he pressed down the tongue while lifting the lower jaw, he confirmed that the head was tilted back with the otoscope. Then, he noticed structures spreading out left and right.

[Vocal cords.]

‘I know that, right?’]

[I thought you haven’t done this before.]

‘Ugh.’

Suhyuk shook his head slightly before inserting the plastic tube he had been holding into the vocal cords swiftly. He then blew air into the balloon attached at the end of the tube. The inflated balloon secured the tube within the trachea.

If the patient had been conscious, it would have felt incredibly uncomfortable. Fortunately or unfortunately, the patient was completely out cold.

“How is her blood sugar level?”

Suhyuk waited until he confirmed the oxygen saturation levels were stable before turning to the nurse. As expected of a veteran, she had already checked the patient’s blood sugar and promptly replied upon his query.

“It’s…32.”

“32?”

“Yes.”

“That’s too low.”

A blood sugar level of 32? It seemed dangerously low.

[There may be an error. Finger-prick testing is not suitable for hypoglycemia below the standard range.]

‘Ah… that makes sense.’

[First, request immediate blood tests.]

‘Understood.’

Suhyuk nodded and issued the prescription. While the nurses drew blood as per his instructions, Jinsung approached him.

“This…it seems this patient may not be suitable for psychiatry.”

“Yes, hyung. The low blood sugar is severe.”

“Why is he like this?”

“Hmm…” Suhyuk scratched his chin as he looked at the patient.

Noh Young-tae had connected the tube he inserted earlier to a ventilator and was manually squeezing it. He was proactive without needing specific instructions - the ideal intern.

Thud!

Just as Suhyuk thought this, the patient started having a seizure or rather, struggling violently would be more accurate.

“Uh-uh! You shouldn’t do that!”

The intern tried restraining him but to no avail. Even Suhyuk attempted to intervene, only to be pushed back and knocked over. Despite being thin, the patient possessed surprising strength.

“Pffft.”

The patient desperately moved his arm and pulled out the tube stuck in his neck. As he had removed it with the balloon still inflated to keep it fixed, there was some blood around his mouth.

“Damn… What is this?” He cursed as he looked around. It took him quite a while to comprehend the situation.

During that time, the intern rushed forward, trying to retrieve the tube, but Suhyuk stopped her. There was no need for intubation if the patient could sit up and speak on his own.

“What exactly is going on here?”

‘What do you mean by saying such words…?’

“It’s due to insufficient data.”

‘Why does everything come down to data? Because of you, I’ve had to study so much…’

Moreover, Suhyuk was busy arguing with Baruda about the patient’s condition.

“W-What happened?”

At this moment, the guardian waiting outside rushed in. It was a middle-aged man who seemed to be the patient’s father.

“A-Ah, Father. It is okay now.”

“Okay?! Isn’t that blood in his mouth? What are you doing here? I told you, divine intervention would’ve been better?”

Divine intervention. To Suhyuk and others familiar with modern medicine, it was just superstition. However, for the patient and their father, who had received treatment from multiple hospitals yet still suffered from inexplicable symptoms, it didn’t seem so dismissible.

“S-Sir, but the tests aren’t completed yet. Once we determine the illness, we can provide treatment…”

“These damn tests! We already did an MRI, and they said everything was normal!”

“But…”

“Pish! After coming all the way from the countryside, look at this mess! Hey! Let’s go!”

Psychiatry resident Oh Jinsung calmly tried to explain but wasn’t getting through. The guardian’s sensitivity was heightened due to the wasted time and money up until now.

“Wait, Dad! That’s why we came to this big hospital! First…let’s start with some tests. If they don’t find anything, then we can try divine intervention or whatever!”

Fortunately, there was another guardian present besides the father. It appeared to be the patient’s sister, who seemed opposed to divine intervention.

“Hey! What do you know?! Buddha will…”

“I understand, I get it! Why not at least have these tests done here? This isn’t some rural clinic; it’s a major hospital!”

“It’ll just waste our money.”

“I said I’ll pay for it!”

“Ummm…”

“You need to listen to me until the tests are completed!”

“B-but it’s like…”

“Quiet!”

“I-I understand.”

Seeing that she had subdued the patient’s father who seemed difficult to handle, Jinsoo and Suhyuk turned their attention back to her.

“Doctors, we’ve already tried numerous tests… We’ve visited various hospitals… However, no one could determine the cause. It feels like divine intervention is our only hope for my brother now. Please let us know if you find anything. Okay?” She earnestly pleaded with them.

Almost no doctor can remain indifferent when confronted with such heartfelt pleas from guardians. This was especially true for young doctors like Jinsung and Suhyuk.

This was especially true for young doctors like Jinsung and Suhyuk.

“I understand. I will do my best.”

“I’ll also do my utmost.”

They both bowed simultaneously, responding to her request.

“Sir!” At that moment, the intern cried out while pointing at the patient.

“The patient is having another seizure!”

The patient, who had appeared fine until now, started convulsing again with uncontrollable shaking of their limbs. It was truly peculiar.

“Based on the records and test results, there seems to be no issue with the patient’s head.”

All brain examinations, regardless of type, showed normal results. Yet, these seizures continued. It was genuinely strange.

“You see! Look! They need divine intervention!”

“Dad!”

Amidst the chaos caused by the patient’s seizure, Baruda muttered,

“The convulsions aren’t due to his head… along with uncontrolled hypoglycemia…”

‘Wait. What did you just say?’

“I didn’t swear?”

‘No, repeat what you said earlier.’

“I didn’t swear?”

‘Are you stupid? Before that!’

Baruda found Suhyuk’s scolding unfamiliar, but he complied immediately due to Suhyuk’s firm tone. Moreover, this human occasionally hit home runs despite appearing foolish at times.

“He has convulsions not related to his head and uncontrolled hypoglycemia.”

‘Yes… Yes! Hypoglycemia!’

“Huh?”

‘Baruda, I think I might be a genius.’