Sense

Inside a room with cameras installed everywhere.

Prof. Lee Won Seok was waiting for Jeong Won-seok with a more relaxed mood compared to a few days ago.

The news he planned to relay to the patient was positive, and Park Dowook, who had participated in the diagnosis, was waiting right next to him, giving him strength.

“This is the hearing test result, this is the active area signal value captured by the functional MRI.”

“Can the neurotransmission process also be converted into figures?”

“The intervals should be possible. I’ll try.”

But the person who arrived with Dowook was someone Prof. Lee had not expected at all.

When he was informed this morning someone would be tagging along, he’d thought it would be another expert from the neurosurgery department. But the one he brought was Director Lim So Yool, who was the most-talked-about among the section chiefs these days.

Prof. Lee watched the two people diligently writing and asked.

"Dr. Park, what is it that you're doing?"

“We are making additions to the prediction model you saw last time. I organized the medical data, but she was the one who developed it.”

Prof. Lee’s eyes turned towards Lim So Yool, who kept writing something down in her notebook without stopping. Then, he asked in a low voice.

“What happens after additions are made in the prediction model?”

Lim So Yool didn’t look up from her notebook and answered in an absent-minded manner.

“I can more accurately deduce the spot that is causing the hearing problems.”

Scribble scribble.

Lim So Yool drew a line on the page to indicate she was finished and ripped the page out. She then placed it on Prof. Lee’s table.

“I turned everything into a graph so it would be easy to understand.”

Prof. Lee checked the paper and let out a groan.

A picture of complex connections filled with lines and dots. There were many unknown formulas. Prof. Lee coughed and asked again. 

“This is easy to understand?”

“Yes.”

At Prof. Lee’s reaction of staring blankly at the paper, at a loss of how to understand, Dowook looked at Lim So Yool.

“Normally, people find it difficult to understand something like this.”

“I based it on the level I drew for Gabby.”

“By Gabby, you mean the little girl you drew bears for in the VIP lounge?”

“Yes.”

Dowook turned to Prof. Lee.

“Since it’s just a picture, you can look at the overall composition. Please give it to me for a second.”

Dowook held the paper up against the monitor displaying the MRI film. Clicking the mouse, he turned the image this way and that. Then he stopped at a point that was the same as the one on the paper.

“She’s someone who even calculates before sketching. I think it represents this place.”

Seeing it over the image like that, it felt like the graph was part of the cerebrum. Lim So Yool explained to Prof. Lee, who was amazed at the sketch now that he knew what it was about.

“That is the first expected point. It has a 78.713% consistency rate, and the verification uses the fixed-point theorem.”

Dowook lifted a pen and circled the area starting with the numbers ‘78.713’ on the paper held up against the monitor.

“The probability was already written, huh.”

Prof. Lee thought he figured out why Dowook had brought Lim So Yool to this place.

“This is quite surprising. To think that the exact probability of the cerebellum tissue affecting hearing loss can be defined.”

“I also get surprised every time I see it.”

Dowook converted the examination data into numbers, and Lim So Yool found the probability based on it. The pictures that were modified due to this gradually piled up.

By the time the fifth one was completed, Prof. Lee had found and marked the location of the first paper on the MRI film.

As Dowook handed over the data, he asked Lim So Yool.

“How were you able to draw exactly like the MRI when you haven’t seen it before?”

“MRI is also a video translation of radioactivity measurements. Sinogram integration. The principle is the same.”

“Aha.”

“Would you like to try? It's not that hard.”

“No. It's almost 10…..”

“Five minutes is more than enough.”

“Normal people can't draw something like this in 5 minutes.”

Lim So Yool’s gaze, which had been focused on the notebook, glared at Dowook.

“Normal normal. You just keep saying it now, aren’t you? Do you want me to redefine it more precisely?”

“I’m simply recognizing our differences. To make a comparison, you’re like the Michael Jordon of math. Someone who can shoot with their eyes closed.”

“Even I can’t draw with my eyes closed, ok?”

“I guess there’s no such thing as calculating function blindfolded?”

“Oh? That might be possible…..”

“No. I made a mistake. Sinogram or whatever, I’ll learn it after we’re finished here. Don’t start calculating something else.”

Prof. Lee tilted his head at the appearance of Lim So Yool, which was completely different from what he had heard. Unlike someone who no one would associate with as the professors said, she seemed like a smart and charming young lady in reality.

Her personality also didn’t seem as fussy like the rumors said. Was it because she was interacting with Dr. Park Dowook? Whatever it was, it was good news for the neural clinic.

A moment later, the scriptwriter of the broadcasting team entered and told them Jeong Woo-seok had arrived.

-Lighting team, adjust the brightness on Prof. Lee Won Seok’s side. It’s a little dark. Sound team, check the microphones one more time.

-Mr. Jeong Woo-seok is about to enter!

-Ok. Start filming!

The sound of the staff’s conversation flooded into the ears of Jeong Woo-seok as he stood in front of the door. As he moved slowly into the room, he could hear the breathing of the people inside.

After groping the chair and taking his seat, he turned to Prof. Lee.

"It seems like there are more people."

“These are the two people who have offered a new solution to Mr. Jeong’s illness. Say hello, Dr. Park.”

"I'm Park Dowook from Neurosurgery. We ran into each other in the brainwave examination room.”

"Ah, that time."

He remembered the voice and breathing. Jeong Woo-seok turned to the woman.

"The young lady who has the hardest time spacing out?"

"Oh my. How……"

“There is a difference in people’s breathing as there are in their appearances.”

"My name is Lim So Yool. I am a mathematician helping out at this hospital."

After everyone had greeted each other, Prof. Lee started talking in a cheerful voice.

“We’ve confirmed through several routes that surgery can stop hearing loss. Professors at the Neurology Society also supported the diagnosis and gave a vote of public confidence.

At the news that he could continue to listen to music, Jeong Woo-seok became speechless for a moment.

“Ha. That’s what happened. Thank you, Prof. Lee.”

“Don’t mention it. Dr. Park Dowook here will give you more information to help you decide on the surgery.”

All the documentary staff members who were listening to  Prof. Lee’s diagnosis through the screen while filming, brightened up at the same time.

Producer Lee Chang Yong sighed in relief.

"Wow, it feels like I went through heaven and hell in these few days."

“Even we feel like this, I wonder how Mr. Jeong feels.”

Lee Chang Yong nodded as if he agreed with what writer Kwon Hee Rin said.

“Mr. Jeong’s smile right now is really nice. Director. Please get a close-up of that face.”

“Ok.”

At that moment, the young doctor started explaining about the surgery.

-It’s not a tumor, but there are some things you need to consider as we will be performing the surgery assuming it is one. After the surgery, there will be some complications similar to those of tumor surgery.

-Complications?

-Yes. First of all, facial nerve paralysis. The deformed area I think is the most likely cause is closely related to this facial motor nerve.

-Is it a complication that will last forever?

-No, it’s not. The expectations were written down.

-Possibility of paralysis 63.37%, recovery at least 2,375 hours.

-Ah, thank you, director. I think you will recover after about 100 days. Of course, this is if the complication occurs.

-So it means, I can laugh naturally in three months even in the worst-case scenario.

It was a scene where they were discussing symptoms of facial paralysis, but the viewer felt comfortable instead of sad.

Lee Chang Yong obviously thought it was because of Jeong Woo-seok’s words, who calmly accepted tragedy each time.

However, as time passed, he started thinking it wasn’t the only reason.

-We also predict a sense of vertigo and dizziness. Director?

-A probability of 73.56% and recovery will take 315 hours.

-You’ve heard, right? 315 hours is about 13 days. It happens to two out of three people, so I don’t think you can avoid it. It means you must have a close relationship with your bed for at least two weeks.

Which complication would come and how it would move on, an explanation that listed everything clearly. It relieved a lot of the universal anxiety anyone would harbor when going in for surgery.

-It’s a surgery that touches a wide range of areas, so you’ll have a lot of headaches.

-91%. 57 hours until recovery.

-Symptoms of vocal paralysis and swallowing difficulties won’t last long.

-100%. 24 hours.

Was there a hospital that explained things like this?

“Writer Kwon. How do you feel about what that young doctor is saying?”

“He has a nice voice.”

“I mean. What kind of feeling is being conveyed by that kind of talk that tells you exactly how long you would be in pain?

“Do you want to put in narration for this part? Just a minute.”

After staring at the young doctor for a long moment, Kwon Hee Rin spoke.

“The doctor’s explanation for Jeong Woo-seok was meticulous and warm. As if he was cutting out the anxiety with his scalpel and covering his anxiety with a bandage. What was his name again?”

“Park Dowook.”

“……..his name is Park Dowook. A talented surgeon from Myeong Sae Hospital.”

* * *

《Value of Life vs. Patient’s Future, Today Column》

Controversy over the college entrance exam is brewing due to the cram school bus accident.

The start of the matter was Dean Kim, who held a press conference that all seven students taken to Hansung Hospital after the accident could take the CSAT.

…….

According to officials, the students taken to Myeong Sae Hospital were all severely injured and the treatment required was completely different from the ones carried to Hansung Hospital with minor injuries.

This is adding strength to the argument presented by Dr. Park Blank.

A doctor is dedicated only to a patient’s recovery, and the choice is up to the individual……

Bang!

Kim Chun-man, who was looking at the articles on the Internet, hit his desk. All the articles looking favorably on Hansung Hospital went down in just one day, and those still left were like this.

“That punk likes to run his mouth, doesn’t he?”

It made him more furious the more he thought about it.

When the controversy died down and the CSAT season came, the heart-warming story of the students in Hansung Hospital could be re-examined. It must be done that way.

“D*mn!”

As he was trying to calm his anger, the intercom in the dean’s office rang.

-Dean, it’s the chief of neurosurgery.

“Ah, Chief Han. What is it?”

-It’s simply because there’s an operation that was announced at the conference, and I thought I’d have to ask for the dean’s opinion for a business trip.

“Why are you asking me about the conference? You just have to make a decision amongst the section chiefs.”

A shocking word came flying at the tsking Kim Chun-man.

-That’s……it’s a surgery happening at Myeong Sae Hospital.

“……where?”

-The attention given to the event is no joke. The patient for this unique case that has never been tried is also famous. Do you know the pianist Jeong Woo-seok?

“Jeong Woo-seok? I know him pretty well. I’ve even been to one of his concerts.”

Kim Chun-man’s gaze turned to the classical albums that filled the shelves on one side of the wall.

-I know you aren’t on good terms with Myeong Sae Hospital’s dean, but a field trip for this case is very important. I can’t give up as a surgeon.

“What is the case about?”

A technique to operate by looking at brain deformities as tumors. Just the thought of the idea coming from the surgeon’s mouth gave him goosebumps.

“Dear Lord. Brain plastic surgery?”

-That’s right.

“Even if we’re not on good terms, we still have to go. I’m sure this kind of surgery will be done by Choi Hoo. Ugh, I really want to poach him. What’s the reason he keeps sticking to Myeong Sae Hospital even though he’s offered a lot of money?”

-It won’t be done by Choi Hoo.

“It’s not? Even though members of the conference are going? That doesn’t make sense.”

-Prof. Choi will be the assistant and Park Dowook? He will perform the surgery.

“Wh-who did you say?”

Kim Chun-man’s eyes headed to an article title shown on his monitor.

【Park Dowook, a Neurosurgeon at Myeong Sae Hospital, the Second Hero Who Saved the Heroic Bus Driver】

It was the guy who ruined his media pitch.

-Why are you so surprised?

“How can I not be surprised right now! A guy still wet behind his ears who’s pretending to only care for patients, he’s just!”

-Huh? Do you know this doctor? This is the first time I’ve heard of him. Anyway, since the dean said it doesn’t matter, we’ll go on the trip.

“No. We’ll …….”

Click. 

He hung up the phone before he could finish.

Kim Chun-man grabbed the back of his neck as he felt his blood pressure surge.