5
# Chapter 5. Status Window (3)
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Around noon that same day, at a Japanese restaurant in the basement dining area of Korea University Hospital.
I had come to have lunch with several fellow doctors, along with a few residents, including Sim Jin-woo, Lee Jin-a, and Park Seong-ho.
"No, hyung! This is way too harsh! Banning you from the operating rooms?"
After graduating from university and completing my military service, I had become a specialist relatively late through medical graduate school, so I was usually five or six years older than my fellow doctors.
Because of that, my fellow doctors called me hyung or sunbae in private.
"Exactly. How does this kind of punishment for Han sunbae make any sense? What did he even do wrong?"
"Are they crazy? Seriously, those people are unbelievable."
When I told them that I had decided to accept the recommendation from this morning's Clinical Ethics Committee, or more precisely, the disciplinary measures they had proposed, the specialists and residents in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine who were friendly toward me came rushing over.
They wanted to have lunch with me.
Of course, this wasn't simply a gathering to eat together.
It was partly to comfort me after receiving disciplinary action and partly to vent their anger at the Clinical Ethics Committee's decision.
Well, the people gathered here had all benefited from me to some degree, large or small, because I'd taken over countless surgeries they were supposed to have handled, regardless of whether it was a weekday or weekend.
Some of them were probably genuinely worried about and trying to comfort me.
Others might instead be lamenting the fact that one non-Korea University medical school "pushover" had been taken out of the equation, meaning they'd have to take on-call shifts again and enter the operating rooms one more time.
Either way, my [Status Window] didn't give me the ability to read people's minds. It could only develop abilities related to me, so I had no idea what they were truly thinking.
In fact, I had wanted to enter the operating room myself because I needed to earn points for the [Status Window].
So whether these guys considered themselves indebted to me or not didn't really matter to me.
I simply had points to earn, so whenever they came up with various excuses and asked me to take their place in the operating room, I'd accepted.
In reality, hadn't we all been in a win-win situation?
Still, a 20 percent pay cut was pretty painful.
I had plenty of places to spend money, and how much could a fellow possibly earn in the first place?
No, wait.
I wasn't exactly making a small salary.
Anyway, I was at least relieved that the pay cut was only for two months.
But being banned from the operating rooms and ICU, as well as having my remote access blocked, was genuinely painful.
Starting tomorrow, I'd also have to work at the Pain Clinic Center for two months.
There, instead of surgeries, I'd mainly be doing simple consultations or, at most, minor procedures.
So where and how was I supposed to earn points for the [Status Window]?
And I'd already spent all 210 points I'd saved up yesterday.
Now I had no points left at all.
Whew~...
Just then, the junior members of the anesthesiology department brought over Japanese lunch boxes and laid them all out across the table.
Whatever.
Thinking about it was only making me hungrier.
I was stressed out, so I might as well eat my fill.
"Hey, is this all I get?"
The newest junior member had placed the card I'd used to pay for everyone's meals and a single lunch box for me in front of me before going to sit in his own seat.
I asked in surprise.
I normally ate a lot, so I usually ate two or three of these Japanese lunch boxes. If I was really hungry, I'd eat four or more.
Of course, because of that, I usually paid for meals myself rather than letting someone else treat me.
The bill got expensive, so I felt too guilty imposing on others.
I wasn't 93 kilograms for nothing.
I maintained that weight because I ate a lot.
The fourth-year resident Do Hyun-ho, who knew me well, spoke up.
"Hey, junior! Didn't the seniors tell you? Dr. Han Joo-won always eats at least two portions. Go buy some more lunch boxes."
The flustered junior brought his own lunch box over to me.
"Doctor, please eat this one first. I haven't even touched it yet."
"No, no. How could I take the junior's food? It's fine. I can grab a couple of hamburgers on the way upstairs."
"Ah~ No, Doctor. I can just go back and buy another one. Please eat this first."
As he said that, he placed his lunch box in front of me and immediately headed toward the kiosk near the entrance.
I'd been so stressed while waiting for the committee's decision that morning that I was extremely hungry, so I didn't stop him again.
I'd been under so much stress that eating two lunch boxes felt like it might help me feel better.
Whatever.
There was no reason to be embarrassed about eating a lot.
A doctor only needed to have excellent medical skills based on broad, deep medical knowledge and solid clinical techniques.
What use was it to also be tall and handsome like the protagonist of a movie or drama?
I comforted myself with that thought.
But even I didn't know why I'd become so fat.
Originally, I'd been thin like my father and had always had trouble gaining weight.
But ever since the [Status Window] appeared, my weight had suddenly begun increasing in proportion to the amount of medical knowledge I acquired.
I didn't drink or smoke at all.
Instead of hobbies or exercise, I had poured everything into studying medicine and honing my clinical skills.
For me, "eating lots of delicious food" was my only way to relieve stress and my only enjoyable form of leisure.
"Oh, right! Doctor, on the way to the restaurant, I thought you looked a little taller. Did you change your insoles? The shoes look like the ones you wore before, but you seem a little taller today."
Fourth-year resident Do Hyun-ho had been about to put a piece of sea bream sushi into his mouth when he suddenly asked me.
Huh?
Had someone finally noticed my change?
"Really? Did I look a little taller?"
"Yes, Doctor. You and I were both 168 centimeters, remember? But today you look a little different."
Wow~!
Dr. Do Hyun-ho was pretty sharp.
His senses were as precise as a computer in the operating room, and apparently his powers of observation in everyday life were pretty good, too.
He had noticed that I'd grown two centimeters taller while we were simply walking to the restaurant together?
Oh-ho~
Actually, I'd spent a long time thinking about it in the taxi on the way home last night.
The newly added "Appearance Improvement" menu on the [Status Window] contained things I desperately needed, so I'd been overwhelmed trying to decide what to tackle first.
The [Status Window] said I could increase my height by up to ten centimeters and lose up to thirty kilograms.
If I could actually do that, then reaching a height of 178 centimeters and a weight of 63 kilograms wouldn't just be a dream anymore.
If I grew a little taller and lost some weight, my appearance wouldn't be that bad.
And if I improved my skin or used some of the additional options, I'd probably look even better.
But those things could wait until after I'd dealt with my height and weight.
Anyway, I'd agonized for a long time over which one to prioritize first.
I seriously debated whether I should increase my height by two centimeters or lose five kilograms first.
In the end, I made my decision.
I'd use my remaining ten points to increase my height by two centimeters first.
Weight was something I could lose, even if it meant starving myself.
Height wasn't like that.
Besides, if this special menu disappeared for some reason, I'd be in serious trouble.
There was another thing I had to consider, though.
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[Appearance Improvement]
1. Height: 168 cm / 178 cm
* Can grow by up to 10 cm
* Monthly growth limit (+2 cm)
* Waist length: 1 point per 1 cm
* Length from pelvis to knees: 2 points per 1 cm
* Length below the knees: 5 points per 1 cm
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Looking at the [Status Window] after the new feature had been added, my maximum possible height increase was ten centimeters.
In other words, my current height of 168 centimeters could only increase to a maximum of 178 centimeters.
If I added the two-centimeter insoles I always wore, I'd ultimately be 180 centimeters tall.
There was one thing that had bothered me, though.
Increasing my height by lengthening my waist required the fewest points, but it was absolutely not a worthwhile investment.
No matter how much my current short height of 168 centimeters increased to 178, if all those extra ten centimeters came from my waist, I'd end up with short legs and an overly long torso.
I'd become a badly proportioned "short-legged" guy.
No matter how much I thought about it, that wasn't going to work.
So I considered increasing the length between the pelvis and knees, since that required the next fewest points.
But again, if I walked around in shorts during summer, exposing those legs, I imagined I'd look ridiculous.
Having short calves but unusually long thighs would definitely look strange.
In the end, after thinking it over for a long time, I decided to focus on increasing the length below my knees.
In other words, rather than becoming a bizarrely proportioned 178 centimeters tall by lengthening my waist or upper legs, I would become a well-proportioned 178-centimeter man with long legs.
With that plan, I boldly spent my remaining ten points to increase the length below my knees by two centimeters.
Since it was such a tiny change of "just two centimeters," I didn't think anyone would notice.
I figured I'd need to grow another six centimeters or so over the next couple of months before anyone could tell.
But Do Hyun-ho noticed it immediately.
How thrilling!
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Heh-heh. I was feeling pretty down after the Clinical Ethics Committee's decision, but what you said made me feel a little better. Thanks."
I couldn't tell him that I had a [Status Window].
And I couldn't exactly tell him that I'd inexplicably grown two centimeters overnight.
So I gave him a vague excuse.
"Come on, Doctor. If you've got something good, you have to share it. Reveal your secret. Is it a new type of insole? Or socks?"
"Hahahaha. Enough with the nonsense. Everyone, could I have your attention for a moment?"
I decided to wrap up the conversation before I accidentally said something I shouldn't.
Everyone stopped eating and focused on me.
"As you all know, I've accepted the measures from the Clinical Ethics Committee, so starting tomorrow, I'm banned from entering the operating rooms. It's only for two months, so until then, let's all cooperate closely and make sure there aren't any problems."
"Yes."
Everyone nodded and answered me.
"And as for the outpatient and inpatients I'd been responsible for, Dr. Seong took most of them, but there were too many for him to handle alone."
It was true.
Our hospital performed around 180 surgeries per day on average.
I mainly handled lengthy, high-difficulty surgeries, taking at least two and sometimes more than five cases every day, regardless of weekdays or weekends.
Emergency surgeries were another matter entirely.
In addition, because one of the professors had recognized my abilities, I was assigned outpatient consultations earlier than my fellow fellows.
As a result, I had at least twice as many patients under my care compared with the other fellows.
So how could my fellow Dr. Seong, who also had to take care of his own patients, possibly handle all of mine?
"So I think I'll have to distribute some of them among the doctors here. Of course, I've already reported this to the department chief."
Everyone's appetite seemed to disappear instantly.
The cases I'd been handling were difficult.
And including yesterday's surgery, I currently had five of my patients in the ICU alone.
See, you guys?
You should've treated me better while I was here.
You should've at least pretended to stop me from being banned from the operating rooms by signing some kind of petition!
I guess this is what you call getting what you deserve.
For the next two months, the anesthesiologists who had enjoyed an easy time because of me would suddenly have a fire under their feet.
The surgeons would also be confused and increasingly dissatisfied.
Whatever.
Good!
The guys who had looked down on me and refused to recognize me until the very end just because I came from a crappy regional university could now experience firsthand just how much my absence affected them.
"So, before I came down for lunch, I distributed my patients among you on the department bulletin board. Once you're finished eating, go check it. I divided them appropriately according to everyone's circumstances so there shouldn't be any particular complaints. If you have any objections or need help, come find me later at the Pain Clinic Center."
Do Hyun-ho asked in surprise.
"What? Doctor, you're going straight to the Pain Clinic Center this afternoon? Not starting tomorrow morning?"
"Yeah. They told me to move over immediately. What power do I have? If they tell me to go, I have to go."
Everyone began murmuring, their faces filled with complaints.
It was bitter.
This morning, when my disciplinary case was being discussed, they'd all been watching the situation carefully and keeping their mouths shut.
But now that the decision was directly affecting them, they were making a fuss.
At times like this, I really regretted not being a graduate of Korea University's medical school.
If I'd been their direct senior from medical school, would today's decision have been even slightly different?
I was thinking about that bitterly as I picked up a piece of fatty tuna sushi and was about to put it into my mouth when the phone on the table rang.
"Yes, this is Han Joo-won."
"Doctor! This is the ICU. The sixty-two-year-old male traffic accident patient who came in yesterday during the Code Black..."
I could tell from the voice alone that this was a full-blown emergency.
"Yes! What happened to the patient?"
"His condition is deteriorating rapidly. His blood pressure has dropped to 60 over 30, and his abdomen is becoming severely distended."
"What about his oxygen saturation?"
"It's dropped below 85 percent."
"What's his hemoglobin level? And what are his coagulation status and heart rate?"
I put down the chopsticks I'd been using to pick up the sushi.
Eight of my fellow fellows and residents watched me anxiously as I urgently spoke on the phone.
Were those eyes worried about me, now that I'd been banned from entering the operating rooms and ICU?
Or were they worried that they'd have to take over this emergency call in my place?
"His hemoglobin has dropped to 7.5, and his heart rate has risen above 120. His PT/INR is 1.8. His blood pressure continues to fall, and his heart rate keeps rising."
Damn it!
There was a high possibility that he was developing both hypovolemic shock from massive blood loss and a coagulation disorder.
"I'm coming right now, so prepare the coagulation medication and fresh frozen plasma. Start preparing the massive transfusion protocol as well. And which of our anesthesiologists is in the ICU right now?"
"I don't see anyone here at the moment. Should I look for someone?"
"Yes, please do. We need to stabilize his vital signs immediately and find the source of the bleeding. This is serious. When you find an anesthesiologist, have them check the full blood work again. Prepare the ultrasound, too. I suspect rebleeding, so I want to check for it immediately. Get everything ready first. I'm heading up right now."
"Yes, Doctor."
With that, I abruptly stood up and picked up the smart pad from the table.
Everyone looked relieved when they realized I was going to the ICU myself.
Do Hyun-ho, however, looked deeply worried.
"Doctor, are you going to the ICU?"
"Yeah. I need to see this patient myself. I don't have a choice."
"But the department chief specifically warned you..."
"We need to save the patient first. Eat my lunch boxes yourselves. I'll see you later. I'm going."
Then I rushed toward the central elevators, trying to get to the ICU as quickly as possible.
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