Chapter 232
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: Treating the Burn Patient
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"Ah, got it. I didn't think it'd turn out like this."
Lee Gwanhaeng grumbled, sounding extremely annoyed.
Choi Eunhui's voice took on even more force in response to his poor attitude.
"You're lucky you came before it was too late. If we hadn't seen you today, it could've been a real disaster! I've treated patients where second-degree burns got infected and led to tissue necrosis. This is incredibly dangerous!"
Choi Eunhui pointed warningly at the haphazardly applied patches and bandages.
It wasn't much different from what I'd been about to say, so I just nodded quietly.
"Ah, Director Choi, you've treated burns before, right?"
As Choi Eunhui got heated up, Park Jun suddenly spoke up as if remembering something.
He was recalling how she'd made headlines before for treating frostbite and burns.
Even though she'd treated many intractable cases, the frostbite on a famous explorer who'd been advised to amputate had caused quite a stir.
Even people not particularly interested in Choi Eunhui's exploits, like me, would remember—Korean medicine doctors or students certainly would.
"Ahh... Yeah, I did that kind of thing back then."
Choi Eunhui frowned.
Park Jun, who'd meant it as a compliment, flinched and took a step back.
"You do burn treatments here too? With acupuncture?"
But hearing that, Lee Gwanhaeng seemed thrilled.
"Director, can you do it? I saw it on TV. You put them right here, yeah?"
He thrust his knee out as if begging for it.
Perhaps due to the patient's rudeness, the furrows in Choi Eunhui's brow deepened.
Burn treatment didn't have to be done by Choi Eunhui specifically.
Many Korean medicine clinics didn't promote it after weighing risks against treatment efficacy, but the principle wasn't complicated.
Ultimately, it involved needling around the wound to supply blood flow and oxygen to damaged tissue while regulating inflammation.
In more Korean medicine terms, it could be described as clearing heat and toxins—reducing accumulated excess heat and expelling toxins—or improving qi and blood circulation... but that didn't make it any special secret technique.
The burn site visibly held congealed heat anyway, and fundamentally, it promoted cellular recovery.
"Why don't you show us your skills?"
Since Choi Eunhui had butted in and the juniors were curious too...
I was happy to yield the patient to her.
"You won't see dramatic results from one acupuncture session here. For burns, you really need consistent treatments."
But Choi Eunhui replied coldly, her face hardening.
It wasn't just the patient's rudeness that displeased her.
"Still..."
"I'll redress it for you, so go to a burn specialist hospital later. If you don't want to, order some Medifoam and change it when the blister fills up. If that's no good, ask the public health center to change the dressing."
"Ah, come on. Wouldn't it be better to get needled at least once? It'll heal faster, even if just a day sooner!"
Lee Gwanhaeng whined, wanting treatment now that he was here.
Whether he didn't know how to treat it or just didn't want to spend money, this patient had only been using bandages and patches until now.
He wanted the best treatment this time around.
"It just raises the infection risk. Wait for natural healing."
"Ah, just let me have one go! It's not even hard!"
But Choi Eunhui refused flatly.
Lee Gwanhaeng's grumbling intensified.
"Ah..."
The students, who'd hoped to see a burn treatment, looked a bit disappointed too.
"Alright, if you really want it, I'll do it. But like Director Choi said, don't expect miracles."
"Ah, really? You can do it too, Director?"
Choi Eunhui showed no sign of budging.
Since it was my assigned patient anyway, it made sense for me to handle it.
I let the patient's rude remark go in one ear and out the other, then picked up the needles.
"...Miss Yeowon is going to do it?"
"Yes. It's my patient, so I'll treat him. Sorry for the trouble."
She'd jumped in first, but since she'd yielded the patient, it'd ended up making her look stern in front of everyone, so I apologized as a courtesy.
But even after the apology, Choi Eunhui seemed uncomfortable.
"The moment you insert the needles, it's on you, Miss Yeowon."
She glanced at Lee Gwanhaeng, then warned me.
"Of course. Should I make the director take responsibility instead? I'm not her son, after all."
Choi Eunhui let out a small chuckle at the barbed joke.
The juniors, who roughly knew Jo Haneul's situation, shifted awkwardly—only the club president and vice-president, that is.
"Haha, students don't have to worry since professors cover your mistakes. Burn treatments aren't something you see every day, right?"
I reassured them and had Lee Gwanhaeng lie on the bed.
It was obvious without Choi Eunhui spelling it out.
Law required professors to accompany students since they couldn't take responsibility themselves; licensed practitioners had to decide on treatments and own the outcomes.
Deciding whether to treat or transfer to a higher-level hospital was primary care's role too.
The deputy director had some cover from the main director, but private practitioners bore full legal responsibility if issues arose.
"I worried for nothing."
Choi Eunhui returned to her spot, unconcerned with my nonchalant attitude.
She soon focused on her own incoming patients.
"Um, could I take a photo?"
A student assisting with the exam asked permission from me and Lee Gwanhaeng.
The president and vice-president handled oversight, so they'd come over here, but other beds were still busy with active treatments.
With students handling assisting and reception at their posts, it was hard to observe freely.
"I don't mind."
"If the patient is okay, so am I. It's not that impressive."
The student turned on video, and I began the treatment right away.
First came the disinfection tools I'd prepared before Choi Eunhui interrupted.
"Did you rinse it under running water after the injury?"
"I soaked it in cold water."
No visible debris, but the patches bothered me.
"It'll sting a bit."
I disinfected the burn area almost like wiping it down, using sterile gauze, saline, and povidone.
"Ow, whatever. I can take it."
True to a patient who'd ignored treatment this long despite the burn, he didn't complain much.
I immediately needled the disinfected area.
"For the parts that reached second-degree, I'll just do the surroundings."
"Okay."
"Even with the best treatment, scarring is possible."
"Eh. You think I care about TV at my age? Not bothered."
I avoided direct treatment on the deep partial-thickness burn covered in bandages. Instead, I needled around it like encircling it, then drew out the heat.
For the superficially reddened epidermis areas, I needled densely.
"Ooh..."
The students and patient alike stared at the burn site in fascination.
"Just lie there a bit like this. Don't touch it."
"Got it."
"Student, I'll handle the needle removal and dressing later. Just call me."
"Yes, Director. Thank you!"
The assisting student bowed as he turned off the camera.
For regular patients, the assisting student removed needles after I treated, but this one needed moist dressing after.
Not difficult, but maybe the lack of experience made them nervous.
Especially if something went wrong like Choi Eunhui warned—better if I handled disinfection, insertion, removal, and dressing all myself.
"Wow, that was cool."
As the treatment wrapped up quickly, the president bowed slightly and headed to tidy reception.
The vice-president, Park Jun, gave me a thumbs-up.
I'd worried about awkwardness from clashing with Choi Eunhui, but they didn't seem to mind.
"Next patient."
After seeing two more routine cases...
"Sir, time for needle removal."
I finished Lee Gwanhaeng's dressing perfectly too.
I relayed Choi Eunhui's aftercare instructions, and he said he'd continue at the public health center.
"The health center has Korean medicine docs too—think they'll do this?"
"Who knows..."
"Send me that video you took. I'll show it and ask them to."
"I can send it no problem, but whether that director treats you is another story."
He'd gotten the burn from folk remedies and botched aftercare.
If it worsened from infection unrelated to treatment, the doc could unfairly take the blame.
The public health doctor's caution was his prerogative, so I answered conservatively.
Anyway, Lee Gwanhaeng seemed much better and satisfied with the treatment.
"Everyone worked hard today."
"Phew, glad it all went smoothly without issues."
We wrapped up the patients until evening and gathered for farewells.
Fortunately, the most unusual case this time was Lee Gwanhaeng.
Otherwise, just some grandparents insisting on jumping the queue?
Last year, a facial paralysis patient staggered in, raising stroke suspicions and forcing an emergency 119 call—so Lee Gwanhaeng wasn't even that bad.
"Take care going home~!"
"Director Han, heading straight to Busan? Stopping in Seoul? We're doing afters—join us?"
"Tell us some stories too."
Park Jun and Lee Minseok grabbed me as I headed to my car.
"Afters? Where at? Around here?"
"Probably near school in Seoul."
Hmm.
Hmm...
Seoul would add at least an hour and a half to the drive, right?
"Thanks, but I'll pass. Thinking of cruising around Yeongju city center. Booked a hotel to stay over."
"Aw, too bad. Thought we'd at least grab dinner... We barely talked, just watched treatments."
"Haha, next time."
Joining the group for dinner since I was here sounded fine.
But with dinner set for Seoul, backtracking didn't appeal.
I promised Lee Minseok I'd be in touch soon, then turned on my phone.
'Ah, what to eat.'
Truth be told, I'd been agonizing since driving up this morning but still undecided.
'Cheonseori buckwheat noodles? Anchovy noodles near city hall?'
A quick search—both places open Saturdays, closed Sundays?
No eating today meant missing out tomorrow.
Schedule done, no more delaying.
Leaning on my car, I seriously pondered photos on my phone.
"Miss Yeowon."
"..."
Tsk, if I'm in Yeongju, gotta be Cheonseori noodles?
Classmates visiting always raved about them.
But right now, anchovy noodles tempted more—nostalgic food.
Ah! Even I couldn't eat two dinners, right?
"Director Han Yeowon."
"Ah, yes?"
Deep in dinner thoughts, I looked up suddenly.
Footsteps lingered, but I'd assumed they'd leave one by one.
Choi Eunhui was addressing me.
"How about grabbing dinner with me?"
"Ah, I settled on anchovy noodles. Want to join if you're free?"
Definitely anchovy noodles tonight.
Buckwheat with Hwang Seoyeong next time.