Meanwhile, at the hospital, many children were being admitted. Unlike the cases of Jung Hyun's classmates, majority of the patients were diagnosed with severe flu. They were immediately rushed to the ER for medication to appease their scorching fever. However, that wasn't all. Other worse conditions include a few children showing signs of Pneumonia. As a result, many doctors and nurses were busy attending to the patients.
"Dr. Lee, here are the list of patients assigned to you today. Fortunately, some of your other appointments were cancelled ahead of time. You can see the children without worrying much about your schedule now." The nurse briefly informed Eun Young.
Around them, the entire ward was bustling with activity. Some children were being transferred to other rooms to provide space for the newly admitted. Others were going in for some lab tests. The rest however, thankfully were already being discharged. Everyone was completely occupied!
"Alright, I'll see them right away. Thank you for telling me." She politely said to the nurse before heading off to see the first child on the list.
The patient was in room 514. Upon taking the left hallway from the nurse's desk, the room should be near the pantry. Because the floor was exclusively designated for pediatrics, the corridors were beautifully decorated with cute characters. Cut outs of animals, paper flowers and a few origamis were displayed to exhibit a child-friendly vibe.
When she finally found the room, Eun Young knocked before entering. She was expecting the voice of an adult from the other side. But instead, she heard the small voice of a child granting her permission to enter. "Come in!" Said the little one.
Eun Young cautiously entered the ward. Looking around, she found out that the child was alone and her parents were not with her. "Hi sweetheart." She warmly greeted the little girl. The young girl seemed shy so Eun Young carefully approached her. "Where are your parents?"
The little girl hid her face behind the stuffed bear. "Mother said she will be back later... She went home to feed my baby brother." She timidly replied.
"Oh." Eun Young muttered. "Well... do you mind if I stay with you for a while?" She gently asked.
The child hesitated for a while. She was a doctor too, but she didn't seem scary like the others. In fact, this auntie really seemed nice and friendly. Finally, she nodded.
Eun Young grabbed a stool and sat next to the patient. Careful not to accidentally unplug the wires, she kept a safe distance from the machineries nearby. "What are you watching?" Eun Young casually asked.
The two of them glanced at the television. There was a cartoon show airing. If Eun Young's memory was correct, this was also a show anticipated by little Jung Hyun and baby Hye Soo. The little girl meekly replied.
After hearing that it was the child's favorite show, Eun Young subtly tried to progress the conversation. "Could you tell me more about it?" She gently asked. A few moments later, the little girl was already talking about the episodes she was most fond of. The little one was actually quite a chatter. Eun Young noticed that she liked telling stories in detail.
Furthermore, It didn't take long for Eun Young to find out that the reason the patient grew afraid of the doctors was because they kept saying that she'll have to stay longer to be 'observed'. Other than that, the little girl said she noticed that her mother always become teary-eyed when the doctors come to talk to her in private. She didn't like the idea of staying at the hospital for much longer. But most of all, she hated the sight of her mother weeping.
Instantly, Eun Young knew the reason for all those. Based on the reports given to her, the patient was diagnosed with Pneumonia. Her other doctor specialized in the field of Pulmonology and Eun Young's guess was that the doctor found her in a much terrible state than expected. Eun Young nodded as she listened to the child.
In the middle of their conversation, a woman entered the room. She carried a basket of fruits with her along with the big bags she was carrying. When the woman saw Eun Young, her eyes widened in surprise. Eun Young turned to politely greet the patient's mother.
"Doctor, I'm terribly sorry for my absence." The woman apologized.
"It's okay ma'am. I just dropped by to visit this little princess right here." Eun Young said. She winked at the little girl.
Eun Young kept a positive and optimistic attitude as she talked with them. Aside from knowing about the child's fear, it also wasn't part of her personality to interact solemnly with her patients. Just as she was about to leave, Eun Young waved at the little girl and the child in return, flashed her a warm and genuine smile. Eun Young's heart fluttered.
She carefully closed the door behind her. As a doctor, this was also one of the things she's constantly looking out for. It was the small encounters with her patients that makes the difference. One can be a good doctor. But aside from a being an otstanding professional, sometimes, these patients need a friend too.
Encouraged by the little girl, Eun Young was beaming as she made her way to the next patient who was in room 601. She passed the nurse's desk once more and then suddenly, the nurse from earlier ran up to her. "Dr. Lee!"
"Yes?" Eun Young turned to acknowledge her.
"There had been some changes with your schedule again, Dr. Lee." The nurse said. "A new doctor was assigned to our branch this morning and we were only informed upon his arrival. Although the management wanted him to take his first day off, he declined. He wont to work right away! Consequently, the other doctors' schedules were altered too, including yours." She explained.
The nurse gave Eun Young the new list of patients she would cover. True enough, her workload significantly declined. However, Eun Young was skeptical about the dissemination of work. If he also took the some of the other doctors' tasks, wouldn't he have too much on his plate now? Just who was this new doctor in town?