Chapter 4 — People Who Live in the Middle of the Process

Each step is clearly explained. Each ballot must be read and understood by the family before signing. When the doctor from the Department of Surgery came to consult, the old woman was in so much pain that she broke out in a cold sweat. The old woman's daughter was impatient: "Doctors, can't you hurry up a little bit?!" Tieu Vuong of the Department of Surgery glanced at me. My expression remained expressionless: "The process hasn't been completed yet, it can't be handed over."
“What process is not yet completed?”
“The allergy history confirmation form, the family member has not signed the second page yet.”
“Then give it here for me to sign!”
“Yes, please read article 7, about allergy to anesthetic drugs…”
"I read, I read! Please read quickly!"
The entire process did not involve any delays. But every step is done clearly and transparently. Afterwards, Dr. Tieu Vuong met me in the bathroom, lowered his voice and said: "Doctor Trinh, you're like this... on purpose, right?"
“On what purpose?” I was washing my hands, "I worked according to regulations, where was it intentional?"
He smiled bitterly: "Okay, let's pretend I didn't say anything." The turning point came on Thursday. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the Emergency Department brought in a person. About sixty years old, wearing a suit and tie, his face was gray, he was holding his chest, and beads of sweat were constantly falling. I just looked at the electrocardiogram — Acute anterior myocardial infarction, dome-shaped ST segment elevation. Three people followed in. Two people wore black uniforms — driver and bodyguard. There was another person, a woman about forty years old, short hair, mature, looking at her, she could tell she was a secretary or assistant of some kind.
"Doctor! Hurry and save people!" She was so impatient that she lost her voice.
I stood up and calmly walked forward. Look at the tracker. Blood pressure is temporarily stable, heart rate is slightly fast, consciousness is alert.
“Are you a family member?”
“I'm not… I'm the boss's secretary, my family is still in touch!”
“Yes, then please wait a moment.”
I turned around and sat back in my old seat, picking up my notebook.
"Waiting for what?! My boss has a heart attack, can't you see?!"
“I see.” I didn't bother to raise my head, my pen rustled on the paper, "I'm taking notes."
“Miss —”
The old man lying on the stretcher spoke. The voice was weak, but each word carried a feeling of... authority.
“Tieu... Tieu Liu, don't... don't be noisy.”
He tried to turn his head to look at me. I also looked back at him. Seems like I've seen you somewhere before.
“Doctor…” He panted, “What do you… need… I will sign…”
“You are alert and can sign the consent form yourself after explaining.”
I took the stack of documents and walked over, squatting down next to him.
“Hello, I am Trinh Lam, the main treating doctor of the Emergency Department, now I will explain the condition and the next treatment plan to you —”
“You… you say…”
It took me two minutes to clearly explain the condition in the most concise terms. Acute myocardial infarction, requiring urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), risks include but not limited to blood vessel perforation, stent thrombosis, contrast agent allergy — He signed the commitment form with a trembling hand. The pen's scribbles are crooked, but every word is signed. The entire process takes four minutes in total.
"Let's go." I stood up, nodded to Ton Le, "Send it to the intervention room."
This time there were no delays. Because he himself can sign it. Perfect process. The surgery went very smoothly. Two stents were placed in the anterior interventricular artery, and blood flow was restored. Two hours later, when I came out of the intervention room, the secretary named "Tieu Luu" was still waiting outside. As soon as she saw me, she immediately walked over to greet me.
“Doctor Trinh, how are you?”
“Surgery went well, currently under observation.”
“Thank you, thank you…” She breathed a sigh of relief, then hesitated a bit, “Doctor Trinh, I want to ask… do you know who that person just… was?”
"Don't know." I took off my surgical cap, "There's no need to know."
“He is…”
“I told you, there's no need to know.”
I leave. Behind her, the woman's unfinished sentence remained. I didn't turn back. I don't know who that heart attack patient is. But three days later, I knew. Because Luu Duc Thang himself went to the Emergency Department. Not for inspection. But to "invite" me.
“Trinh Lam, come with me.”
His tone was completely different from last time. Last time it was a question to suppress anger. This time, he brought an unusually polite look. I walked with him into the Principal's room. The door had just opened, and there were two people sitting inside. One person, Tien Duy Minh, sat in the corner of the sofa, holding a cup of tea, his expression stiff. The other person — It was the secretary that day, “Tieu Luu”. She stood up and nodded slightly at me.
“Doctor Trinh, we meet again.”
"Yes." I found a chair and sat down, "What's going on?"
Luu Duc Thang sat neatly in his seat and cleared his throat.
"Trinh Lam, the previous heart attack patient... is Deputy Director Tran of the City Health and Wellness Committee."
OH. My expression didn't change at all.