Chapter 18: Craniotomy? I'm Familiar With This
Foreman, called out by David, clearly showed his displeasure.
Did this intern even understand his position in Diagnostics?
Why should an intern be giving orders to a board-certified physician like him?
Sure, he'd perform the surgery, but those words shouldn't have come from David!
Foreman, determined to make David squirm, forced a smile onto his face:
"Look at you being so modest. Everyone knows you're the best intern we've got here.
If it weren't for the residency requirement, I think you'd be capable of running Diagnostics yourself.
It's just that your surgical experience is a bit lacking. You should get more hands-on practice.
How about this—just like before, you perform the surgery, and I'll supervise from the sidelines?"
Before David could respond, Dan's mother immediately objected:
"Dr. Foreman, how can you let an intern perform such a major operation?
That's medical malpractice! I'm filing a complaint with your superior!
In fact, Dr. House is right here.
Dr. House, come over here and look at how your staff is dodging responsibility for a critical surgery. What kind of professional conduct is this?"
Foreman never expected Dan's mother to interfere.
He'd assumed that based on David's personality, he'd agree first, regardless of whether he could actually do it.
Once again, things weren't going according to his plan.
House, who walked over after hearing the commotion, glared at Foreman, then turned to reassure Dan's mother:
"Don't worry, Foreman was just testing the kid.
For high-risk neurosurgery like this, David assisting him is more appropriate.
I'll personally observe and ensure surgical safety. You have my word."
With House's assurance, Dan's mother left, though still somewhat skeptical.
Foreman, seething with anger, turned to glare at David and said:
"Kid, don't you dare puke during the procedure and compromise my concentration!
Otherwise I'll kick you out of my OR. Got it?"
David shrugged to indicate he understood.
Foreman sneered and headed to the surgical suite to begin prep.
He didn't believe David would stay so composed when the time came.
They were going to reflect back the patient's scalp, then use a cranial perforator to drill through the skull, and finally implant the Ommaya reservoir.
The process would be extremely graphic.
Few interns didn't feel nauseated the first time witnessing this procedure.
Even he himself, after observing this surgery during his residency, had thrown up in a waste bin for a good while.
It was a normal reaction.
But he specifically wanted to use this as an excuse to tear into David—only then could he vent the rage burning in his chest!
Soon, Dan, under general anesthesia, was wheeled into the OR.
Besides Foreman and David, there were several scrub nurses assisting.
However, Foreman didn't really want their help. Instead, he had David running around fetching various surgical instruments.
When it came to the craniotomy phase, Foreman specifically glanced at David and called him closer.
Ostensibly, standing nearer would facilitate learning the technique.
In reality, he wanted David to experience the full impact of the craniotomy up close.
Accompanied by the high-pitched whine of the cranial drill, fine bone dust constantly emerged from the edge of the burr hole, like sawdust produced when drilling wood.
Thin streams of blood and cerebrospinal fluid mixed together, seeping from the margins.
Foreman raised his eyes again and glanced at David, expecting to see discomfort and nausea on his face.
But to his shock, David's expression was completely neutral.
It looked like he could casually eat a cheeseburger right now without batting an eye.
How was this possible?
How could someone witnessing this scene for the first time not even flinch?
Distracted, Foreman completely failed to notice that the drill bit in his hand had successfully penetrated the skull.
It was a sharp gasp from a scrub nurse that yanked him back to reality.
Looking down, he cursed internally—"Shit"—he'd gone too deep.
Panic-stricken, his hands began trembling uncontrollably.
The cranial drill held by his unsteady hands also showed erratic movement.
The more Foreman thought about the potential consequences, the more panicked he became.
The more his panic grew, the worse his hands shook, and the greater the trauma to the patient's brain tissue!
This development caused the experienced nurses present to immediately blanch, and just as they were about to intervene, a hand reacted with lightning speed and seized the drill.
It was David, who'd been monitoring the surgical progress intently.
He didn't know why Foreman, who should've been highly skilled, would make such a catastrophic error.
But he understood he had to act immediately to prevent Dan from dying on the table.
As for the craniotomy itself? David was intimately familiar with it.
Because Dan, lying on the operating table undergoing surgery, was his former self.
Moreover, he'd undergone more than just one craniotomy.
For David, this was as routine as brushing his teeth.
Therefore, David's hand steadily and slowly withdrew the drill bit, which had already completed its purpose.
Then, when facing the blood and CSF pouring from the opening, David's expression remained completely composed.
He simply calmly instructed the nurses about various instruments.
Then, under Foreman's stunned gaze, he completed the craniotomy that should have been Foreman's responsibility.
Looking at Dan, who was maintaining stable vitals, David glanced at the cardiac monitor showing normal fluctuations and exhaled in relief.
Thank God he'd taken over in time and hadn't let Foreman continue.
Otherwise, Dan would have suffered seizures at best, and died at worst.
Foreman, who'd made the mistake, was now crouched on the floor, staring at his blood-soaked gloves, his face full of self-recrimination.
David shook his head, instructed the nurses to wheel Dan to recovery, then stripped off his surgical gown to head to the pharmacy for medications.
Foreman noticed the movement, looked up, and shouted at David's retreating figure with bloodshot eyes:
"Why is it that whenever you're around, I can't do anything right?!"
David stopped, turned around, and said mildly:
"Have you considered that it might be your own problem?"
After speaking, David walked out of the OR, leaving Foreman alone inside.
Hearing David's words, Foreman fell into deep thought.
His own problem? What problem could he possibly have?!
If this intern hadn't been constantly undermining his confidence, how could he keep making mistakes?!
The real problem wasn't him—it was David!
This David not only hustled him out of his money but was also trying to destroy him so he could take his position!
It had to be that! It had to be!
David probably didn't expect that his words wouldn't enlighten Foreman but would instead drive him into an even more paranoid spiral.
However, this was temporarily irrelevant to David—he still had post-op work to complete.
David, who'd gone to the pharmacy for medications, returned to find Dan, who'd finished recovery and been moved back to his room.
After instructing him on medication frequency and post-surgical care, David heard the life extension notification again.
[Successfully saved a life. Lifespan extended by one day. Current lifespan: 4 days, 13 hours.]
Feeling his mind clear again, David quietly returned the painkillers in his pocket.
The dosage of painkillers he was requiring kept increasing.
This wasn't good news.
It meant his body was developing tolerance to the medication.
David sighed. He had to save more people.
Only saving lives could truly address the root cause.
It seemed he needed to put the Continental Hotel medical position on his priority list.
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