Dae's POV
Last week, Jong called me late at night to inform me about the hearing and the lawsuit Mrs. Walsh filed against me. Spending all night searching the procedure, the hearing was tomorrow morning. Jong wanted me to rest to prepare myself for the hearing tomorrow with the Board.
Ri brought me a cup of hot tea to perk me up. Determined to look over several notes, I decided to rest after finding a clue to Sandi's sickness. There were missing information from her medical history and Ri made sure to give me all the paperwork for Jong and I to look over. We closed the clinic for a few days so that we can focus on the hearing and was going to open back up Monday morning.
The next morning at 8:30 A.M. I was pacing back and forth in the hallway. With a knot in my stomach, food was the last thing on my mind. Holding my shaking hands, Jin tried to hold them steady.
"Ne salang, try to breathe."
Jin wanted me to sit down and control my breathing. My belly was a little bigger and Jin would always kiss my belly while rubbing. When it was time for the hearing to start, I stood up and took a deep breath. When I stood outside the door, I looked through the window and there was a crowd waiting for me to enter the room. Jin, Lee, Mike, Serene, Becca, Ri and Todd came to support me during this time.
The crowd goes silent when I walked through the double doors. Dr. Park and I were seated on one side of the room while Mrs. Walsh sat at the other side. The Board Panel arrived and took their seats. Each one introduced themselves and the five members looked through papers before speaking.
"Ladies and gentlemen, were here today to determine if Dr. Dae's license should be revoked. Mrs. Walsh claims that during the competition with VCA, there were acts of malpractice on Dr. Dae's part during the surgical procedure. Is that correct?"
"Yes sir. She killed my dog." Mrs. Walsh said proudly.
Jong and I exchanged a look. We knew that Sandi was in a coma but she didn't die. Mrs. Walsh started to explain that good vets can occasionally be careless or use poor judgment. Accusing me of harming an animal because of incompetence, a mistake in judgment and carelessness was a lie. Sandi's condition made the surgery extremely difficult and due to her health, there was a chance of table death or a shorter lifespan.
"Dr. Dae accepted responsibility to treat Sandi and failed to meet professional standards for care. As a result of her incompetence and carelessness, I have experienced emotional distress and damages. So, I'm here today to propose that Dr. Dae's license to be revoked to stop future suffering to other animals and pet owners."
Nodding to her statement, Mrs. Walsh taunts me under her breath once she took her seat on the other side of the room.
When it was my turn to defend myself, there were dozens of pet owners sent statements and Mrs. Walsh gave angry looks as they were read. Becca walks in with Ginger and Mrs. Walsh grits her teeth. Explaining that Ginger was a regular and after his surgery, he has improved with no complications.
Molly was called up to speak and she made statements against me. She implied that there was a misdiagnosing of the illness and prescribing the wrong course of treatment. She failed to realize that the diabetes was confirmed through lab results. Dr. Park and I also found out there were other factors to Sandi's health that was missing from her medical history.
Ri and Dr. Park spoke on my behalf after Molly's testimony. After three hours of debating and accusations of malpractice and negligence, there was a dismissal for break. We were unaware that the dog died but, we knew that something happened after we left. Although the break was only for an hour, I made sure that I used the restroom. On my way out, Mrs. Walsh approached me.
"I'll make sure that your license is revoked and you will never work again. Your career is over." She stated with certainty.
After break, everyone walks back to the room. Her confidence wavers as she boasts about her connections with board members. Looking around, Ri gave me a smile and Dr. Park nods approvingly. One of the documents that Ri gave me was crucial. There was a side effect to the medication that was administered which caused Sandi to fall into a coma.
Knowing that Dr. Park and I were not at the facility after the surgery, we knew that something happened after we left. Whispering to Ri, I wanted her to see if she can get a copy of the security camera to see what happened during our absence. The problem, we had to stall until Ri comes back with the video footage. Reading through several documents, Dr. Park gave his statement.
Reviewing all the documents and explaining that the transfusion box never arrived and hemodilution was used, Mrs. Walsh stated that she was against it and wanted the blood transfusion. Dr. Park explained the issues that we were facing since we didn't have the transfusion box and it was a possibility that Sandi's body would reject the transfusion. He supported my alternative and had copies of Sandi's scar tissue and the tumor near her lungs.
"Her medical record didn't state any surgeries but there were scar tissue present. So, that means that Sandi's medical records weren't correct or tampered with." Dr. Park held up the folder containing medical reports and tests results.
"Do you have a closing statement Dr. Dae?" One of the board members asked. Nodding my head I stood up the moment Ri rushed in. Taking the flash drive from Ri, I said:
"The security cameras will show that I-
"Denied. Dr. Dae, give your closing statement or sit down." She cut me off rolling her eyes
"I regret nothing and I will continue to do what I love by living my dream helping animals."
Silence filled the room. Standing there, I took a deep breath and the knot in my stomach intensified. Watching her speak, I didn't hear anything. The ringing in my ears drowned out her voice. Suddenly, the other board member stood up and one of them, with a frown on her face said:
"A final decision has been made, please rise."
The moment that everyone stood, Mrs. Walsh rolled her eyes and that's when I noticed that her husband wasn't present. It was strange that he didn't come with his wife and knowing Dr. Park was a friend of his, I thought they were closer. Maybe she didn't want Mr. Walsh here.
Confident that I did the right thing, Jong supported my decision and stood with me as the decision was announced.
"Dr. Dae the panel has decided."
YOU ARE READING
Heartstrings
FanfictionWhat happens when jealousy come in-between family? Dae, Serene and Becca have to face their own hardships. Although they have each other, is sisterhood enough for them to get through tragedy, trials and betrayal?
