시골의사 1 - 기적

다음의 글은 박경철씨 원작의 '시골의사'에 실린 한 에피소드를 영어로 번역해 보았다. McKay 라는 헌 책방에서 친구가 우연이 찾았는데, 외과의사인 박경철씨가 경험했던 여러가지 감명깊은 (때론 재미난, 때론 참혹한) 이야기들이 많이 실려있다. 해서 틈틈이 (미숙하지만) 번역을 시도해 보려한다. 이곳에 사는 1.5 나 2세 (의사지망생)들에게 '의사'에 대한 실질적인 이미지를 주는데 약간의 도움이 되면 좋겠다. 


MIRACLE

A line between 'Life and Death' is sometimes hard to draw. The death or survival
of 99.99% of patients can be predicted according to the severities of their medical
symptoms or injuries. However, I often get confused by the fact that there are rare and
inexplicable exceptions.

Several years ago, there was an article in a tabloid about a magic concoction that cured
cancers. It showed a CT image of the tumor before and after the patient had taken this
pill. It was a kind of yellow journalism.
In fact, although it is quite rare, some cancer patients in their terminal stages are
miraculously cured. Thus similar patients are willing to take anything (even cow urine),
if that is the one that the survivor had taken. Who wouldn't, if that is believed to be
the only way to survive? And of course, they become an easy prey for fraudulent
medicines. Unfortunately the same miracle does not repeat.

One day, we were chatting with other colleagues during our lunch break. One of them,
Dr. Park, told us an interesting story as follows.

When he had worked in the Cardiology department, there was a patient named Chan,
who showed only weak pulses after heart surgery.
The blood pressures are determined by the pulsatile movements of the cardiac muscles. The blood expelled out of the heart is delivered to all peripheral tissues, including the brain and limbs. If the heart is unable to squeeze the blood sufficiently strong, electric shocks using defibrillator are applied to stimulate the heart muscles.

Anyway, every effort to increase Chan's heartbeats to the normal levels was in vain. If
the weak heartbeats continue, he will die as all peripheral organs will eventually fail to function due to the lack of blood supply.

About fifteen days later, Chan was declared brain death. Medically speaking, 'brain
death' means that patients have zero chance to recover. His family accepted Chan's
death fate, and even discussed organ donation before his organs stop functioning
completely.

Then around 2 AM, Dr. Park was scared to death while he was checking other patients,
as the man he thought to be dead grabbed him by his gown. The news spread out
quickly and everyone in the hospital was so bewildered.
A couple of days later, Chan was able to take normal meals, and then released from the hospital shortly thereafter.

What a miracle!!!

A month later, Chan came back to the emergency room as he had cardiac arrest.
Because of the previous experience, we gave him extra levels of treatments for over
an hour. However, the ER staff could not help but declare his death 'again', as all vital
indicators flatlined.
As a final and desperate effort, his family pleaded with doctors to treat him once more
with epinephrine, a heart stimulant. Guess what happened? A miracle AGAIN!!
..   ...   ....

As time passed by, the memories of these miraculous events have faded away. Then
about ten years later, Dr. Park went to a sauna near his home and came across Mr.
Miracle in the steamy room. He had a big scar on his chest that he gained from the
surgery. He recognized the doctor and grinned at him. A flash memory suddenly came
back alive.

The doctor got mixed feelings when he saw this perfectly healthy man who, everybody
thought, had crossed the line from life to death 'twice', as he could not find any medical
answers to such improbable events he had witnessed with this man.

So the corollary of 'every man dies'; is it really true? There is no way to prove it, unless
you confirm the death of every single person on earth. Who knows? There may be
a 'thousand-year-old' wise man roaming around in a deep forest. Sounds silly? Fairy
tale? Maybe. But it might not be entirely impossible, as such an unreal thing happens
to some people somewhere.

바람아 이 마음을 전해다오

'쌍투스' 그대 있는 곳까지



아주 오래 전 MBC 대학가요제에서 원곡 Eres tu (Mocedades) 를 편곡 발표한 작품. 원곡보다 더 잘 됐다는 평을 들었다.  근데 원곡도 내 귀에는 참 듣기 좋다. 

스패니쉬 가사의 뜻은 잘 모르겠지만, 한글가사엔 에절한 사랑을 바람에나마 담아 전하고 싶은 감정을 잘 전달해서 지금도 아주 생생히 기억에 남는 애창곡인데, 그 멤버들이 모여 다시 부르는 것을 U-tube 에서 볼 수가 있어서 좋다.

Voyager-1

당시 거의 $1 billion 로 만든 Voyager-1 이 지구를 떠난지 무려 35년이 되었다 한다 (1977). 현재 위치는 위의 그림에서 보듯 거의 태양의 영향권을 벗어나 곧 interstellar space 로 진입한다고 한다 (11.3 billion miles from the sun).  고등학교시절 태양계를 지나면서 목성, 토성의 신비로움을 사진으로 전달해 주었던 기억이 되살아 난다.

이제 몇 년 뒤, 가지고 있는 핵에너지가 고갈되면 Voyager-1 은 영영 우주속으로 사라질 것이다.  혹 아는가, Voyager 가 인류를 알리기 위해 가지고 간 'Voyager Golden Record' 를 통해 외계의 생명체가 지구를 알수 있는 기회를 가질지....

요지경 세상

날씨: 최고 80°F, 잠시 비/갬

오늘 일간 신문을 훌터 보다가 한 기사가 눈에 띈다.

'자기 손주를 낳은 할머니'
(Woman gives birth to her own grandchild)

이건 또 뭔 귀신 씨나락 까먹는소리여?
해서 사연을 읽어보니.........

29살난 시카고 사는 한 젊은 부인이 cervical cancer 였는데 또한 임산 초기였다.  하지만 암을 치료하는 것이 급선무라, 앞으로 영영 아이를 갖는 일은 불가능한 hysterectomy (자궁제거)수술을 받았다.
그로부터 2년후 시험관 수정 (엄마의 난자 + 아빠의 정자)을 시킨 배아를 대리모 (surrogate mother) 에 착상시켜 아이를 갖는데 성공했는데.....

시험관아기야 이젠 별 특별한 이야기꺼리도 안되지만, 그 대리모가 다름아닌, 아이고 맙소사, 아이의 53살난 외할머니였던 것!  아이고 망측해라..

참 혼란스럽네요. 아이를 갖고 싶은 그 맘이야 참 이해되지만, 이렇게까지 해도 되는건지. ㄲㄲ