The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 137

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 137

After conducting additional interviews about past medical history, family history, digestion, sleep, and other information to consider what herbs to add.

“Do you have any questions?”

I delivered my closing remarks.

“No.”

“Good. If you have any questions later, please call the clinic!”

Then Nam Hyeonjeong asked as if something had just occurred to her.

“Oh, would it be possible to prescribe postpartum tonic medicine over the phone?”

“Hmm, legally it’s possible, but your physical condition changes a lot after childbirth, so it’s better to see you in person. If unavoidable, please call us, or you can visit our network’s Seoul Branch.”

“Thank you. I have a meeting scheduled with a VIP coming from overseas right after my due date.”

“….”

She’s thinking of working immediately after giving birth in that condition?

“Since preparation takes time too, I’ll prescribe in advance a 3-day supply of Saenghwatang, which helps with lochia discharge, and a week’s supply of Gungguijohyeoleum, a common postpartum tonic. It would be best if you could rest right after childbirth, but….”

“Thank you. It’s something I can’t send someone else to handle.”

Nam Hyeonjeong said firmly.

I emphasized once more the importance of avoiding overwork before pregnancy and postpartum care, but I couldn’t tell if it got through to her.

I thought I was pretty good at reading patients’ minds, but Nam Hyeonjeong’s face showed no reaction whatsoever.

At least she’s determined to go through with the meeting.

“I’ll prepare a good prescription for you, and I hope you have a safe delivery. Take care on your way home.”

* * *

Even after Nam Hyeonjeong went home, I was swamped with many tasks.

Seeing patients was natural, but why I dug my own grave by deciding to organize manuscripts is beyond me.

I did write several books in the martial arts world too.

But back then, I had a sense of mission that there was no one else who could compile knowledge as comprehensibly as I could!

Now there are already many good books…!

[Kyaa!!!!!]

After work, while staring at the computer screen and getting lost in old memories, a message arrived.

[What should I do? It’s two days before the due date and This Sister’s labor seems to have started now!]

Before I could even open the app, another message arrived.

It was Park Seseun.

[You’re talking about Nam Hyeonjeong, right? Didn’t she register at a hospital that does 24-hour deliveries?]

After preparing everything down to the delivery date, there’s no way she wouldn’t have secured a hospital, right?

Two days should be well within the margin of error, right?

As soon as I asked, Park Seseun’s message continued.

[We’re on our way right now! Our driver is driving but the contractions seem to keep getting closer together ㅠㅠㅠ]

[Were you two together?]

[No, This Sister kept trying to work! Her husband asked me to watch her so she couldn’t work.]

[But you didn’t expect this to happen suddenly?]

[Just now she was saying it’s probably false labor~ and trying to lie down, but I barely managed to drag her out!]

Ah, so they’re on their way to the hospital.

Since she’s texting instead of calling, it’s not extremely urgent, but she seemed anxious with Nam Hyeonjeong experiencing contractions beside her.

[Hurry and go! What’s the interval now?]

She needs to deliver safely.

I clasped my hands together with the same feelings as Park Seseun.

The answer came much later.

[It was 10-minute intervals when we left, but when we arrived it became 5-minute intervals!]

[What? I went back and forth around 10-minute intervals all night, then suffered for hours at 5-minute intervals before getting induced labor, but she’s only 2.5cm dilated and going straight into delivery! I’m jealous!]

[Ah, fortunately you arrived at the hospital quickly!]

[Yes. I gave her Bulsusan on the way too. Now it’s just a matter of prayer.]

[I’ll pray with you.]

The progress was faster than the delivery process I’d witnessed, and faster than statistics too.

I hope her cervix dilates that quickly.

Though I don’t have a religion, I offered prayers hoping God, Buddha, or Yuanshi Tianzun—anyone—would listen.

May both mother and baby be healthy.

[I don’t know why I’m more nervous than when I was giving birth ㄷㄷ I guess this is how my husband felt]

[The mother is too busy to think…]

[Back then I really thought I was going crazy. It hurt as much as it could hurt and I didn’t want a C-section so really]

[But you didn’t go into the delivery room together, right?]

I suddenly remembered to ask.

Seeing how she keeps sending messages, she must be outside the delivery room, right?

[Yes, we met Hyeonjeong’s Mother at the hospital, and Mother went in.]

[Come to think of it, where’s her husband?]

[A business trip abroad… hahaha He coldly asked whether the due date was important or work was important, whether I should take a 10-hour flight at full term, and then kicked me out.]

Well, socially speaking, isn’t the wife’s childbirth more important?

Park Seon-yun used to come to the clinic quite often during the day.

Then again, even if he’s part of the owner family or an executive, his workload probably depends on how much he chooses to do.

[She was happy saying the Clinic Director’s medicine gave her a lot of energy, but This Sister was so frail that I’m not sure if she’s doing well.]

[She’ll be doing her best. We’ve done everything we can externally, so let’s wait and see!]

[I hope so…!]

Then the messages stopped again.

Since I couldn’t focus on the work I’d been doing, I just stared at Park Seseun’s message window.

[Is something wrong?]

I asked in case something had gone wrong or if she was going into surgery.

[They said it’s over?]

[Already?]

The reply came back that the delivery was finished.

Didn’t she just go in? Even if it was fast, still… I looked at the clock and two hours had already passed.

[It’s a daughter!!!! Completely smooth delivery in 2 hours and 20 minutes!!!]

[Oh my, congratulations!!!!!]

I was about to call out of joy but barely stopped myself.

It would be rude since they’d be busy at the hospital.

Instead, I shared the joy by firing off congratulatory emoticons in the chat with Park Seseun.

[Really, really congratulations! Hyeonjeong must have worked so hard, and Seseun, please stop worrying and take good care of her!!]

[Yes ㅠㅠㅠㅠ thank you so much ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I’m so touched ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ!!!!!]

Things went well.

The baby was born.

Even though I’d only heard about the situation, I was suddenly overwhelmed by the wonder of life being born.

May she grow up healthy.

* * *

A week later.

“Hello.”

Nam Hyeonjeong came to our oriental medicine clinic.

“Hyeonjeong, congratulations!! Seseun told me it’s a daughter! You really worked so hard!”

“Thank you.”

Though I made a fuss, Nam Hyeonjeong expressed her gratitude coldly, like a wicked mother-in-law receiving congratulations for her hated daughter-in-law’s childbirth.

“But didn’t you say you had an important meeting after your due date?”

“It was two days after the due date, and thanks to labor starting two days early, I could rest enough and handle the schedule. Thanks to the generous amount of medicine you gave me, my physical condition is very good too.”

She said she’d already finished the meeting and come back.

Did she leave the hospital right after giving birth?

Postpartum care… she could do it at home too.

If there are enough servants, home might be better than a postpartum care center.

“My husband also asked me to thank you. He returned home the day before yesterday and didn’t expect things to be exactly the same as before.”

Though I knew it was obviously about health, my gaze went to her cold eyes.

“I’m glad you’re recovering smoothly. They say recovery is fast with smooth deliveries, but you must have had a hard time, so just do basic exercises and rest plenty.”

“It really was fast. After giving birth, I walked right away in two hours. During delivery… whew, everyone says it was a smooth delivery, but subjectively I felt like 20 hours had passed.”

“Oh my, you worked so hard.”

“Yes. I haven’t experienced difficult labor so that’s probably why, but subjectively it was tough. Of course, I don’t plan to experience it again in the future.”

I nodded.

She must be planning to stop with an only child.

People these days usually have 1 or 2 children anyway, so considering her age, it wasn’t strange.

“…That was a joke.”

“Pardon?”

Which part?

“About not having any more in the future? Ah, haha.”

“You don’t need to force yourself to laugh. I’m sorry. Please prescribe postpartum tonic medicine.”

No, I really don’t get the point.

I scratched my head helplessly.

I should do the medical examination…

“Right. How is your energy level? If before pregnancy was 10, what number would you give for right before delivery and now?”

“Hmm, about 12 and 8 respectively.”

12? This was the first person who said she had more energy right before delivery than before pregnancy.

“Deer antler seems to suit me well. If it’s okay to take more, please include it in the postpartum tonic too. Would it be bad to take it for a whole year?”

“I was naturally planning to include it in the postpartum tonic. Take it sufficiently for about 3 months, then decide based on the results. For growth tonics, people sometimes take them for a whole year, but dosage adjustment is necessary depending on symptoms.”

“I understand.”

“No matter how good the medicine is, overwork is forbidden, and if you have really unavoidable! overwork that causes severe stress or energy decline, consult separately.”

Since her qi deficiency was so severe, she seemed to greatly feel the effects of high-dose deer antler.

But relying on medicine to overwork the body is absolutely forbidden.

“I’ll do that.”

“How are your appetite and digestion?”

“My taste returned right before delivery, but now it’s just so-so. Digestion seems a bit slow too. I don’t get indigestion, but there’s a slight feeling of food not going down and being bloated.”

“Do you sleep well?”

“I couldn’t sleep well because of dawn feedings. On the day I went to the meeting, I just rested and slept soundly.”

“You do dawn feedings?”

Why is this so unexpected?

Of course she could do it…

Ah, I realized the sense of incongruity.

Most rudely, I was reminded of the head of the Sichuan Dang Family when looking at Nam Hyeonjeong.

The Sichuan Dang Family would lock crying children in rooms without comforting them, and even made the wet nurses and maids monitor from the next room, so that says it all.

Surprisingly, even in modern times, it seems Westerners sometimes install pet cams and leave them be.

Having grown up with Korean-style childcare where you hold and comfort a child until they stop crying, I was flustered.

“They say it’s better to feed colostrum when possible, so I’m planning to try as much as I can before switching to mixed feeding.”

“How is your milk production?”

“It seems a bit low. I’m getting massages.”

“I understand. I’ll take that into consideration as well. How are your back pain and joint pain?”

Nam Hyeonjeong flexed her fingers a few times.

“Come to think of it, they’re fine.”

“None at all?”

“My wrist and ankle joints are fine. My back hurts a little more than the usual stiffness, but it’s not severe.”

How should I interpret this person’s “not severe”?

Comparing it to a martial artist seems a bit too much.

“Among the various symptoms I asked about last time – urination, bowel movements, sweating, dry mouth, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, etc. – have there been any changes?”

“On days when I wake up multiple times for feeding, I have some dry mouth.”

“I understand.”

While quickly organizing the consultation results, I explained the prescription I had in mind.

“I’ll use a prescription called Boheo-tang as the base and modify it. It’s originally a prescription that contains large amounts of qi-tonifying and blood-tonifying medicines, and I’ll add deer antler to it. Considering your milk production, I also plan to add herbs like wang bullyuhaeng and motherwort. I’ll explain the details on the prescription.”

“Yes. The prescriptions are really detailed.”

“Joint pain can appear later, so if it occurs, get acupuncture treatment at a nearby clinic.”

Nam Hyeonjeong nodded.

Progress checked, prescription decided.

“Do you have any questions?”

I delivered my usual closing line.

“I have two things.”

Oh, you do?

About half have questions, half don’t.

Even those who do mostly ask about prognosis – how long it takes to recover.

But perhaps because the patient was Nam Hyeonjeong, I felt somewhat nervous.

“Please go ahead.”

“Can I get acupuncture for my back today?”

…But the first one was nothing special.

“Of course. If it’s difficult to lie face down, I’ll do the acupuncture with you lying on your side. What’s the second question?”

And the second one was.

“Clinic Director, is it possible to treat tic disorders as well?”

It was a question completely unrelated to our conversation so far.

Of course, I answered diligently.

“Certainly. Children with short medical histories are almost all cured. For adults who still have symptoms, treatment often doesn’t work well, or even if the tic disorder symptoms are treated, they often remain as habits. Who is it for?”

“It’s a child. The son of someone I recently met has tics, and they’re interested in Oriental medical treatment.”

Oriental medical treatment?

If they use that expression…

“Are they a foreigner?”

“Yes. Italian.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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