The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 234

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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 234

This anchovy noodle restaurant was the place I visited most often when I lived in Yeoju.

Since I didn’t eat out very frequently, the actual number of visits wasn’t that many.

So even though I used to greet the owner grandmother when I frequented this place, I never thought she would remember me after nearly 10 years since we last met.

“Ah, that’s right. I lived here until high school.”

“I knew it! Oh my, why were you going to leave without saying anything? How disappointing!”

Grandmother was extremely happy to see me.

“Haha, I didn’t think you’d remember me.”

“You came once every few months and always finished a large bowl like this. You came alone more often than with your family. Of course I remember!”

Did I? I certainly remembered coming alone more often, saving up my small allowance.

My aunt’s family brought me sometimes, but they went out to eat among themselves more frequently.

Ha, back then I thought this place had the most delicious food in the world.

“Do you remember the arcade machine at the stationery store up front? You used to stare at it so intently after eating that I felt sorry for you and gave you 500 won to try it. But you cleared the whole game with just 100 won without dying once.”

“Ah…”

I didn’t remember it clearly, but Grandmother’s memory was probably correct.

I always came to eat noodles with just the exact amount of money.

Come to think of it, playing retro arcade games – was that elementary school? I liked games even back then.

Ha, to think I was watching others play so intently that I could clear it with one coin.

From my perspective, it’s been over thirty years, so my school memories had become hazily filtered to just studying in middle and high school.

Hearing stories from when I was even younger made my face burn with embarrassment.

“So that happened.”

“My grandson would die within 5 minutes even when given money and make a fuss asking for more, but that was the first time I learned someone could go all the way to the end like that. Later when you said you were going to Korean University, I thought, wow, smart kids really are different.”

“Ahaha. You even remember the university.”

“How many kids from this neighborhood go to Korean University? How could I not know? How have you been all this time?”

Grandmother grabbed my hand very warmly.

“Haha, I graduated from Korean University’s College of Korean Medicine, and now I’ve opened a practice in Busan.”

“Oh my! You succeeded! How wonderful! Don’t just stand there, come sit and tell me about it!”

Saying I seemed to be the last customer anyway, Grandmother pulled out a chair and offered me a seat.

She made such a fuss saying I succeeded and congratulating me that I scratched my head and laughed.

“Who was that cold-looking woman from earlier? Your boss? Oh right, you opened your own practice. Former boss? Should I give you a glass of soju?”

“No, she’s just a senior I happened to know. We met by chance while doing volunteer work. I can’t drink since I have to drive.”

Offering free soju. Was this grandmother’s generosity always this great?

She even gave me 500 won for games back then, so maybe she was always like this.

…I only vaguely remember asking if I could have two candies instead and being refused.

I suppose I only remembered what I wanted to remember.

“If you lived closer, I would have visited more often. It’s a shame. Grandmother, your noodles are still so delicious.”

“It’s just ordinary noodle taste, what are you saying. You always ate it most deliciously though. Good thing you came before I close!”

“Ah, are you closing the restaurant?”

“I’m getting old too.”

How old might she be? I’d estimate late 60s to early 70s.

Come to think of it, when I first met her she would have been in her 50s, so she wasn’t even a grandmother then.

Now… many people in their 70s still work, but it was true that it would be difficult at that age in many ways.

“I want to keep going, but my health isn’t very good. I’m worried something bad might happen.”

“What’s bothering you? Shoulders? Wrists? Back?”

Running a restaurant means frequently carrying heavy things like trays loaded with dishes or lifting pots, plus lots of dishwashing.

After doing it for decades, it would be stranger if her shoulders, back, elbows, wrists, or fingers didn’t hurt somewhere.

“No, those things I just live with bit by bit. It’s a neighborhood business, so there isn’t enough work to make my arms hurt.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m sooooo tired, and lately I’m losing weight like I might die. Every time I weigh myself I’ve lost several kilograms, it’s shocking.”

“What? How much have you lost?”

“About 8kg?”

Sudden weight loss is a dangerous sign. Especially in the elderly.

If it was a problem with weakened digestion preventing absorption, that would be fortunate. It could indicate endocrine disorders like diabetes or thyroid issues, mental illness like Im Juweon whom I saw recently, and most concerning of all, cancer.

“Are you eating your meals properly? Have you been to the hospital?”

“I eat well. Actually more than before. Oh, could you check my pulse just once?”

“Let me see right away.”

I immediately placed my fingers on Grandmother’s wrist.

Master would break the hand of anyone who suddenly reached out to him… but I didn’t mind much even outside my clinic.

Besides, I was very worried about Grandmother right now.

“How is it?”

But contrary to my expectations, Grandmother’s pulse wasn’t weak at all.

An elderly person who lacks energy and is rapidly losing weight should naturally have qi and blood deficiency, and naturally have a weak pulse.

What strength would there be for a strong heartbeat?

“It’s too fast. Your heart rate seems well over 100?”

But Grandmother’s pulse was stronger than average in intensity, and far too fast in speed.

Normal adult heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute, and elderly people tend to be on the slower side.

Grandmother’s current pulse was more than twice per second… it seemed to exceed not just 100 but even 120.

“Are you taking any medications right now?”

“Joint medicine, only sometimes when it hurts? I didn’t take any today though?”

I first suspected medication side effects, but Grandmother tilted her head.

Joint medication was unlikely to affect heart rate though.

“By any chance, do you experience symptoms like feeling very hot and sweating a lot, or having trembling hands?”

“How did you know!”

So when I brought up the main symptoms of the most suspected condition, Grandmother clapped her hands.

“My hands shake so much that I get so anxious when cutting with a knife. Last time, I dropped a dish and had to pay for a customer’s laundry cleaning, you know? I keep feeling hot, sweating, and it feels like my eyes are going to pop out.”

“And you’re tired, losing weight but your appetite has actually increased, right?”

“Yes!”

“Grandmother, when was the last time you had a blood test?”

“Well. About 5 years ago?”

What? Why has it been so long? Health checkups are essential… oh wait, not for business owners.

“Go to the Internal Medicine Department on Monday and get a blood test including thyroid function tests. You’ll need to take medication.”

I had suspicions, no, I was almost certain.

It was a typical presentation of hyperthyroidism.

When thyroid hormones are secreted excessively, metabolism is accelerated, causing symptoms similar to running even while sitting still.

Like having a rapid heartbeat, sweating, feeling hot, being hungry, and losing energy.

“Thyroid? Isn’t that when your neck here swells up? My late father had that…”

“That’s when the thyroid becomes enlarged from being overstimulated, but there are many cases of hyperthyroidism without enlargement. Actually, it’s not typical for it to develop late at your age, Grandmother.”

Usually hyperthyroidism is diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.

Of course, I can’t know exactly when Grandmother’s condition started, but still, she would have visited hospitals for various reasons in this country, so it seems unlikely it would have gone unnoticed for decades.

It probably developed within the past year or two.

In cases of thyroid disease that develop in elderly patients, non-specific symptoms like fatigue and decreased appetite are often predominant.

It’s easy to miss, thinking it’s due to stress or aging.

“Oh my, I never thought of that… I’ll definitely go on Monday.”

Grandmother touched her neck with a very worried expression.

“It can be controlled with medication, so you don’t need to worry too much.”

“Oh dear, I thought it might get better if I just rested and took some herbal tonics.”

I had the same thought initially.

“At your age, Grandmother, cardiovascular complications can easily develop, so please take Western antithyroid medication first. Once we see how it’s controlled, I’ll consider any remaining symptoms and prepare herbal medicine for you too.”

I also prescribe herbal medicine by categorizing it as qi and yin deficiency syndrome.

In the martial arts world, since antithyroid medications can’t be made, I’ve tried herbal medicine treatment alone.

But when medication can be easily obtained, there’s no reason to take risks.

It would be better to control thyroid hormone hypersecretion with Western medicine, then provide combination treatment for any remaining symptoms.

“Thank you. I almost let the disease progress, but thanks to you, I’m saved.”

That’s right. If Grandmother hadn’t stopped me, I might not have known for a long time.

I handed Grandmother my business card.

“Go to the hospital and get a blood test first, then let me know if your symptoms improve while taking the medication. I’ll really send you some herbal medicine.”

“No! I wasn’t asking for it for free!”

“Think of it as paying back the 500 won you gave me before with lots of interest.”

Grandmother declined several times, but she didn’t seem to feel bad about it deep down.

She pretended to be reluctant and accepted the business card, saying she would contact me.

“Oh, I’ve kept you too long. I should close for today. Let’s go.”

It was already well past 8 PM. As expected, I was the last customer.

After helping clean up the restaurant a bit,

I moved to the accommodation I had reserved.

It was called a hotel but was no different from a motel.

‘Hmm… tomorrow I’ll visit the neighborhood where I used to live… theme park? Museum? A lot of new things have been built.’

Since I wasn’t planning to sightsee, I made simple plans.

I’ll just briefly look around my home and school, then head to Seoul.

[Seoyeong, are you free tomorrow? Want to have dinner together?]

I first asked Hwangseoyeong if she was available for dinner.

Usually I would make plans in advance, but this time the goal was a leisurely, unplanned trip.

[Huh??? I’m traveling with Roberto right nowㅠㅠㅠ]

Right, this kind of disruption is exactly the charm of it.

But it was fine.

If Hwangseoyeong wasn’t available, I had other plans in mind.

Since it turned out this way, I had no choice but to go straight to ‘that place’.

There was a place I had firmly decided to visit whenever I went to Seoul.

I thought I might not be able to go before the event period ended because I’d been busy with various things recently.

But thanks to Hwang Sanghun and Lee Ahreum’s consideration, I was able to visit.

[Everyone, I’m going to the pop-up store tomorrow too!!!]

‘That place’ was none other than the Jungyeon Online Pop-up Store.

Not only do they sell various goods like game character figures, acrylic stands, keychains, card decks, posters, and mouse pads, but they’re even releasing a special collection book to commemorate this pop-up store.

Moreover, customers who purchase over 50,000 won get coupons that can be used as cash in-game and even skins with exclusive effects.

I didn’t really care about the goods, but I desperately wanted those effects.

The flowers in Mantianhwayu (Ten Thousand Heavenly Flower Rain) were rather plain, but with effects added, how perfect would it be! I absolutely had to get it for my alt character at least.

[What??? You’re coming to Seoul?]

How much did Young Master Chungpung brag when he appeared with the effect from the first day of the pop-up store?

Now I too would soon have the limited effect.

[Yes, I think I’ll drop by tomorrow afternoon]

[I’ll go too!!!]

[? Young Master Chungpung, didn’t you already go?]

[?? I can just go again]

But Young Master Chungpung sent back a reply saying he wanted to come along.

[I was debating whether to buy a pen or not and didn’t get one, but I should buy it. Should I send one to Kkyu Kkyu too?]

Going again to a popup he’d already visited once… well, there’s nothing wrong with that, I guess.

[Me too! I want to go too!! I want to see Maengju!]

[Can you come, Kkyu Kkyu?]

[Father said I can!]

But when I said I was going, even Kkyu Kkyu from Busan stepped forward saying she’d come.

[Can I go too?]

[Wow, is this a guild meetup?]

Even guild members who joined after I stepped down from the leader position and weren’t particularly close began showing interest one by one.

[If you come by, I’ll treat you to a meal.]

I was definitely planning to go quietly by myself.

How did it end up like this?

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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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