A competent doctor can cure everything

I was struggling to calm down, still rattled by what happened with Shim Ji-seop in the elevator.

“Whew. Calm down.”

I murmured to myself, trying to steady my nerves before turning on the ignition.

I never get behind the wheel when I’m emotionally unsettled.

In fact, I’m quite strict about my driving rules.

Well, considering I was in a serious car accident as a child and lost my parents because of it…

“It’s a wonder I can even drive without any trauma.”

My grandmother once said she thought I would never be able to drive—or even ride in a car again.

The actual memories of the accident are just vague impressions.

It was likely such a shock that my brain erased the memories on its own.

After calming myself, I started driving. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been on the road when—

The GPS suddenly announced I was nearing my destination.

It was time to put Kim Jin-ah out of my mind and focus on the new patients.

I mentally reviewed the medical records left by the previous interns.

They only visited once a week, sometimes skipping a week.

“With such infrequent treatment, it’s hard to make real progress.”

There were no records of continuous, long-term treatment for any individual, only sporadic entries.

Most notes were about muscle tension or sprains.

Frankly, I wasn’t too impressed.

I couldn’t tell if the previous interns had just been careless or if there hadn’t been anyone needing serious treatment.

I’d have to go in person to know for sure.

Beyond just the records, I’d done some online research about the team and players.

“Showing up completely unprepared would be unprofessional.”

It’s early July now, and volleyball teams are gearing up for the KOVO Cup in August—a domestic pro volleyball tournament.

The team I’m assigned to is the women’s professional volleyball team, ‘Blue Whales’.

They used to be a strong contender, often placing first or second out of seven teams.

Recently, though, they’ve fallen so far down that it’s quicker to count from the bottom up.

Online, here’s what people had to say about the Blue Whales:

– A once-great team that’s past its prime
– The team’s average age is high, leading to frequent injuries and lack of stamina.
– Coach Han Mi-young was a great player, but her coaching ability is questionable.
– The team’s ace, who tries to do everything on her own, is pitiful.

The “ace” here refers to the team captain, Jeong Ho-jeong, a player so famous that even someone like me, with no knowledge of volleyball, has heard of her.

Her position is ‘Outside Hitter (OH)’, which involves both offense and defense across the court.

Another notable point is that the team’s oldest player, Ji Young-sook, seems to get a lot of criticism.

She’s forty this year, which is quite old for a ‘Middle Blocker (MB)’—a position that typically has a longer career span.

And on top of that…

“She’s known as the first female volleyball player in the country to come back after taking maternity leave instead of retiring.”

There were a lot of nasty comments mocking her for coming back instead of focusing on raising her child.

Then there’s Coach Han Mi-young. She was a well-known volleyball player in the past.

I heard this on-site medical visit happened because Professor Yeon Jae-wook is friends with Coach Han Mi-young.

She’s in her mid-forties, which is quite young for a coach, and her appointment stirred controversy because she’s also a woman.

She took the position amid concerns, but as you can see, the team’s performance hasn’t been great.

“People online often blame the Blue Whales’ poor results on the coach.”

Meanwhile, my car had smoothly pulled into the parking lot.

After parking, I checked the supplies in the back seat.

I had my doctor’s coat, medical records, and my hospital ID for identification.

In my medical bag, I’d packed acupuncture needles, moxa, cupping tools, herbal injections, and easy-to-take herbal extracts (powder and liquid form).

At the gym entrance, I showed my Hanbit University Hospital ID to the guard and entered.

A rectangular court surrounded by tiered spectator seating came into view.

The first impression was that the distance between the stands and the court was surprisingly close.

Next, a loud sound pricked my ears.

‘Bang! Bang!’

Short, forceful shouts and the sound of volleyballs echoed across the gym.

Players in blue uniforms were practicing, passing the volleyball to one another.

I spotted Jeong Ho-jeong, the player I’d only seen on the news, right in front of me.

And over there, that Black player must be Emma Russo, the Italian foreign recruit.

“Let’s stay focused! The Cup is just around the corner! You know our first match is against last year’s seventh-ranked team, right? If you lose, we’re all dead. I’ll die of embarrassment, and you’ll die by my hand.”

A tall, middle-aged woman shouted commandingly, prompting responses from various players.

She wore the Blue Whales team tracksuit and had a charismatic presence.

She must be Coach Han Mi-young.

After a few more words about the importance of the opening match, she finally noticed me and started walking over.

“You’re the traditional medicine doctor from Hanbit University?”

“Yes, I’m Seon-Joon.”

“I’m Han Mi-young, coach of the Blue Whales. This is a hassle, you know, introducing the team every month because the visitor keeps changing.”

She muttered the last part almost to herself.

Was it my imagination, or did she seem more annoyed than pleased about my visit?

A bit taken aback, I chose to ignore it and move on.

“No need for introductions. I came prepared.”

She raised her eyebrows, looking surprised.

“Really? That’s a first. Do you know volleyball?”

“I know the basic rules.”

“Yes, well, anyway, thank you for coming. Can you start the treatment now?”

“I can. Where should I do it?”

She extended her hand toward one side of the court.

There was a makeshift table set up, covered with a white cloth.

Coach Han Mi-young shouted loudly to the players who were practicing.

“Hey everyone! The doctor is here! If you want treatment, come over here; if not, take a break!”

The sound of volleyballs hitting the court floor came to an abrupt stop, along with the shouts.

I walked over to the makeshift table and took out the medical records and treatment tools.

Soon, someone approached me hesitantly. It was Ji Young-sook, the oldest player on the team.

And then…

‘?’

No one else was coming over.

I waited a bit longer, but the others were just wiping sweat with towels or gulping down water handed to them by the coach.

It seemed like no one else was paying any attention over here.

Ah, one more person was coming—the team captain, Jeong Ho-jeong.

She walked over with a lively step, greeting me in a bold, booming voice.

“Hello, Doctor! I’m Jeong Ho-jeong, the captain of the Blue Whales! Not ‘Hyo’ for ‘filial,’ but ‘Ho’ for ‘tiger’—Jeong Ho-jeong!”

“…Hello.”

Taken aback by her unique introduction, I responded a beat late.

“Oh, I didn’t come because I’m injured. I just wanted to introduce myself as the captain! I mean, I do have some aches, but I’m seeing a doctor for that, so I’m fine.”

“I see.”

“Please take care of our team! Well then, take care!”

She gave a quick, polite bow, then went back to the others.

So, it turned out that the only one here wanting treatment was Ji Young-sook.

‘I wasn’t expecting a crowd or a warm welcome, but…’

Still, isn’t this a bit too cold?

It wasn’t what I expected, and honestly, I felt a bit thrown off.

“Doctor?”

Ji Young-sook’s voice brought me back to the present.

For now, I needed to focus on the one patient in front of me.

“Ah, yes. You’re Ji Young-sook, right? What’s bothering you?”

“My whole body hurts.”

“Sorry?”

“I said, my entire body aches and hurts.”

Judging by her concerned expression, it didn’t seem like a joke.

“My position is Middle Blocker (MB), so I do a lot of jumping to block the ball. When I jump, my knees ache, and whenever I receive the ball, my fingers and wrists hurt. My back hurts, too… In short, every joint in my body aches. But when I get checked, they say nothing’s wrong. Can this be treated?”

“When did this discomfort start? Could it be since after childbirth?”

Recalling an online article, I asked her, and Ji Young-sook let out a thoughtful hum.

“Well… I’ve had aches and pains throughout my career, but having my whole body hurt like this… Yes, it seems to have gotten worse after giving birth.”

“How long has it been since you gave birth, exactly?”

“It’s been… over five months.”

“Do any of these symptoms apply to you?”

I quickly searched for a postpartum syndrome checklist on my phone and showed it to her.

“Hmm… Wow, it’s like this list was made for me.”

She nodded with a sigh after reading each item.

After checking off the relevant symptoms, her completed questionnaire looked like this:

Essential Symptoms

– ✓ Pain in muscles or joints, either throughout the body or in specific areas.
– ✓ Symptoms worsen with cold and an aversion to cold.
– ✓ Sensation of wind entering the body.
– ✓ General or localized numbness or tingling.

Sweating excessively either all over or in certain areas.

Secondary Symptoms

– ✓ Lack of energy and constant fatigue.
– Feeling apathetic and lethargic.

Having trouble sleeping for no apparent reason.

– ✓ Symptoms of depression or anxiety.
– ✓ Swelling in the face, legs, hands, or feet.
– ✓ Difficulty recovering quickly from abdominal obesity or looseness in the lower belly.

Feeling dizzy, whether resting or moving.

If there are two or more essential symptoms and at least one secondary symptom without any other specific underlying cause, it is diagnosed as postpartum syndrome.

In other words…

“Based on the criteria, Ms. Young-sook, you have postpartum syndrome.”

“Wait, postpartum syndrome? But I did a full month of postpartum care after giving birth!”

“Some patients experience symptoms up to a year after giving birth.”

“Really? That long?”

Her eyes widened, as if she hadn’t expected this at all.

“But there’s no record of treatment for you in the previous medical records. Why haven’t you mentioned this to the visiting doctors before?”

“Yeah… if I’d known it was postpartum syndrome, I would’ve consulted with one of the visiting doctors sooner. I didn’t think childbirth would still be affecting me… I’ve just been going to regular clinics, but even with all the tests and medications, nothing really worked, so that’s why I’m here.”

Listening to her, I observed her physical condition more closely.

Just as her checklist showed, her body was swollen, and her lower abdomen was still loose.

“How much weight did you gain during pregnancy?”

“I gained quite a lot—around 15 kg.”

“And how much have you lost since?”

“Only about half of it… maybe it’s because of my age, but it’s harder to lose weight now. I used to be able to shed it pretty easily if I set my mind to it.”

On average, weight gain up to 12.5 kg by the end of pregnancy is typical for a single birth, with about 10 kg expected to be lost postpartum. Based on this, Ms. Young-sook would need to lose more weight.

“The added weight has probably put more strain on your knees, Ms. Young-sook. You’ll need both postpartum treatment and weight loss. Also, research shows that after six months postpartum, it’s generally harder to lose weight gained during pregnancy.”

She let out a heavy sigh, her face filled with concern.

“Phew, so it’s been five months already. That doesn’t leave much time. But is it really possible to address both at once? Isn’t postpartum herbal medicine like a tonic that could cause weight gain?”

“Not at all. Tonic herbs don’t necessarily cause weight gain, and treating postpartum syndrome isn’t only about using tonics. Are you currently breastfeeding?”

“No, I’m using formula.”

“In that case, yes, we can tackle both issues at the same time—with herbal medicine.”

“Really?”

Her face brightened as I answered with confidence.

As soon as I saw her completed symptom checklist, a specific prescription had come to mind. This remedy could handle both postpartum symptoms and aid with weight loss. And luckily, I’d brought an extract form of it today.

“Good thing I packed this, as it’s commonly used for pain. I didn’t expect I’d need it for postpartum syndrome, though.”

Still, a decoction is generally more potent than an extract, and it has the advantage of being tailored to each patient’s symptoms. For today, I’ll prescribe the extract, but we’ll need to arrange a custom decoction later.

“Now, I’ll need to ask some questions for the herbal medicine assessment. Ms. Ji Young-sook, do you drink coffee often?”

She looked at me wide-eyed, as if wondering why I’d ask such a random question.

“Sorry, coffee?”