A competent doctor can cure everything - Chapter 78

“Hello~. Is this Dr. Seon-Joon from Hanbit University Hospital?”

“? Yes, it is. Who’s this?”

“I’m a writer for SBC Broadcasting’s talk show, Suki’s Cafe~.”

Click.

“Hey, what kind of call was that?”

“Phone scam.”

I gave a short reply to Min-hwa, who asked curiously.

It was a leisurely lunch break after a busy morning shift. While resting in the intern training room, I received a strange phone call.

“Seriously, scammers come up with all sorts of tricks these days.”

“Why? What did they say?”

This time, it was Ye Wonil who asked the question.

I chuckled lightly and shrugged my shoulders.

“They claimed to be a writer for SBC’s ‘Suki’s Cafe’.”

‘Suki’s Cafe’ is a popular talk show on a major network.

The show is hosted by a famous comedienne on a set designed to look like a cozy café.

“The concept is that the host and guest role-play as the café owner and a customer.”

What sets the show apart is that it doesn’t feature celebrities as guests.

Instead, they invite regular people—usually individuals who’ve recently gained attention or have interesting jobs.

“Pfft, really? Well, I’ve also gotten calls pretending to be the prosecution~, and even ones claiming they kidnapped my son!”

“I don’t understand how people can live like that.”

I shook my head in disbelief, thinking about those voice phishing scammers.

Just then, my phone rang again.

“Persistent, aren’t they?”

Annoyed, I decided to give them a piece of my mind and answered the call.

“Hello, doctor~. The call got disconnected earlier, so I’m calling back. Are you too busy to talk right now?”

“How did you get my number?”

“Oh! Don’t you know someone named Kim Jin-ah? Her father reached out to our ‘TV Human Triumph’ team and told us about you.”

“…!!”

Suddenly, I remembered Kim Jin-ah’s father, who had confidently claimed the broadcasting station would contact me soon.

‘Wait… that wasn’t just a joke? It’s actually happening?’

“‘TV Human Triumph’ is great, but we thought our program would suit you better, so we got your contact information and decided to reach out.”

“But why would a talk show be interested in me?”

“What do you mean why~? Recently, you even appeared during a volleyball broadcast, and you’ve been involved in many fascinating things. We think there are plenty of viewers who’d love to hear your story, so we’re extending an invitation!”

“I’m not very good at talking.”

“Don’t say that! Please consider it positively~. We’d like to film as soon as possible, so if you’re interested, just send a text to this number.”

“Uh….”

The writer emphasized reaching out and then hung up abruptly.

For a moment, I just stared at my phone in disbelief.

“Hyung, was that call… legit?”

“Seems like it.”

“Whoa, this is huge! Are you really going to be on ‘Suki’s Cafe’?”

Everyone around me was more shocked than I was.

“Hyung! You might actually become a TV personality at this rate!”

“I’m not doing it.”

“Why not, hyung~? You should at least try. Opportunities like this don’t come often!”

“Wouldn’t it be good for your career too, hyung?”

To my surprise, even my juniors were actively encouraging me.

Even Min-hwa, who rarely chimed in, was unusually enthusiastic.

‘It’s probably because of what I told him recently.’

Not long ago, I confided in Min-hwa about my dilemma over the sports team recommendation.

If I want to be considered for the national team’s medical staff in the future, working with a well-known team now would be great for my career.

But leaving the Blue Whales players behind didn’t sit well with me.

“Career-wise, it makes sense.”

I also recalled what Mika had said—that fame could amplify my voice like a megaphone.

‘…Maybe I should do it after all.’

In the end, after some hesitation, I picked up my phone and started typing out a text.

—

After adjusting the treatment plan for Jo Na-kyung, noticeable changes began to appear.

Whether it was the cumulative effect of the treatments so far or the newly added acupuncture making the difference, I couldn’t be sure.

But lately, Na-kyung’s condition has shown significant improvement.

“The frequency and intensity of my hot flashes have decreased. The night sweats and insomnia are improving as well. Recently, I think I actually managed to sleep pretty well.”

Following the professor’s advice, I’ve been reflecting on the idea of “interim indicators” and making preparations to address them.

Once enough data is gathered, I plan to present those indicators during the morning study sessions.

If I keep tracking these indicators while continuing the treatment, I’m optimistic about achieving good results.

With that thought in mind, I clicked on Ms. Na-kyung’s chart.

‘!’

The future had changed.

Up until recently, there hadn’t been any notable developments predicted for the next week.

It seems the modified treatment is indeed helping.

“By the end of next week, a small amount of spotting?”

The golden text on the chart indicated this change.

It noted three days of light brown spotting near the end of the next week.

While it wouldn’t qualify as menstruation, it would likely be considered abnormal bleeding.

However, determining whether this bleeding is a positive or negative sign requires further analysis.

The causes of abnormal uterine bleeding in women are incredibly varied.

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB).

This term refers to genital bleeding that deviates from the pattern of normal menstruation.

In traditional Korean medicine, it’s referred to as ‘bungnu’.

Large-volume bleeding is called ‘bung’, while persistent minor bleeding is referred to as ‘nu’.

In modern medicine, AUB is analyzed using the “PALM-COEIN” classification system.

This framework, established by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), uses an acronym to categorize the primary causes of abnormal bleeding.

– PALM: Structural causes such as polyps, adenomyosis, leiomyomas (fibroids), and malignancy.
– COEIN: Non-structural causes including coagulation disorders, ovulatory dysfunction, endometrial issues, iatrogenic factors, and other unclassified reasons.

(Structural causes are those with clear findings in physical examinations or tests.)
(Iatrogenic refers to issues caused by medical interventions, such as tests, examinations, or treatments.)

‘Professor Bu Yeo-jung’s knowledge is proving incredibly useful.’

Even the minor details that would normally require hours of poring through medical textbooks now come to mind effortlessly.

It’s awe-inspiring to indirectly experience the vast knowledge stored in the professor’s mind.

Since her uterus and ovaries were thoroughly examined during hospitalization, the cause likely doesn’t fall under the PALM category.

That leaves ovulatory dysfunction or endometrial disorders from the COEIN category.

“Under normal circumstances, I probably would’ve been stuck here.”

But this is exactly why tracking those “indicators” was such a good idea.

Professor Bu Yeo-jung must have foreseen situations like this when she gave me that advice.

She might not have the best personality, but her skills are undeniably excellent.

And based on the indicators, this bleeding appears to be a positive sign.

Perhaps starting treatment quickly before full premature menopause set in has made a difference.

Seeing a response in less than three weeks of structured treatment is incredibly encouraging.

“This confirms that the current treatment approach is on the right track.”

With a much lighter heart, I headed to administer Ms. Na-kyung’s afternoon acupuncture treatment.

But as soon as I entered her hospital room, she hastily covered her face with both hands.

“…! Oh, Doctor, you’re here.”

“Ms. Na-kyung, have you been crying?”

“You can tell, huh…?”

She lowered her hands weakly.

Her eyes were red, and her swollen eyelids made it unmistakable.

There was no way I could miss it with a face like that.

Awkwardly, I tried to speak.

“You must be feeling very unsettled with your wedding coming up.”

“……”

But her expression darkened further. Her nose began twitching as though she might burst into tears again at any moment.

“I broke up with him… Waaaaahhhh!”

She couldn’t hold back and broke down into sobs.

Caught off guard, I hurriedly pulled out some tissues from the box near her bed and handed them to her.

Ugh, what should I say to comfort her?

“Uh… well, if he couldn’t understand your situation, maybe it’s better to let him go now while you have the chance.”

“That’s not it… I lied and told him I had someone else… and broke up with him… Waaaaahh!”

“What? Why would you do that?”

Sniffling and stammering, Ms. Na-kyung began to explain her side of the story.

“Ugh, it’s an illness that might never get better… It could last forever, and I can’t just ask him to wait endlessly… I think letting go is the best thing for him… Hiii.”

“Ms. Na-kyung, if that’s the case, it might be a good idea to talk things over with your boyfriend and try to work things out.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Ms. Na-kyung, wiping her eyes with a tissue, widened her eyes in surprise.

I wanted to tell her that she would soon respond to treatment, and that her menstruation might recover earlier than expected. However, I was careful with my words, not wanting to give false hope for something that hadn’t happened yet.

“Well, you started treatment early even before you had a full diagnosis. And I think you’re already showing some response to the treatment.”

“That’s true. Since starting treatment, my hot flashes have definitely reduced, I’m sleeping better, and my skin feels more hydrated.”

“So, how about you be honest and ask him to wait?”

“…Do you really think that would be okay? Do I even deserve that…?”

“That’s something your boyfriend has to decide. But at least be honest with him. Don’t you think you’ll regret it if you don’t?”

“Maybe…?”

After finishing the tearful consultation and the afternoon acupuncture treatment, I went to the hospital café on the first floor to grab a coffee.

But there was a man anxiously pacing at the café entrance.

‘?’

I was about to walk past him when he noticed me and was startled.

“Hey, aren’t you Dr. Seon-Joon?”

With his sturdy build and innocent face, I tried to place him. Where had I seen him before?

I stopped for a moment and racked my brain.

Then I remembered who he was.

“Kim Sang-hoon, right?”

“How have you been, Doctor?”

It was Kim Sang-hoon, the first patient I treated back in May when I was rotating in the acupuncture and pain management department.

Kim Sang-hoon was hospitalized at that time due to pain from a car accident.

Everyone had assumed his pain was just a side effect of the accident, but I was the one who discovered it was actually gout.

“What brings you to the hospital at this time? Have you been diagnosed with gout?”

“Ah, no! After hearing what you said, I stopped eating fried chicken and beer and lost some weight, so my gout levels have improved a lot. The doctor said I don’t need medication anymore.”

“That’s a relief. So why are you here now…?”

Sang-hoon had mentioned that his work hours were until 9 PM.

So why was he pacing outside the hospital café on a weekday?

“Actually, I came to see someone at this café, but they’re not here.”

As I listened to his disappointed words, a sudden realization struck me like a flash.

“Is that person by any chance Jo Na-kyung?”

“!! How did you know that, Doctor?”

Sang-hoon was stunned, almost like he was about to faint.

I had a feeling.

It seemed that Kim Sang-hoon was Na-kyung’s boyfriend.

“Na-kyung is currently hospitalized as my patient.”

“Really?? She’s hospitalized? Did she get into a car accident? Is she badly injured?”

Ah, now that I think about it, Sang-hoon is 26, and Na-kyung is 28.

They were an older-younger couple.

Sang-hoon looked at me with eyes full of worry, like a drenched puppy.

Hmm. Normally, I shouldn’t disclose a patient’s personal information, but…

‘It should be okay to help this poor couple just a little bit.’

“She didn’t get into an accident. She’s dealing with a condition that’s a bit hard to recover from. It seems she decided that it would be difficult to maintain the relationship with her boyfriend because of it.”

“!! What? What does that mean…?”

“I think it would be better if you hear the details from her directly. I know she’s in the hospital, so why don’t you try calling her? She’ll probably pick up.”

“Okay, okay. Thank you so much!”

Kim Sang-hoon bowed his head in gratitude.

He quickly took out his phone and made a call to someone.

I hope Na-kyung doesn’t get angry at my meddling.

Wishing that their conversation would go well, I walked into the café.