Honeybees, Gratitude, and Ankylosing Spondylitis
A few days later.
Yang Jinwon visited Gyeong-woo’s clinic.
"Hello, Doctor."
"Yes. Thank you for making the trip. Please, have a seat."
Gyeong-woo quickly scanned Yang Jinwon. He was a young man with a gentle, kind expression, but there was a deep, heavy fatigue beneath his eyes. Even as he sat down, the cautious, slow way he lowered himself betrayed a conscious effort to avoid pain. His shoulders were slightly hunched forward, and the muscles in his back were in a state of abnormal tension.
'The only fortunate thing is that he is HLA-B27 negative.'
HLA-B27 is a protein presented on the cell surface, encoded by a gene located on chromosome 6. If this protein is positive, the disease typically progresses much faster, and the probability of spinal fusion increases significantly. More than 90% of patients with ankylosing spondylitis are HLA-B27 positive, so fortunately, Yang Jinwon had tested negative.
'But I can't be at ease just yet...'
The progression of his disease was actually quite rapid. This could be due to individual differences, or perhaps because he was overexerting himself at work.
Gyeong-woo asked Yang Jinwon, "Looking at your chart from a month ago, there’s a record that the doctor recommended a TNF inhibitor, but it says the patient refused. May I ask why?"
"...They told me I’d have to give up my beekeeping work before I could start using it."
TNF inhibitors are biological immunosuppressants. By suppressing the overactive immune system, they significantly reduce inflammation in the spine and joints caused by ankylosing spondylitis. However, because they suppress the immune system, there is a risk that local infections—like those from a bee sting—could become much more severe. A minor infection at the sting site could easily progress into serious cellulitis or sepsis.
'Is he really that attached to his beekeeping work...'
Gyeong-woo carefully gathered information on recent symptoms that weren't in the chart. "Let's go to the treatment room for the rest."
Gyeong-woo guided Yang Jinwon to the treatment room and had him lie down on the bed. Now, it was finally time to resonate with the patient's condition.
'I have to focus more than ever and grasp the patient's state in as much detail as possible.'
"The medical texts seen on this path shall be as elusive as floating clouds; only by judging with your heart, the sensitivity of your fingertips, and a clear mind shall you see the progression of the disease."
The Gamshin-tongmaek-rok had declared that for the nine incurable cases, there would be no advice whatsoever. This patient had to be treated entirely by Gyeong-woo’s own strength. Of course, for every patient, he had always composed the blood-acupuncture points himself during the initial diagnosis. His recent accuracy rate was over 80% in line with the ancient texts, but there had been cases like Im Jia’s, where the order of needling was completely reversed, preventing him from achieving maximum effectiveness.
'Focus.'
Gyeong-woo took a deep breath, then placed his hand on the spine of Yang Jinwon, who was lying on his side.
'Ugh...'
A heavy, dull pain surged along the spine like a wave. It felt as if his lower back was being continuously hammered by a blunt iron mallet, the pressure spreading through his core. Even the slightest twist of his waist felt stiff and resistant, like a rusted hinge moving. Occasionally, sharp, unannounced pains would strike, tensing his entire body. Gyeong-woo gritted his teeth, absorbing every sensation. He had braced himself, but his breathing grew ragged.
For a moment, memories from his time at the Oriental medicine hospital flooded back.
"Director, are you not feeling well? Look at this cold sweat. Should I call 119?"
"...No. I just need a moment to rest. What about the patients?"
"There are seven waiting in the back. But your complexion is really bad..."
"Haa, buy me five minutes."
After treating one patient, there was another, and then another immediately after. His burnout had improved significantly, but suddenly, the work of seeing patients felt overwhelmingly distant, and breathing became a struggle.
'I need to fix this quickly, for my own sake as well.'
Gyeong-woo closed his eyes tightly, accepting the pain only as objective data, and struggled to feel what lay beyond it. The experience with Jia was helpful, at least. Haa— He inhaled and exhaled, syncing his breath with the patient. Slowly, he began to feel it.
The flickering flow of Qi swam along the patient's body, gathering and surging in certain places. It was like a constellation settled within the microcosm of the human body. And that flow, which had been like a sparkling Milky Way... reached the pillar of the body, now hot and damp, and lost its elegance.
'The Dumai.'
This massive pillar, which governs all the Yang energy of the human body, begins at the Changqiang point in the perineum, travels upward along the spine, and passes through the Baihui point at the crown of the head. It then descends along the center of the face to meet the Renmai, which governs Yin energy, in the hollow below the chin. That pillar had become narrow and jagged. It bumped and thrashed as if water were swirling against rocks.
Gyeong-woo observed the flow carefully. Then, he pointed to the single spot where the turbulence was most intense.
"Is this the area that feels the most uncomfortable?"
"Yes. That’s where it’s the stiffest."
He had been conflicted. Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease that causes a definitive deformation known as stenosis. He had hesitated between treatment to soften the tissues that had lost flexibility and treatment to nourish the primordial energy. Which one should he use as the source point...
'And of all places, it’s the Mingmen point.'
The two needs aligned. Gyeong-woo, filled with conviction, picked up a needle thicker than the ones he usually used.
"The procedure will be a bit painful. Please, bear with it."
"Yes. If it gets better... of course I will."
The patient, who had endured extreme pain, answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Wow, it’s really become much smoother!"
After the treatment, Yang Jinwon turned his waist left and right, looking amazed. Even to Gyeong-woo, it was clear that his ROM (Range of Motion) had increased compared to earlier. Of course, while the angle had improved, it wasn't bending or flexing properly yet. The direction of the treatment seemed correct, but there was still a long way to go.
"I don't know much about beekeeping, but isn't it difficult to work in this condition?"
"That’s true, but the work suits me... and the bees are cute... and I can't face the county governor who trusted me if I just give up now."
Yang Jinwon muttered, full of lingering attachment.
"As you know, this is a lifelong condition. To live your life from here on, the best thing you can do is manage it well without overexerting yourself."
"Yes..."
"I will have the herbal medicine ready for you to take when you come for your next appointment."
"Yes. I'll be here next Monday!"
Yang Jinwon left, satisfied.
That night, Gyeong-woo searched on YouTube.
'Just how physically demanding is beekeeping...?'
If the work was excessively hindering his treatment, he intended to strongly urge him to quit.
<Pohong TV>
Unexpectedly, there were channels related to honeybees with over a million subscribers, suggesting people were quite interested in beekeeping.
'What? A container of aged honey weighs over 20 kilograms? This isn't work an ankylosing spondylitis patient can possibly do...'
As Gyeong-woo was furrowing his brow...
An algorithm analyzing the patterns of a user who had watched several beekeeping videos automatically recommended the next content.
<Gwaekkul Farm>
'Huh? Isn't this Mr. Jinwon?'
The face he had seen just a little while ago was on the screen. His finger automatically clicked the video.
Click-
It was a small channel with 1,500 subscribers. It was a calm channel capturing the daily life of a humble beekeeper, and it didn't look like it was at a stage where it would generate much profit, but...
It was a channel with exceptionally high subscriber loyalty. There were two reasons for this: one, as Gyeong-woo had felt when they met, Yang Jinwon was a handsome man. Not quite celebrity-level, but a rare, kind, and handsome face among ordinary people. And the second reason was...
<Covering the bees with a blanket on a cold day>
<Naming my pet honeybees>
<Operation: Find the runaway queen bee>
In every video, you could feel how much he truly cherished and loved the honeybees. Gyeong-woo found himself clicking on the next video, and then the next, without even realizing it. His speech wasn't eloquent, but his voice was humble and pure. While harvesting honey, he would occasionally share his own story.
[I don't know if I should say this, but... if I hadn't started keeping honeybees, I was just going to die. I’m naturally not very perceptive and a social misfit... so dealing with people was always difficult. Then I was bullied at work. One day, I hated going to work more than dying, so I left home and lived on the streets for months.]
Gradually, he stopped seeing a patient and started seeing a person.
[So, I thought I wanted to keep honeybees, which I liked when I was young, instead of working with people. I went to the interview for the Goesan-gun settlement project, and I passed, so I received the funding, bought land, and started bringing in beehives, but...]
Yoon Gwan-woo had said that he was a person who never forgot a kindness. That he couldn't quit easily because he had received the funding. Of course, that was part of it, but the real reason he couldn't let go of that work was...
[They are just so cute, really. People ask me what I’ll do if I get stung by a bee while working, but bee stings hurt less than people bothering me, hehe. They work hard just by me pouring sugar for them and bring me honey... Actually, when I think about it, I’m the one using them. It’s pretty and I feel sorry for them... so I want to treat them well. Ugh!]
Perhaps, it was because he loved those small beings too much.
[I’ll leave this much for you. You should taste the honey too.]
The videos became more sporadic toward the latter half.
[I won't be able to upload videos for a while. I’m sorry.]
[This... I think I might have to hand over the apiary. I’m struggling, so I can’t manage them properly, and they’re suffering. I’m hiring part-timers, but I keep running into deficits...]
[I’ll reduce the upload frequency for a while due to the worsening of my back condition. I’m sorry.]
Gyeong-woo ended up watching all the videos.
'Really... I want to help him somehow.'
For some, work is not just work, but closer to the meaning of life. That was the same for Gyeong-woo. Even after encountering a strange book and experiencing pain that others wouldn't feel in a lifetime combined... he could never bring himself to think about quitting as an Oriental medicine doctor.
'How should I treat him...'
Gyeong-woo, deep in thought, reflexively opened the Gamshin-tongmaek-rok. Of course, it had said that incurable patients must be treated entirely by Gyeong-woo, but he wondered if there might be feedback on today's treatment.
However,
'Hmm?'
[Incurable Case 1, Gu-bi-ji-jeung (Bone-Bi Syndrome). Period of Stable Adjustment: 4 Months]
New characters had appeared at the bottom of the incurable inquiry.
'Gu-bi-ji-jeung must be about Mr. Yang Jinwon, but what does a 4-month period of stable adjustment mean?'
Stable adjustment. It seemed to mean remission, a state where symptoms have decreased to the point that they don't cause discomfort in daily life. It meant that if he performed the guidance of the Gamshin-tongmaek-rok properly, it would take 4 months to reach this state.
'So, if I achieve remission within the deadline on my own, it recognizes a tenfold achievement rate, and if it takes longer, it seems to mean it will reduce the experience points...'
Gyeong-woo asked, "What if I shorten it even more?"
> "Since the practitioner's level has not yet reached that stage, that is an unnecessary assumption. It would be better to focus on achieving the suggested deadline."
The medical text struck him with a retort, telling him to just do what he was told. Gyeong-woo sensed a certain anxiety there.
'Is this because of the incident last time where the medical text unexpectedly tallied 3 volumes for over 10,000 people?'
This book-bastard likes manual labor. However, there seemed to be some standard for the tasks and rewards of this book, and it didn't seem able to change the set conditions at its own whim.
"What if I do it?"
> "At that time, it will contribute greatly to the progress of the 3rd chapter, but it is an impossible task anyway."
This bastard, he’s really anxious.
'Then I must make that anxiety a reality.'
Just then, a spark.
An idea suddenly popped into his head.
Honeybees, gratitude, and ankylosing spondylitis!
Gyeong-woo wore a smile of triumph. If he did this well, he might be able to treat Mr. Jinwon and also land another blow on the annoying Gamshin-tongmaek-rok.