Chapter 72
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Ultrasound Breakthrough
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Hwang Sanghun flinched in sudden fear.
Suddenly reducing his workdays to five per week? Were sales dropping significantly on the days he worked alone?
Fortunately, Han Yeowon assured him it wasn't the case at all. "Why have a deputy director if you do as well as the director?" she said, putting his mind at ease.
'Anyway, there's nothing to do at home alone.'
Aside from the PT sessions Han Yeowon had cut for him, he spent his days off reviewing treatments or studying anyway.
He felt more at ease studying in bits and pieces while working at the clinic.
Reducing workdays while keeping the same salary would just make him feel burdened.
'More than that, we'd have one less day working together.'
Right now, out of six days, they worked together three days and he handled three alone. Cutting to five would mean one less shared day.
'I don't like that.'
Thankfully, it had been a considerate suggestion from Han Yeowon, and she readily accepted his wish to keep the schedule as is.
She also agreed to introduce the ultrasound machine.
Changing the system wasn't easy, but she even made posters to put up, which made him incredibly proud.
On top of that, Han Yeowon wanted to learn it herself.
They agreed to study for two hours after closing.
'I hope I can be helpful.'
Hwang Sanghun calmed his pounding heart and waited for closing time.
"This is the normal state, and this is inflammation,"
Hwang Sanghun said.
"......? They look the same?"
"That's how it is at first. You'll get used to it with practice."
Han Yeowon looked utterly baffled.
He'd been confused about what he was even looking at when he first held the ultrasound probe, but after scanning hundreds, then thousands of patients, the knack came naturally.
"Got it! Is this the anterior talofibular ligament?"
"No, this looks like trauma. Tilt it ten degrees more."
"Argh! I can't even figure out the ankle!"
Han Yeowon clutched her head.
He'd thought she excelled at everything, but she had blind spots too.
......Adorable.
"Small joints are tricky to distinguish at first. Knees and shoulders should be easier."
"Then let's skip the ankle for now and do the shoulder!"
Han Yeowon wiped the gel off her ankle. She grumbled nonstop about how anyone could make sense of this.
"Shoulder? The shoulder......"
She'd have to take off her top.
Of course, at the hospital, they just did it.
"Hold on."
Hwang Sanghun turned his back, undid a few buttons, and pulled his shirt down to expose just his shoulder.
"Oh, PT's working! You've built some muscle."
"......Thanks."
His face flushed slightly.
Squish!
Han Yeowon squirted cold gel across his shoulder.
The ultrasound probe followed soon after.
"Ah, shoulder bones are easier to spot. That's the glenoid, so above it should be the supraspinatus."
"Right. You found it."
"Huh......? But what's this? Is it torn? Your shoulder looks fine, though?"
"Hm?"
Han Yeowon panicked.
His shoulder was perfectly fine, of course.
But the screen showed what looked like a partial tear scratch.
"That's air artifact making it unclear. Tilt it a bit and recapture."
"......How do you tell the difference?"
"You'll feel it with practice?"
"Argh!"
Shoulders weren't easy either; Han Yeowon scowled for a good while, straining to differentiate muscle from ligament.
"White is bone, black is...... black is fluid...... I don't know......"
The first two hours flew by.
Han Yeowon thanked him for the great lesson, but he felt awkward since he hadn't been that helpful.
But Han Yeowon didn't give up.
Whenever there was a gap, she'd pester the staff to scan their ankles.
Once she could distinguish somewhat, she even scanned friendly patients to check progress—with Hwang Sanghun supervising, of course, in case of misreads.
"This is where your gastrocnemius tore. It's improving, but the fiber alignment is still a bit off compared to the others."
"Yes. Walking feels fine, but recovery's definitely incomplete. Director's right; I need to treat it through properly."
Calves too.
"You've got calcification in the shoulder. If pain isn't severe, we could wait for natural resorption and control inflammation, but I'd try extracorporeal shockwave to break it up."
"Ah, yes! Thanks for letting me know!"
Before long, she could diagnose shoulder pathologies too.
"Your toe isn't healing? Let me see—looks fine...... Ah, inflammation in the proximal phalanx too! Sometimes the actual inflammation site differs from the pain. Let's treat the phalanx together!"
She'd been frustrated with ankles at first.
But her persistence paid off; soon she could diagnose even finger and toe joints.
"Thanks, oppa! Great call getting the ultrasound. Makes convincing patients of treatment needs way easier now!"
She seamlessly integrated ultrasound into the system.
Except for the first few days, wait times stayed short, and patients loved seeing the needle hit the exact inflamed ligament.
"Haha, you picked it up fast. Must be your sense and dexterity."
"Nah, you shared your know-how so well."
He'd been scolded endlessly by his seniors learning this; her quick mastery left him a tad envious.
"Director, what do we do? It's not getting better at all!"
He'd run out of things to teach quickly.
But things to learn were endless.
This patient sniffling about no improvement was Lee Ahjeong.
Daughter-in-law of Madam Son Chunja, who adored Hwang Sanghun.
She'd come for low back and buttock pain; two weeks into treatment now.
He'd thought treating the tender erector spinae would fix it, but zero improvement had him stumped.
Her constant gloom every visit was becoming burdensome.
'Too skinny? Can't tell her to bulk up. Try moxibustion?'
Acupuncture basically loosened knots or induced healing wounds. It had limits strengthening the weak.
Moxibustion and such could supplement, but materials cost extra, so fees would rise.
'No? Sacroiliac inflammation lingering? Recommend Longnidazol injection?'
Hwang Sanghun lacked confidence.
Fail after pushing pricey non-covered treatment?
No face to show Lee Ahjeong or Madam Son Chunja who'd referred her.
"Yeowon, got a patient to consult. Okay?"
In the end, he sought Han Yeowon again.
"Who?"
Her eyes sparkled, always ready for questions. No hint of annoyance.
"Lee Ahjeong."
"Not that chronic. No trigger, pain for five weeks, you've treated two?"
"Yeah."
"No overexertion? Job? No exercise?"
"Office worker. Skinny patient, started swimming recently...... not frequently enough to matter."
"Hmm."
Han Yeowon scrolled the chart, pondering.
"Disc? Tell her it takes time, keep at it steady? Or push non-covered or proper exercise?"
She shook her head at his words.
Arms crossed, staring at the screen, she spoke.
"Exact worst pain spot? Heavenly Pivot? Sciatic?"
"Heavenly Pivot. She points to tailbone. Erector spinae tender most."
"Office work stiffens that independently...... No numbness? SLR negative?"
"Yeah. All clear."
"Needled lumbar, tailbone, sciatic."
Hwang Sanghun nodded.
Two steady weeks; everywhere suspicious needled.
"My experience? Sacral fracture."
"Huh? Fracture?"
But Han Yeowon said something unexpected.
"Seen fracture patients? She had ortho X-ray pre-visit."
"Ahem, happened to. Hairline fractures miss X-ray sometimes. CT, MRI, ultrasound catch 'em. Thanks to your pricey ultrasound, spines show clear."
"No trauma factors......"
"Forgotten since pain onset mismatch? Probe weeks back, suggest ultrasound."
Not hard.
Blind support with moxa less appealing than ultrasound peek.
Patient agreed.
Between physio and acupuncture, Hwang Sanghun called her to the exam room for ultrasound.
Even if no fracture, check sacroiliac ligaments.
'......?!'
Sure enough, hairline fracture as she said.
How'd she know?
"Slight crack? Any impacts at all? Rare in daily life without osteoporosis or advanced age."
Hwang Sanghun stayed calm, hiding surprise.
Elderly might fracture spines sneezing rarely. But 40s woman, no trauma, crack at Heavenly Pivot?
How'd Han Yeowon know?
"Fracture?!"
Lee Ahjeong startled too.
"Yes. No injury history, so overlooked. Tiny cracks miss X-ray sometimes."
"Ah......! Truth is...... I did get hurt."
"Pardon?"
"Haha, first visit with mother-in-law, right? Coworker said I drunkenly fell on my butt at dinner. Awkward in front of her. Sorry! X-ray clear, so thought no fracture!"
Right, Madam Son Chunja accompanied.
Glossed over incident?
He'd ruled out fracture blindly. If moxa/injection pushed, then fracture found elsewhere later...... Chilling. Quack label for sure.
"I see. Happens. Rest from swimming, all exercise. Bed rest. Bones heal self; we'll manage pain. Longer than initial prognosis."
"Yes! Whew, explained the pain! How hard did I hit? Quitting booze!"
Lee Ahjeong bowed, mortified.
"Yeowon, fracture as you said."
Showed her the ultrasound image.
"See? Forgot, she said?"
"Yeah. Awkward with mother-in-law."
"Haha, common. Forget or hide. Patients aren't objective."
"Learned another...... Good asking you."
"What! Ultrasound saved us! Without, referral hell! Machine's great!"
They praised each other.
Wouldn't have scanned without you; wouldn't know even seeing without you. Smiling warmly.
Thus, the new system settled into Seongsu Clinic.
"Oh, Park Seonyun. Long time no see. Doing well?"
"Yes. You all too?"
"Same as always!"
"Share these. Bought on business trip. Oh...... More staff?"
"Yes! Open seven days now!"
"Impressive. Prosper."
Desk chatter between Seol Yuhee and Park Seonyun drifted in.
Park Seonyun? Been ages.
After fine dining chat, visits dropped sharply; none lately.
Business trip, huh?
"Director~ Swiss chocolate!"
Soon Seol Yuhee plated some.
Seol Yuhee and Gong Nari in treatment room munched happily.
"Thank patient."
Hwang Sanghun seemed lukewarm. Not a chocolate fan? He looked anti-sweet anyway.
After physio, I went to Park Seonyun.
"Back better? New ultrasound—want a look?"
"No thanks. Back perfect thanks to you. Shoulder stiff. New machine?"
Park Seonyun declined scan but eyed the device.
Ah, their affiliate has med equip company? Conglomerate.
"Didn't buy it. Deputy got it."
"Ah...... Need more? Blood analyzer?"
"Haha, later."
No sales pitch, kid.
I'll order if needed!
"Mm...... Ah!"
No way her sensitive skin changed in months.
She still flinched through acupuncture.
"Director, heard from Seon sister?"
"Park Sesun? Nothing special."
I tilted my head.
Kept in touch post-Seoul with Park Sesun.
Stabilized at goal weight sans yo-yo; weekly consults built rapport.
Just daily chat, nothing major.
"Hasn't confessed yet? Friend ate your prescribed pills, suffered big time."
"What......?"
Why'd friend eat them!
I clutched my neck.
Medicine's medicine—test first!