Chapter 50
Through all these efforts, my mother’s stomach and esophagus slowly began to recover.
Of course, that didn’t mean the problem was completely solved.
“I’m glad, Mom. Then this time I’ll lower the dose of Dospirin and focus more on your stomach treatment.”
Feeling good, I hummed a little tune while writing the prescription on her chart.
That’s when my mother suddenly called my name in a serious voice.
“Lia.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks to you, I feel so much better. I’m truly grateful.”
She smiled warmly and thanked me.
“……”
But I couldn’t easily answer.
The truth was, I had been so focused on my father’s situation that I hadn’t even dared to properly examine my mother’s illness until recently.
In fact, I had only found the stethoscope for her check-up not too long ago.
A guilty feeling crept up, and I looked away.
Glancing around the room awkwardly, I noticed bathing tools neatly placed beside the sofa.
“Oh? Mom, are you planning to take a bath right now?”
“Yes, I feel a little stronger today, so I thought I’d soak for a while.”
“Then, should I help you?”
“You?” She blinked in surprise.
I knew well enough that the maids usually took care of her baths.
But since my overactive nursing had already added to their workload, I thought I might as well help this time.
“Sure, we used to bathe together when I was little, right?”
I grinned, and after a moment’s silence, Mom nodded.
“Then… why not?”
Not long after, the maids came in, carrying the tub of hot bathwater.
They moved to help my mother, but I stopped them with a polite smile.
“Please just adjust the water temperature. I’ll take care of the rest.”
They looked at me with puzzled faces at first, but soon agreed, probably thinking this was part of the treatment.
They poured cold water into the steaming tub to adjust the heat, while Luella dipped her hand to test the temperature.
That’s when I noticed red, bumpy spots on her pale arm.
‘What’s that?’
It didn’t look like a simple rash. Alarmed, I quickly grabbed her wrist.
“Luella, what is this?”
“Huh? Oh, this? I think a bug bit me.” She hesitated, then smiled awkwardly.
“What kind of bug?”
“I… don’t really know…”
I asked more questions, uneasy.
“Are there any other blisters?”
“Oh, yes. On this side too.”
She pulled her sleeve higher, showing a few blisters near her shoulder.
My back went cold instantly.
“Before the blisters came out, did you feel stinging or pain?”
“Now that you mention it, yes! I thought a big insect bit me while I was sleeping, but the pain lasted unusually long.”
“Fever? Headache?”
“Actually, I had a fever the other day. I even asked the master’s assistant for some herbs to lower it.”
Luella looked at me with surprise as I listed her symptoms.
My mother, noticing the unusual atmosphere, sat up from the bed.
“Lia, is something wrong?”
I hesitated, then turned to her.
“Mom… I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t bathe today.”
I needed to separate her from Luella right away.
The reason was clear—those rashes.
It was shingles.
* * *
Shingles is caused when the virus from chickenpox stays in the body and later reactivates.
It’s the same virus, but the symptoms differ, which is why it has a different name.
Unlike chickenpox, shingles is less contagious, but the pain is much more severe.
That means the risk of spreading it isn’t zero.
‘And if Mom were to catch it…!’
Her immune system was already weak from years of illness. If she got it, her recovery could be severely set back.
So I immediately arranged for Luella to be isolated and began investigating.
“Luella, in the week before and after the rash appeared, did you meet anyone?”
“Hmm… only Sarah and Bay, the maids in the annex. We usually rotate shifts every two weeks.”
Thankfully, the rotation system limited the contact.
After carefully checking her movements, I disinfected the annex with diluted alcohol.
Luella was frightened, but I smiled to reassure her.
‘Getting sick isn’t her fault.’
Then I left her with another maid who had already had the virus, and finally, I disinfected Mom’s room before entering.
“Mom, it’s me, Lia. May I come in?”
At her permission, I stepped inside. She immediately asked:
“Lia, is Luella really okay?”
“Yes, I’ve arranged for her to stay in a spare room. She’ll be fine in a few days, so don’t worry too much.”
She still looked uneasy but relaxed a little at my reassurance.
Then I asked what had been on my mind.
“Mom, have you ever had chickenpox before?”
“Chickenpox?”
If she had, then she’d have antibodies, which would ease my worries.
“Of course. When you were a baby, your father, you, and I all caught it together. It was awful.”
She smiled at the memory. I smiled too.
“Really?”
“Yes. I even told your father, ‘You’re a doctor, so do something!’ But even he didn’t know what to do. I just cried the whole time.”
Her face softened as she remembered.
“I prayed then. I begged that our daughter wouldn’t get sick—that I could take all the pain instead.”
“……”
She held my hands tightly.
“And now, seeing my daughter grown up and treating me… I can’t be prouder.”
“It’s nothing, really…”
I replied awkwardly, imitating patient 406’s usual tone, but my chest ached.
“Having you by my side makes me feel so secure.”
Ironically, her words overlapped with the memory of my late mother.
‘It’s such a relief my daughter is a doctor here.’
But back then, I had only been a student, powerless during my real mother’s accident.
All I could do was hold her hand and repeat what the professors and fellows said.
‘Mom, they say you’ll be fine if you just get through this part. Don’t worry too much…’
Even though she couldn’t speak with the ventilator, her eyes told me everything.
She was comforted just by my presence.
“I… I…”
My voice broke with rising emotion, and I couldn’t say more.
Mom gently pulled me into her arms.
“It’s okay. Don’t feel burdened. You’ll become a wonderful doctor.”
Her warmth brought back the bright smile of my real mother.
‘My Hamin will definitely become a great doctor! I’ll be cheering for you!’
I closed my eyes in her embrace.
Her gentle hand stroked my back, so warm and kind.
It felt like she was telling me, “Everything is fine, don’t worry.”
And so, without saying a word, I simply stayed in her arms.
