[boris]

Well, I'll tell you two that are true. My father was a doctor. He entered medical school at 31 years of age in 1936. He was profoundly hard of hearing (almost deaf) due to childhood (mumps?) disease. Hearing aids in those days weighed around 25 lb. So he studied from other students' notes as he could not hear the lecturers.

While in residency/internship, he had to develop his own diagnostic techniques. Once, making rounds, he diagnosed a patient as having atrial fibrillation. He did not so much as touch the patient. The proctor asked how he had made the (correct) diagnosis. "I observed the pulse in his neck, sir," he responded.

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My ex-cardiologist, now retired, once had a friend fly into town. The friend came to his house, ready to go golfing. "Let's go!" he said.

"You are not going anywhere except the emergency room."

"What? I feel fine. Let's go."

"You're about to have a heart attack."

Eventually he convinced his friend and drove him to the hospital. The guy had a heart attack in the Emergency Room.

--Boris

[aculeus]

Eventually he convinced his friend and drove him to the hospital. The guy had a heart attack in the Emergency Room.

My uncle had a symmetrical experience: went to the doctor for his annual checkup, was informed he was 100% okay, then dropped dead leaving the doctor's office.

[flutters]

Interesting stories. I could tell when my mother went into atrial fib by watching her chest. She also had mechanical heart valves and they would drive me crazy. At times it sounded like an alarm clock in my ear but didn't bother her, my husband, daughter, or anyone else.