Physical Update
Title
Physical Update
Identifier
PHYSICAL_UPDATE
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
"I saw my Primary Care Physician at Beth Israel Hospital last month. He is a great guy."
Date
2016-03-12
Coverage
2016
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Text
PHYSICAL UPDATE
I saw my Primary Care Physician at Beth Israel Hospital last month. He is a great guy. He has been our doctor for more than 25 years, and before that he was Fran’s parents doctor, and for a short time, he was David’s doctor. Three generations! He has seen me and Fran through all our aches and pains, and worse. Early on, I saw him annually, and he would give me the usual examination, taking my weight and height, pulse, blood pressure, listening to me front and back with his stethoscope, looking into all my orifices, and asking me a few questions. I see him more frequently these days.
For the past few years, he has been counting on me to tell him how I am, and I come with a list of questions. He gives me a lot of time for which I am very grateful. I run through my list, he listens, writes stuff in the computer, responds, may check me again, and I leave, not sure where I stand or what he told me, but feel confident that I will live. Seems we can’t do much about my balance or my slowing down. He assures me that I am in pretty good shape for someone 88 years old.
This time, I mentioned that I had a few dizzy spells. He asked a technician to give me an EKG. I was given an EKG. He looked at the printout and asked the technician to do it again. The technician did it again. He noticed an irregularity. He then suggested that I see a cardiologist, and recommended someone who he is very impressed with. Her specialty is electrophysiology. Turns out that she is not affiliated with Beth Israel, but with Harvard Vanguard. So I called Harvard Vanguard. I have great coverage and they were happy to register me, and I set up an appointment for March 4.
She was terrific. She examined me. She listened to my heart, and she asked a technician to give me an EKG. When she looked at the printout, she also noticed an irregularity. It may have been the same irregularity. She then said that she will order a monitor for me that I will wear, and a stress test. Fine. And I will see her again on April 15. She explained that her specialty is the electrical activity of the heart. The electrical system pumps the blood, and that makes her an electrician. Another specialist would be like a plumber.
The monitor came yesterday. It is called “LifeStar Act Ambulatory Cardiac Telemetry” and it consists of a sensor with four different colored wires, electrodes, a cellphone, and a cellphone charger. It also had a manual explaining how you put them all together. As an alternative, you can call a technician. I called the technician. I was instructed to wash my chest and abdomen with warm water and soap, to remove excess hair from the areas for the electrodes, how to connect the electrodes to the sensor wires, where to place the electrodes, how to install the battery in the sensor, and how to activate the cellphone. As I write, I have the sensor hanging around my neck with the wires connected to the electrodes on my body, and the cellphone in my pocket. I am supposed to wear this until April 9. In the package was a note about billing, which said, “If the equipment is not returned or is damaged, you will be charged a $1,745 replacement fee.” Not cheap. I have instructions regarding changing electrodes and changing batteries, charging the phone, and how to use the phone and sensor if I have “symptoms.”
Very early this morning, I had indigestion, and I had heard that it may be a sign of something connected with the heart, especially if it was not caused by something you ate. I decided to test this contraption. I pressed the sensor. The cellphone screen gave me a list of symptoms: dizziness, passed out, chest pain, palpitations, fluttering, other. I pressed other. The screen then gave me a list of activities: daily routine, sitting, laying down, sleeping, exercising, not sure. I pressed sleeping, and then pressed send. Nu? What happens after that, I have no idea. It is a diagnostic tool. Anyway, the indigestion may have been caused by something I ate.
It is now evening, and I slept most of the day. Had very little for lunch, and a cup of tea for supper. Did a bit of reading about the heart on the internet. Will see how I am feeling in the morning. I will keep you informed. Your thoughts.
3-12-16
I saw my Primary Care Physician at Beth Israel Hospital last month. He is a great guy. He has been our doctor for more than 25 years, and before that he was Fran’s parents doctor, and for a short time, he was David’s doctor. Three generations! He has seen me and Fran through all our aches and pains, and worse. Early on, I saw him annually, and he would give me the usual examination, taking my weight and height, pulse, blood pressure, listening to me front and back with his stethoscope, looking into all my orifices, and asking me a few questions. I see him more frequently these days.
For the past few years, he has been counting on me to tell him how I am, and I come with a list of questions. He gives me a lot of time for which I am very grateful. I run through my list, he listens, writes stuff in the computer, responds, may check me again, and I leave, not sure where I stand or what he told me, but feel confident that I will live. Seems we can’t do much about my balance or my slowing down. He assures me that I am in pretty good shape for someone 88 years old.
This time, I mentioned that I had a few dizzy spells. He asked a technician to give me an EKG. I was given an EKG. He looked at the printout and asked the technician to do it again. The technician did it again. He noticed an irregularity. He then suggested that I see a cardiologist, and recommended someone who he is very impressed with. Her specialty is electrophysiology. Turns out that she is not affiliated with Beth Israel, but with Harvard Vanguard. So I called Harvard Vanguard. I have great coverage and they were happy to register me, and I set up an appointment for March 4.
She was terrific. She examined me. She listened to my heart, and she asked a technician to give me an EKG. When she looked at the printout, she also noticed an irregularity. It may have been the same irregularity. She then said that she will order a monitor for me that I will wear, and a stress test. Fine. And I will see her again on April 15. She explained that her specialty is the electrical activity of the heart. The electrical system pumps the blood, and that makes her an electrician. Another specialist would be like a plumber.
The monitor came yesterday. It is called “LifeStar Act Ambulatory Cardiac Telemetry” and it consists of a sensor with four different colored wires, electrodes, a cellphone, and a cellphone charger. It also had a manual explaining how you put them all together. As an alternative, you can call a technician. I called the technician. I was instructed to wash my chest and abdomen with warm water and soap, to remove excess hair from the areas for the electrodes, how to connect the electrodes to the sensor wires, where to place the electrodes, how to install the battery in the sensor, and how to activate the cellphone. As I write, I have the sensor hanging around my neck with the wires connected to the electrodes on my body, and the cellphone in my pocket. I am supposed to wear this until April 9. In the package was a note about billing, which said, “If the equipment is not returned or is damaged, you will be charged a $1,745 replacement fee.” Not cheap. I have instructions regarding changing electrodes and changing batteries, charging the phone, and how to use the phone and sensor if I have “symptoms.”
Very early this morning, I had indigestion, and I had heard that it may be a sign of something connected with the heart, especially if it was not caused by something you ate. I decided to test this contraption. I pressed the sensor. The cellphone screen gave me a list of symptoms: dizziness, passed out, chest pain, palpitations, fluttering, other. I pressed other. The screen then gave me a list of activities: daily routine, sitting, laying down, sleeping, exercising, not sure. I pressed sleeping, and then pressed send. Nu? What happens after that, I have no idea. It is a diagnostic tool. Anyway, the indigestion may have been caused by something I ate.
It is now evening, and I slept most of the day. Had very little for lunch, and a cup of tea for supper. Did a bit of reading about the heart on the internet. Will see how I am feeling in the morning. I will keep you informed. Your thoughts.
3-12-16
Original Format
application/msword
Collection
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “Physical Update,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed April 23, 2025, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/413.