The Cardiologist Tells My Dad To Wear A Halter

In November he walked effortlessly through the streets of Las Vegas. He is the picture of 83 year old health. I worry anyway.

See embarrassing addendum at the end of this entry.


I called my mom as I got into the car for my ride home tonight. We speak most evenings.

“We went to Dr. Saltzman,” she said.

My parents go to the doctor’s office like most folks go to the grocery store. In South Florida there are specialists for every body part and bodily function. This doctor is the cardiologist my dad sees.

“He noticed something on the cardiogram,” she continued.

It was 11:40 PM when I spoke to my mom. Either I was an afterthought or she didn’t think this was pressing.

She went on to explain my dad would wear an instrumented halter for a day and the doctor would make decisions based on that.

Here’s where my generation and my folks depart. I asked my mom what the doctor said the problem might be and what would be the treatment? Nothing. My parents asked no questions. How can you not be curious in a situation like this?

I know my dad will read this first thing in the morning, so let me make perfectly clear, I understand it’s a generational thing. Their generation was brought up not to question those in authority, whereas my generation… well this is a photo of my generation in action questioning authority. I spent the better part of a decade doing nothing but questioning authority!

My dad is a miracle of medical science. His arterial plumbing has been cleaned and rerouted in the past. In November he walked effortlessly through the streets of Las Vegas. He is the picture of 83 year old health. I worry anyway.

Were the shoe on the other foot I would not be so sanguine. I would ask more questions. But in the end, like my dad, I would place my faith and fate in the hands of others.

—————-

Embarrassing addendum:

Tonight, my friend/physician Steve sent the following:

In the piece about your father, the cardiologist almost certainly DID NOT tell you dad to wear a ‘halter.’ If he did, his man boobs would probably stick out. What he more like was told was to wear a HOLTER, as in Holter monitor. That’s a device that records the heartbeat for as long as you wear it (typically 24 hours) to look for abnormal heart rhythms.

Holter, not halter. Different spelling. Different concept.

Sturm and storm.

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