How A Heart Attack Gave Me My Very Special Phone Number

Many years ago a very dear couple residing in Toronto, Cassandra (Cassy) and Phil, visited me for a few days. It was about 9-10 days before Christmas. Just prior to returning home, I took them to the airport and watched from the waiting room as the passengers were boarding the plane.

I then left to do some Christmas shopping. It was around 6 p.m. and pitch dark. The next day they called me to thank me one more time for the great hospitality and told me that they got home around 5 a.m. What happened, I asked?

Well after boarding the plane, some mechanical problems were detected and we all had to go back and wait in the waiting room, they told me. We wish you had a cell phone. Besides, we and some other mutual friends (Vic, Patty, Tory, Alex, Pam) worry when you are on the highway. What if something goes wrong and you don’t have a cell phone to communicate? We know that you drive very well but others don’t! And what about the occasional unforseen mechanical problem during a bone chilling winter night? And so please make it a priority to buy a cell phone.

I mentioned that I didn’t have a cell phone simply because I am in the hospital from early morning until late at night and using a cell phone is not allowed in the hospital because it could interfere with the cardiac monitors. And I was the Medical Director (Emeritus), Chief of Staff and Active Hospital physician.

I could not break the rule. If anything, I had to be an example to everyone at all times. And so after the holidays, I contacted a patient of mine who had a store selling cell phones and he also worked for a mobile phone company. I got in touch with him and told him that I need a cell phone on a fairly urgent basis. He was glad to accommodate me and invited me to visit the store and he would personally show and explain to me each and every phone. A few weeks passed and I didn’t go to the store.

He called me and asked whether I had changed my mind about purchasing a cell phone. Not at all Harry, I said. But the schedule at the hospital is so enormously hectic that I cannot “sneak out” during the day, no matter what. I told him that in the 12 years since I was working at this hospital, I only once had lunch at home, and I lived in the third house from the hospital!

No worries Dr. George, he said. How about this: Could I visit you at the hospital for 15 minutes and will bring the phones with me and will also bring along one of my top assistants?

I said that would be doable and great, but we had to set up the meeting ahead of time exactly because of the hectic schedule. I offered him to come next Monday around 12-12:30 during lunch time (which I never had anyway). As promised he came at 12 o’clock sharp and brought along a box full of various cell phones. His assistant Danny came with him.

He started showing me each of the phones and explaining their various qualities and giving me the price. As he was talking to me (this gentleman had been a patient of mine for about 10-11 years), I noticed with some concern that he didn’t look his usual self. He looked pale and somewhat sweaty. He never asked me for an assessment. He was just showing me the phones as per our previous agreement.

I couldn’t help it and asked him to put the box away. I had already picked one of the cell phones. I asked him to come with me. I took him to the Emergency Department, found an orthopedic room not in use, and gave him a very thorough evaluation.

I immediately requested blood work, EKG and CXR (chest X-ray). My suspicion was confirmed. He was having a massive heart attack. I asked him how long he had felt unwell. He told me he’d felt bad since the day before. I actually came to the emergency room, he said. I wish You were the doctor on call because I only trust you. I was told that I had an anxiety attack, was given a few pills for that condition and sent home. He told me that no investigation of any kind was performed during or after his assessment.

Once I had clear confirmation that he was having a heart attack, I told him the unfortunate news and told him that after the emergency treatment I would immediately refer him to a large university hospital with a top Cardiology Division and a top Cardiac I.C.U. He asked permission to go and bring his car from the main parking lot to the ER parking lot so that after his treatment he could drive himself to the large hospital. I almost passed out and told him that I would refer him by Very Urgent Air Ambulance.

Of course we started immediate treatment for melting the clot as this treatment was to be performed immediately without any delay whatsoever. Indeed as the clot was melting, his color looked much better, as looked his EKG. In my opinion and based on my experience, he was not yet ”out of the woods” and so I immediately called the University Hospital in Sudbury and talked to the cardiologist on call. He accepted the patient immediately and felt sort of puzzled about this most unusual situation. As an award-winning physician, I was well-known and well-liked by all of the specialists in various fields. Besides I was myself academic staff for that particular medical school, only I was practicing in Matheson-Timmins where three to four students would “shadow” me at any one time.

I found it strange that he had no actual pain, but he was sweating and nauseous: both symptoms of a heart attack in some circumstances such as this one.

The patient was evacuated by air to the CCICU (Coronary Care I.C.U.) at the “Laurentian Medical School Hospital” in Sudbury (nowadays it is called NOSM Northern Ontario School of Medicine; I actually call it No Ordinary School of Medicine).

He was extremely well treated and I inquired daily about his condition and the nurses were very impressed because they said nobody does that. (I do so for every single patient of mine hospitalized outside our own hospital). Within a few days, he was discharged from the ICU to the cardiac floor where he was further treated for about a week before being discharged home in very satisfactory and safe condition.

A few days back at home he came to see me in my private clinic for a follow-up. He gave me a hug and sat down. After the assessment we had the following conversation:

(Harry) – Doctor George, never in my lifetime will I forget what you have done for me. The ICU nurses in Sudbury told me quite a few times that my cell phones and a very astute physician, ”right on the ball” saved your life. At this time I wanted to bring you a nice, upscale sort of a present. Unfortunately, due to major family-related problems, I cannot buy you such a present.

(Me) – Harry my dear friend you don’t owe me any present at all – cheap or expensive. I am not even sure I would accept it. I am more than delighted seeing you in my clinic and you’re looking just great. All I did was my job and so I am extremely happy that I was “on the ball” and managed to immediately figure out what was happening to you and managed to save your life. Just sitting now in my office doing so well and looking so good is the greatest gift you could possibly offer me.

Harry looked very relieved by my comments and just before getting dressed to leave he said:

– Doctor George, I can still offer you something very interesting and I hope that you will NOT turn me down. Please listen to me. As one of the very top people with the telephone company I have a number which I have saved for a number of years for somebody very special to offer it as a present. Needless to say that You are that person. The phone number is 444-0000. Would you accept this phone number from me?

Of course, I said. Gladly.

With wet eyes he gave me another hug as he was leaving my clinic.

George Freundlich MD
Matheson, ON, Canada