260. The Heart Attack (2)

His computer was on. Maybe he should email someone. What would the email say? I think I'm dying of a heart attack! Wait a minute, he thought. He was about to die, and he was going to email someone who might not open his email for days?! He turned off the computer. 

Should he leave the dining table lamp on, or turn it off? He didn't know whether to sit in the chair at the dining table, or go lie down in bed. Should he be sitting down or lying down when he died? Did it matter? He decided to sit in the chair and wait for his death.

He used to teach CPR, and he knew he had the symptoms of a heart attack. Victims usually describe a feeling of fullness. Students always used to ask what the "fullness" felt like, but he couldn't tell them. 

Now he knew exactly what it felt like. So, this is how it's going to happen, he thought, as he sat in the chair looking at the TV, waiting to die. He didn't particularly like the thought of dying at this time, but he accepted it. 

He was 60 years old. You live, you die. Would he just quietly become unconscious? Or would his heart "explode," causing him to yell out in pain? And then the fullness in his chest simply disappeared. The numbness in his hand went away, too. He waited, just to be sure. 

He was okay! From start to finish, perhaps three minutes had passed. Thank You, he said quietly. Tomorrow he should see a doctor and a lawyer, he thought. And next time, he shouldn't worry about the cost of an ambulance ride or a hospital stay. He couldn't believe that when he thought his very life was on the line, he had cheaped out.

✅ Vocabulary Words

                                                           

No.	Word	Definition	Example Sentence
01	email someone	to send an electronic message to a person	Maybe he should email someone.
02	dying of a heart attack	about to lose his life due to sudden cardiac malfunction	I think I'm dying of a heart attack!
03	dining table lamp	the light source used at the table where he eats meals	Should he leave the dining table lamp on, or turn it off?
04	lie down in bed	recline fully onto his sleeping surface	...or go lie down in bed.
05	wait for his death	pass time expecting the end of his life	He decided to sit in the chair and wait for his death.
06	teach CPR	instruct others in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (a life-saving technique)	He used to teach CPR.
07	had the symptoms	was experiencing the physical signs or indications (of an illness)	...he knew he had the symptoms of a heart attack.
08	feeling of fullness	a common description of chest discomfort during a heart attack, as if the chest is heavy or bloated	Victims usually describe a feeling of fullness.
09	knew exactly	understood precisely or with complete certainty	Now he knew exactly what it felt like.
10	looking at the TV	watching the television set	...looking at the TV, waiting to die.
11	accepted it	came to terms with or resigned himself to (the thought of dying)	...but he accepted it.
12	become unconscious	to lose awareness and responsiveness (to pass out)	Would he just quietly become unconscious?
13	yell out in pain	to make a loud, involuntary cry due to extreme physical suffering	...causing him to yell out in pain?
14	simply disappeared	vanished suddenly and without apparent reason	...the fullness in his chest simply disappeared.
15	numbness in his hand	the lack of sensation or feeling in his hand (a secondary heart attack symptom)	The numbness in his hand went away, too.
16	From start to finish	from the beginning of the symptoms to the end	From start to finish, perhaps three minutes had passed.
17	see a doctor and a lawyer	consult a physician (for health) and an attorney (for legal/will matters)	Tomorrow he should see a doctor and a lawyer.
18	ambulance ride	the transportation fee for emergency medical vehicle service	...worry about the cost of an ambulance ride or a hospital stay.
19	very life was on the line	his existence or survival was at risk	...he thought his very life was on the line.
20	cheaped out	acted stingily or decided not to spend money (even when his life was at risk)	...he had **cheaped out**.

❓ Comprehension Questions & Answers

                                             

No.	Question	Answer
01	What did the man initially think he should do on his computer?	**Email someone** to tell them he was dying of a heart attack.
02	Why did he decide against emailing?	The person might **not open the email for days**, and it wouldn't help him.
03	What two mundane details did he worry about while facing death?	Whether to leave the **dining table lamp on or off** and whether to **sit or lie down**.
04	What activity did he previously teach?	He used to teach **CPR**.
05	What heart attack symptom did he finally understand?	The **feeling of fullness** (in the chest).
06	How did he react emotionally to the thought of dying?	He **accepted it** and was resigned to the fact that he was **60 years old**.
07	What two physical symptoms suddenly went away?	The **fullness in his chest** and the **numbness in his hand**.
08	Approximately how long did the symptoms last?	**Perhaps three minutes**.
09	What two professionals did he decide he should see tomorrow?	A **doctor** and a **lawyer**.
10	What medical costs did he regret worrying about?	The cost of an **ambulance ride** or a **hospital stay**.
11	What phrase did the man use to describe his regret over worrying about money?	He had "**cheaped out**."
12	What two contrasting ways did he imagine dying?	Quietly becoming **unconscious** or his heart "**exploding**" with a yell.
13	What word describes the man's initial response to the heart attack symptoms?	**Acceptance** (or panic/confusion).
14	What does the man's decision to see a lawyer suggest?	He needs to **update his will** or **arrange his affairs** in case the event happens again.
15	What is the irony of his knowledge of CPR?	He knew the symptoms but **still failed to call for emergency help** for himself.