There's a Time Bomb in Your Chest.

Abstract

Ad Libitum3 May 2016There's a Time Bomb in Your ChestJack Coulehan, MD, MPHJack Coulehan, MD, MPHFrom Coram, New York.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M16-0331 Audio Reading - “There's a Time Bomb in Your Chest” Audio. Michael A. LaCombe, MD, Annals Associate Editor, reads "There's a Time Bomb in Your Chest," by J. Coulehan. Your browser does not support the audio element. Audio player progress bar Step backward in current audio track Play current audio trackPause current audio track Step forward in current audio track Mute current audio trackUnmute current audio track 00:00/ SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Walking to your office, my bodythrummed basso continuo belowcompeting fragments and motifsin my consciousness. Some dissonant,some sweet—each theme comfortablymine. My organs contributed nothing.My pancreas, silent. My spleen, mute.Body parts played pantomime behindmy back, until I discovereda time bomb was ticking in my chest.Normality went up in smokeat the thought the device might tripat any minute. How could treacherylike this have taken place inside me?Should I have listened more carefullyto the contrabassoon? No tellingthe second it's set for, no tellinghow stable its components. My dreadis deafening. They often eruptwithout warning, you repeatas you swivel to study the report. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Coram, New York.Current Author Address: Jack Coulehan, MD, MPH; e-mail, [email protected]com. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement Audio Reading - “There's a Time Bomb in Your Chest” Audio. Michael A. LaCombe, MD, Annals Associate Editor, reads "There's a Time Bomb in Your Chest," by J. Coulehan. Your browser does not support the audio element. Audio player progress bar Step backward in current audio track Play current audio trackPause current audio track Step forward in current audio track Mute current audio trackUnmute current audio track 00:00/ FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 3 May 2016Volume 164, Issue 9Page: 632KeywordsConsciousnessPancreasSpleenThoraxWalking ePublished: 3 May 2016 Issue Published: 3 May 2016 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2016 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...