afterthat,Ibegantofeelheavyinthechest.Itookmy
pulse, and it was over two hundred.”
Heisthesortofpersonwho,inthemidstofchestpain,
would take the opportunity to examine his own pulse.
“MywifeandIhadalittlediscussionaboutwhetheror
not to call an ambulance. We decided to call.”
WhenFelixgottothehospital,thedoctorshadtoshock
him to bring his heart back. He’d had ventricular
tachycardia,andanautomaticdefibrillatorwasimplanted
inhischest.Withinafewweeks,hefeltwellagain,and
hisdoctorcleared himtoreturnto workfulltime. He
stayedinmedicalpracticeaftertheattack,multiplehernia
repairs,gallbladdersurgery,arthritisthatallbutendedhis
avidpiano playing,compression fracturesof hisaging
spine that stole three full inches of his
five-foot-seven-inch height, and hearing loss.
“I switched to an electronic stethoscope,” he said.
“They’re a nuisance, but they’re very good.”
Finally, at eighty-two, he had to retire. The problem
wasn’thishealth;itwasthatofhiswife,Bella.They’d
beenmarried formorethansixty years.Felixhad met
Bellawhenhewasaninternandshewasadietitianat
KingsCounty Hospital, in Brooklyn. Theybrought up
twosonsinFlatbush.Whentheboyslefthome,Bellagot
herteachingcertificateandbeganworkingwithchildren
whohadlearningdisabilities.Inherseventies,however,
retinaldiseasediminishedhervision,andshehadtostop
working.Adecadelater,she’dbecomealmostcompletely
blind.Felixnolongerfeltsafeleavingherathomealone,
and in 2001 he gave up his practice. They moved to