Heart Stopper Read Online Free PDF Page B

Liam’s expression. He had stained teeth from his mother taking medication when she was pregnant. He was forty and he still lived with his mother and brought her to every clinic check. Now he had to come for his own checks at the clinic, his mother accompanied him and sat out in the waiting room while he was seen; the girls joked that Jacintha did that to keep an eye out for Aidan.
    Priya asked, “When’s your next check, Liam?”
    He was Tara’s patient, which seemed fitting considering he had had his heart attack in the room while Tara had been carrying out the check on Jacintha when Priya was on leave following her mother’s death. Jacintha was Priya’s patient; Priya had carried out Jacintha’s monthly checks for the two months post-op.
    Liam said, “I had mine in June; Mam’s was delayed so we couldn’t have it on same day as usual.”
    Priya said, “Sorry, I think that’s my fault. I was out for a week and somebody here didn’t want to have her check done by Tara for some reason.” Priya smiled at Jacintha. “You know, she’s very good at her job, Liam will tell you that too.”
    Jacintha spoke over Liam’s assent. “Sure, she might be good, but I’m happy with you and I just couldn’t , you know, after what happened. It was awful! I thought he was gone. All I can say is Thank God we were in here. Trust Liam to have a heart attack in the best heart clinic, he was always such an obliging boy. They had him taken care of so fast. He’s fine now, aren’t you, Liam? One of those pacemaker things in, just like your mother.”
    Liam had given up trying to find a gap in which to speak. He just nodded.
    Jacintha stopped talking as well while Priya started the check. She used the Controller II that was designed for checks in a clinical setting and worked using wireless technology.
    She set up the frequency of the controller to match the frequency transmitted by the pacemaker. Priya rolled the trolley as close as possible to Jacintha’s side and held the programmer wand over Jacintha’s collarbone. There was a beep and the LED display on the wand showed that the controller and the pacemaker were locked onto the same signal frequency.
    The controller started the communication by sending an auto-identification sequence to the implanted device that resulted in an identical response from the implanted device detailing its serial and model numbers. The controller then sent an interrogation command that elicited more information from the device including Jacintha’s name, diagnosis and other medical details.
    The controller requested information from the pacemaker on any untoward incidents recorded since the last check. It checked on battery power remaining in the lithium battery. Although the device ran on a patented self-sustaining form of energy, the smaller than normal battery was installed in the device as a backup.
    That was strange. Priya examined the readings for the battery power. The normal range was between 95% and 100%. Jacintha’s readings showed the remaining power at 90.28%. She repeated the communication. The result was the same.
    She checked Jacintha’s folder. The summary results of the controller readings for battery power for all the previous checks were listed as ‘Within Normal Range’. The actual receipt-shaped printouts were stapled to a card at the back of the folder. Each sheet had a line for remaining battery power. Priya was conscious that Jacintha was waiting and decided to examine the figures in more detail later. The battery lasted 6 years so there was no risk, but it should not have been utilized at all. She continued with her routine.
    Priya said, “We’ll soon have the new version of this controller on the market. Then you’ll be able to do the checks at home and just send in the readings.”
    Jacintha said, “I like coming in here, do we have to use the home one?”
    “Well, your checks are going to go to 6 monthly after this one and it would be better if you had the