But it's not working. My heart is still going a million miles an hour.
I'd experienced episodes of rapid heartbeat ever since I was a child. My mother told me they were called palpitations.
I mentioned them to a doctor once when I was a teenager and he jokingly asked if they were triggered by watching gyrating rock stars in music videos.
I took that to mean they were nothing to worry about.
Besides, I somehow discovered over the years that if they didn't go away by themselves, I could stop them by holding my breath for a short period.