On Saturday night after the Seahawks game, I received a call from Gillian - my dad had passed out from blood loss at home and had been picked up by a 911 dispatch crew. He was taken to the hospital, where it was finally determined (just a few hours ago), that swelling in his intestine was most likely the result of an aspirin overdose (he had been ovemedicating a painful toothache) combined with high blood pressure and a general unwillingness to visit doctors.
Those first few hours in the hospital with my mom, brother and sister (and Mystery Guest, too, who came along for moral support) were pretty scary, but both Yahoo! Health and Google's search were life-savers in the battle for sanity. I used the wireless EVDO network on my Verizon Motorola "Q" to scan through dozens of pages of information in the waiting room - it not only served to make us all feel a bit better about the situation (as none of the symptoms for the scariest possibilities matched my dad's), but also gave us some insight and language to use with the attending doctors.
I can't go as far as saying that Google & Yahoo! saved my dad's life, but they certainly made our lives much better that night, and in the hours after we got home. I think that many times, the worst part about having a sick loved one is the mystery - not knowing what's going on (or what the possibilities might be). The instant access to high-quality medical knowledge is, in that respect, invaluable.
I'm certainly not the first blogger to comment on the value of finding medical information over the web; Scott Adams' case of a lost voice might be the most famous, and this story about a narrowly avoided transfusion made the top of Digg in 2005.
I'd have to say that all of the wonderful things the web and search have brought us, this might be one of the best.
As for my dad - he's staying in the hospital for at least a few days under observation. We'll know tomorrow whether surgery is necessary or if he can heal on his own, but I've taken this as a cue to get a doctor's appointment ASAP to have my blood pressure and cholestorol tested (my last physical was 3 years ago). Listening to the doctor tell him that if he didn't take steps to correct the problem, it would almost certainly kill him was more than enough incentive. My whole family is hoping that this incident will turn out to be a postive catalyst for him to pay more attention to his health in general and his diet and stress levels in particular.
I'm not sure if I can influence any readers to pay more attention to their own blood pressure, but I'd love it if you did. If my dad's story isn't enough for you, the CDC notes that in the US, two of the three leading causes of death are from high blood pressure - heart attacks and strokes. We need more search marketers, not less, so please take care of yourselves.
As a result of the incident, my time and Gillian's will almost certainly be split between our office in Seattle and Overlake hospital in Bellevue. Advance apologies for what may be slower than normal blogging and email.
p.s. Surprisingly, I had a difficult time finding any good information on WebMD, which I presumed to be the premier player in this space (or, at least, the heaviest advertiser). Have you had good/bad experiences with them (or Yahoo! Health)?
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and comments. Mr. Fishkin is 'out of the woods' and on the mend. Today, we remember that life, love, and sharing it with loved ones is very, very precious.
Take good of yourselves, one and all.
PS - I agree with all above who note that WebMD is largely useless. Pity; with all the press it gets, I had hoped for more.
Rand / Gillian,
So glad to hear that he's doing better. Best wishes for a continued recovery.
I've never used it, but my mom, a relative internet newbie, looked up some information on WebMD a little while ago & also expressed some disappointment...seems to be a common experience despite the marketing $$.
Great to hear Mr Fishkin is on the rebound.
About "The instant access to high-quality medical knowledge is, in that respect, invaluable."
That's certainly true in most instances, but Google loves to return health-related forum responses where many of the posters seem like hypochondriacs! That's why Yahoo Health is good - it's a resource you can rely on.
I would not want anyone to self-diagnose themselves incorrectly after some of the quackery I've clicked through on from a Google SERP!
My mother was in the emergency room after an encounter with plant sap left her with a very swollen face. The doctors knew very little about the plant or what to do -- she knew the latin name, and they looked on Google to find the type of rash and how it should be treated.
https://www.morgretdesigns.com/index.php/2006/...
I'm glad to hear all is well and I wish your father a speedy recovery.
I don't know if this applies to the hospital you went to but every one that I've gone to has prohibited the use of cell phones because it behaves badly with some of the sensitive hospital equipment. I don't know if EVDO could potentially cause the same issues (and I don't know if hospitals aware of it)... just a thought if you're unfortunately ever in the hospital.
The ICU unit prohibits the use of cell phones and wifi, but the balance of the hospital has it available. There are banks of seats with high speed connections and power to plug into, free wifi, and computers with same for those who didn’t bring their laptops.
Welcome to Puget Sound. We are fully wired (or wi-fi’ed as the case may be) in every location.
Hope your dad can heal on his own and won't need surgery. Great case for being able to access information quickly. Not only for peace of mind but also to be able to ask the right questions of the doctors which is important because then they will be on their toes.
Rand,
Today is the first anniversary of my father's passing so I can truly relate to what you’re going through. I can’t communicate how painful it is to watch as someone you love lies dying in a hospital bed. What’s equally as painful though is watching his wife of 45 years, my mother; see her entire world collapse in front of her eyes over a two week period.
My father was everything to my mother and it has been a challenge over the last year helping to bring new meaning to her and my family’s lives. While searching on Google, and through some associative learning, I came across a great website (and individual) who has helped to make some sense out of the experience, at least for myself.
If it helps any, the gentleman’s name is Dr. Wayne Dyer and he has a weekly podcast that can be found on HayHouse Radio https://www.hayhouseradio.com/show_details.php...Give it a listen. It may open up a whole new area of interest.
That said, I wish you, your family and all the readers of your Blog health and happiness in 2007 and beyond.
Wishing the best to your dad.
Maybe one of these days we'll see Google Medical...
Hope your dad pulls through Ok...amazing how fragile the human body really is, and how often people will put off going to see a Dr because they are afraid to know what is really going on.
Re: WebMD - Yeah, it sucks. I've never found anything useful on their site, just a bunch of general crap. Their success seems to be in their marketing. However I can understand not wanting to deal with the liability of "misdiagnoses".
And kudos to you on actually finding a location where Verizon gives you decent web service. For $50/month on top of your regular rate plan it should be stellar, but I seem to find every dead zone where I live.....and let's not even get started on the horrible UI of the Q
Best wishes for a quick recovery for your dad. Stay safe and healthy.
I know what you where going through Rand. When I was living with my parents about 4 years ago my dad came running into my room at 3 in the morning saying JOE JOE JOOOEEE your mother can't breath she can't breath and my heart dropped. I went into the room and I saw her in agony with her arms around the toilet crying and gasping for breath. Seriously I was scared to death and its one of those moments that you don't think will come in your life but they do. She had taken some medication and just a sip of water so the pill ended up expanding in her throat until she felt like she could not breath anymore. It was kinda funny as the paramedics came to the house and walked my mom down the stairs in her rob as she was saying "oo my how cute are you guys" LOL. She has a nack of making people laugh when they are nervous or scared.
I was not even prepared to look on webmd or yahoo health or anything as I was in shock so its interesting to hear how you delt with that situation.
My prayers are of course with your dad, you and you family!
Joe Whyte blog.lunarpages.com
Sorry to hear about your dad, but sounds like he's going to be okay. Good for him, and a good reminder that we should all take care of ourselves and our family.
Thank you one and all for your kind thoughts. This episode of trauma is over for Rand and family. Mr. Fishkin left the ICU today, is on the mend, and is expected to return home as early as tomorrow.
Our new (healthier) life begins. All the best to you and yours. As Garrison Keillor would say, "Be well, do good work and stay in touch." Words to live by.
Glad everything turned out well. And thanks for sharing such a personal fright. It's a wake-up call to treasure our loved ones.
Your experience of finding some sanity through information speaks to the value of the Internet as the "information highway" (remember that?) and not just a marketplace.
I am very happy that everything worked out. I really remembered my father when you talk about self-medication and avoiding the doctors. Unfortunately, I lost my father to a massive heart attack as he abruptly stopped the blood thining medicine.
Moved by lack of precise information, I started a site called www.holisticreal.com Please try and create a username and share y9u experiences.
Best wishes for your Dad from here. How happy are you with the "Q"? I do have it and while the phone itself is pretty good, batteries just suck. Even the larger battery is now draining to the end in 24 hours.
Christoph
I hope hes out and about soon and back to peak fitness. I'm going through something similar with my own dad right now. Its not much fun
Stay safe
Rand, sorry to hear about your father, here is to a speedy recovery. Hope all goes much better from here on out.
I'm glad he's doing better.
And you're right about getting checked out regularly. I just saw some old friends for the first time in a couple of years, and one of them just became a nurse practitioner (educated in Seattle, by the way). She was absolutely insistent on performing a few tests on me, and despite the fact that diabetes runs on both sides of my family and I just had a checkup a few months ago, this was the first time anyone had done a check on my blood glucose levels.
Best Wishes to your Dad.
I have done some research on diabetes in the past (since my mom has Type 2) using Google to help alleviate some of the worries of the family.
That is some scary stuff. I too have found out medical info on the web but usually after some big thing happens and Google helps you find out your doctors goofed!
Sounds like a scary situation. Best wishes to your family. Get well soon to your dad!
For minor complaints, I have found the Internet a scary place to be - the easiest results to find are always the worst-case scenarios and you have to remind yourself that you don't have all the symptoms of malaria (or whatever) just a headache.
A lot of us don't get medicals as often as we should. I wish it didn't take this kind of warning to get me to think about it.
Hope your dad feels better soon.
I have used the web to research before I go to the doctor. I have some skin problems and the web was very helpful at times to know more about some of them.
Usually I don't go to "well known" places. I find that personal experiences are more helpful at times than theoretical explanations.
Althought I do regret using that onion to treat my eyes that time...
Best wishes to your family, Rand - hope your Dad recovers fine from this.
Agreed, the web can be great for finding out more about medical conditions:
1. When I experienced abdominal pains and started farting blood a couple of years ago, a search on Google led to self-diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis.
On the one hand, it was reassuring to *know*, even though the long-term outlook is pretty scary. Still, had to go through the rectal examinations for a couple of months so the doctors could diagnose it officially. :)
2. Recently we found a tick on my 2 year old daughter. Once removed we noticed the bite area inflame, as if infected.
A neighbour mentioned Lyme's Disease. A few clicks on Google later, and we realised she'd developed an Erythema migrans. We made sure we had emergency appointment at the doctors the following morning. A round of anti-biotics later and she seems fine.
very sorry to hear about your dad - its painful to see a loved one hurt.
good tip on using real time health search to research & console your family.
I was in the car this morning when I thought on this post, and realized that I hadn't taken my bp meds this morning, so I turned the car off and went back in.
All the best for your dad
Glad to hear your dad is going to be all right. I went through a very similar incident in 2005 with my father, and I can empathize totally. My dad hasn't listened to the doctors a bit however so I hope your dad is not like mine in that regard. Best of luck to you and your family my man.
Roger
Personally never needed to do an extensive health related search and I'm very fortunate in that regard. I wish you and your dad the best.
Ah, I'm glad to hear Google+Yahoo helped keep your sanity :) I've helped my mom use Google to search for information regarding various medical conditions before, and it's proven very handy, also with regards to surgeries, etc. We've also managed to save quite a bit of money by googling the symptoms instead of going to the doctor. Funnily enough when going for blood tests for a possible condition it was discovered that my cholesterol level was so high my doctor was amazed (she'd never seen levels that high in someone as young as me). So, either change my diet and eating habits, get more exercise, etc, etc or have a heart attack - guess which one i chose? :p
I'd also advise people to go for blood pressure tests - cholesterol ones too (it was discovered by accident that I get high cholesterol levels very easily - my levels were so high my doctor actually began to panic a bit :( )
Best wishes for your dad's recovery, Rand :)
Glad to hear your father is on the mend, Rand. That time spent in an ER waiting room can be a scary, scary thing.
Re: your question about WebMD - my impression for the times I've tried it is it's a roundtable of liability-sensitive doctors who want to cover every single base and not overextend hope or fear. The result is a watered-down site whose default is to tell you to "visit your doctor", instead of providing information you need to make an informed decision.
I find Wikipedia to be very informative for specific injury/disease information, and a general G or Y search good for symptom research.
Again, glad to hear about your dad. Glad your mom is there to help.
Both my brother last year, and I found out last week a long-time online friend have self-diagnosed themselves using internet references as having hypoglycemia after extensive medical testing, including lying in a hospital for more than week, failed to diagnose their problems correctly.
My online friend has actually been off work on extended leave for 7 months with this problem, and it was only a few weeks before Christmas that the true cause of his problems were discovered, and then confirmed by doctors.
Best wishes to your Dad.
Had a suspected stroke last summer (and I'm only 32!) and had a whole raft of tests including CT scans, bloods and cholesterol tests. Nothing wrong with any of the usual bits that can lead to stokes apparently so I turned to Google. Basically I'm pretty sure it's a post viral 'one-off' event and not a stroke at all but it's taken since last June for any doctors (in the UK) to get even close to that diagnosis.
Appointment with a nuerologist next week where I fully expect him to tell me what I already know...
Absolutely right - get checked out as often as possible, the peace of mind alone is worth it.
And Google Ray Kurzweil too. His thoughts on preventing stokes, heart disease and cancer are definately the way forward.
Sorry to hear about your Dad, Rand. Best wishes to him and your family.
The internet has really helped me find information about thyroid cancer, which I was diagnosed with in Feb. 2003.
Because of Thyca, (the Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Association), I was able to find a support group in my local area. There, I began to learn more about my disease than the doctors I was seeing at that point had told me.
I also joined one of Thyca's listservs and was able to take advantage of more experienced thyroid cancer patients/survivors. That helped me find better doctors, and in turn, better care. My quality of life improved and I met a lot of great people.
The internet can be a great source, but I agree with your comment on WebMD - I haven't found it to be very helpful.
Another health/internet story would be that of Patrick Volkerding the Slackware Linux maintainer. He had a mystery illness that he researched on the net and recovered from.
Slashdot stories from the archives. Patrick Volkerding Battles Mystery Illness An Update on Patrick Volkerding Patrick Volkerding Back to Work
Hi Rand. Really glad your dad is ok, and iI can totally emphasis with your situation. It's awful worrying about loved ones.
I had a similar situation with my daughter last year, when my daughter got a heavy bout of Croup. And although this is quiet common in children her case was really bad, I phoned the doctors and they just brushed me off and said it would be fine. By the evening she was really struggling to breath, her chest was pulling in between her ribs, it was very scary. I knew it was serious, my heart nearly stopped seeing her like that. I had been reading about croup on the web that day and remembered it said to turn the shower on full blast with hot water and sit in the steam in the bathroom. I sat in the bathroom with her until the ambulance arrived, i have never been so scared in my life. We had to stay in the hospital over night and she had to have several rounds of steroid treatments to help her breath but the day after she was running around playing! I just thank god for trusting my instinct and not listening to the doctors, I really think sitting in that bathroom in the steam helped her!
I've used Google several times to research symptoms, however Google does appear to be the world's biggest hypochondriac. So my advice would be, do always seek professional medical advice as Google can scare you sometimes :)
A good friend of mine has some serious problems with his intervertebral discs and visited three doctors (well-known ones) and got three different diagnoses. All of them kind of trying to sell something (an expensive MRI, physical training, pills). So I guess checking back online is a really good possibility to find out what's going on.
All the best for your Dad, Rand!
Bon courage !
Take care !
Malaiac