Apple Watch saves life again: New Yorker survives erupted ulcer
Another day, another report of the Apple Watch saving the life of its wearer, this time a man from New York who suffered from an erupted ulcer.
The identity of the Apple Watch is being carved out as a health-focused device, and stories of the smartwatch making a difference should prove that Apple is on the right track.
New York resident William Monzidelis, 32 years old, was working at the bowling alley that was their family business in early April when he suddenly started feeling dizzy. He went to the bathroom, where he discovered that he was bleeding. The Apple Watch that he was wearing at the time then told him to seek medical attention.
Nancy, William’s mother, told him that he “looked like a ghost” when he emerged from the bathroom. He took the Apple Watch alert seriously, along with his symptoms, and asked his mother to drive him to the hospital.
In the drive to the hospital, which lasted half an hour, William was drifting in and out of consciousness. Once they arrived at the hospital, William had lost 80% of his blood, and was discovered to have suffered from an erupted ulcer. He lost so much blood that he needed a transfusion before he could undergo surgery.
The doctors believe that William may not have survived if not for the Apple Watch notification. There was a possibility that he ignored the symptoms because he was previously healthy, which would have placed him in danger of death due to blood loss.
The story on William’s survival from his ordeal comes just a day after a report that the Apple Watch heart rate monitor saved the life of a teenager.
Deanna Recktenwald, 18 years old from Tampa Bay, Florida, was suddenly alerted by her Apple Watch that her resting heart rate was at an alarming 190 beats per minute. Like with William, the device recommended Deanna to seek medical attention, which resulted in the diagnosis that she was suffering from chronic kidney disease. The discovered condition was hidden for years, prompting Deanna’s mother to thank Apple CEO Tim Cook through a heartfelt letter.
A similar incident happened about three years ago, when 17-year-old Paul Houle Jr. was alerted by his Apple Watch that his heart rate was abnormally high. The warning allowed Paul Jr. to seek medical attention that possibly saved his life.
