Recently I was involved in a car crash as I fainted at the wheel of my car and drifted across the white line into an oncoming car. No one, including myself was hurt which is amazing,
As the medical profession invested the cause I have been fitted with a sub-dermal heart monitor to keep an eye on my heart rhythms. This was decided in a few minutes so had little or no time to think about it.
Since that has happened some really interesting thoughts have been happening and felt it useful to share chance any readers face a similar situation.
Here are some of my initial questions:-
“Will it blow up inside my body?”
“Can they switch me off remotely?”
“Can the government track my location through it?”
“Will it get infected inside my body?”
Some questions are irrational. No it won’t blow up in my body or I won’t be switched off. Third parties do have access to the data for the purpose of improving their product but who controls the data? No, the government can’t track my location as it’s monitoring my heart beat not using GPS. Perhaps the only thing of concern is infection as it’s a foreign body under my skin but not inside my body.
I could ring the hospital and discuss my questions with them. I think that should be part of the process in any case for any implants as it;s invasive to the person and requires a minor 10 minute operation to complete with local anaesthetic.
“How long will it be there? Surely, it’s temporary till they sort the problem out?”
Well no, it will be there for at least three years. That’s the life span of the device. Which means the sending unit I will have to do everyday now. The heart monitor has to be scanned to a unit which sends the information off to the hospital via a 4G phone signal. When I am out and about and have a dizzy episode or God forbid another fainting episode I can send the details off via a remote pickup device.
What is the company doing this? Medtronics.
AccessAbility Solutions 