Amazing story of technology aiding a boy, saving his life!!
By kbkbooks
@kbkbooks (7022)
Canada
May 10, 2007 5:58pm CST
I heard a story on the news from the Northeastern states yesterday. A boy was out camping or hiking or something with his friends. Doctors informed his mother that they needed to get in touch with him FAST because they had a heart available to him for a transplant he was awaiting to save and lengthen his life. As usual, time was of the essence. The mother apparently tried to reach him by cell phone but for whatever reason was unable. After some thinking, she contacted the phone provider and had them do a GPS search function. They pinpointed his location and he went immediately to the hospital where he received a successful heart transplant. Even 5 years ago, they would not have been able to locate this boy this fast. Technology rocks.
3 people like this
6 responses
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
11 May 07
It truly is amazing how far we have come technology wise in even the few years we've been alive to witness it. Can you imagine what a person who's been alive 100+ years has experienced? We often don't take the time to step back and look at how far we've come as human beings and how much we can do now because of our own successes in technology!
I was reading a book the other day and they were discussing a murder where they were so excited that they could tell the difference between human blood and other animal blood in the microscope to see if the blood on a man's coat was human or animal. Now they can not only tell you what the blood comes from but match it 99.9% as to WHO the blood belongs to, how long it's been there and probably a zillion other things!
2 people like this
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 May 07
Wow, wouldn't that be amazing.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
10 May 07
This is certainly a story with a very happy ending. Yes, technology surely rocks.. ok!!!
There are good things and bad things to be said about cell phones, and their GPS search function has to be on the "Very Good" list. It's a harsh way to have to test the service, but thank goodness it worked, huh? That little boy was charmed, for sure.
Thank you for sharing this story, and Brightest Blessings.
2 people like this
@claudia413 (4280)
• United States
12 May 07
Technology -- it's come a long way, baby! What a great story of how technology can save lives today.
Up above, you said you wouldn't like to admit that you were alive when Richard Nixon was President, and that really tickled me. I not only remember that, I can remember many other presidents before him. To add to that, my maiden name was Nixon, and my Dad was a very distant cousin to Richard Nixon. He even looked a lot like him.
1 person likes this
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
13 May 07
My third cousin twice removed was Aaron Burr who was a Vice President. As you will see from the information below, it might really be something one would not want to admit to. If technology had been as advanced then as it is now, maybe they would have settled the feud with some sort of advanced computer dueling.
Aaron Burr - 3rd Vice President
Party: Democrat-Republican
Term: March 4, 1801 - March 3, 1805
Age at Inauguration: 45
Life Span: Feb 6, 1756 - Sept 14, 1836 [80]
President: Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr had a long running feud with Alexander Hamilton which culminated in a duel in New Jersey where Hamilton was killed.
Although dueling was legal, public outcry over Burr's actions prompted Jefferson to look for a replacement in 1804.
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
11 May 07
wow it is amazing how far technology has come. I think this is a truly touching story. I am glad that the mother was able to get through to the company. I rarely can get anything but the automated system when I call my carrier. I am so happy they found him so quick.
1 person likes this
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
12 May 07
I am glad the mother didn't have to deal with piles of bureaucracy. When my adult stepdaughter was serving in the Canadian Army, in our own country, she became ill and had to be hospitalized. We could get no information from the hospital or the Army because of strict confidentiality laws. That's just going too far. For some time, we weren't even allowed to talk to her on the phone. When we finally did speak with her she wasn't well enough to explain what was going on. She gave the phone to a nurse and to a doctor to tell us for her and they still wouldn't give us all the information. To this day, two years later, we don't have a clue what went on with her health.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
10 May 07
I also saw that on the news and I thought it was great example of what technology can do.
1 person likes this
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
10 May 07
My husband is always knocking cell phones and computers and satellites. He does love his satellite TV though. He just gets mad when they shut him off if he's a bit late with his payment. He says they should throw out the computer that keeps track of his account and do it the old fashioned way so it won't shut him off. I'm like...if you don't pay, you get shut off. And if they didn't have a computer, you wouldn't have satellite TV at all.
1 person likes this
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
11 May 07
How amazing is that! Cell phones do not work in all areas- I know that- I live in Upstate NY- and there are a lot of areas where you can’t find service- My phone will show- searching for service and I have Verizon- which is supposed to be one of the better carriers in this area. How amazing is GPS and technology! Even heart transplants to save lives! Technology does rock!
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
13 May 07
The problem in a lot of the NE USA is that there are no towers allowed high enough because of bylaws that prevent them because of ruining the "scenery". I believe this will begin to change now. The legislatures will change the laws because there have been cases of people dying from cars going off the road in bad weather and they couldn't walk back to the road and they couldn't reach a cell signal.
