29-year-old Corinne—who’s been fighting autoimmune disease lupus for years—made her very first smart tech save, thanks to a timely alert from her smartwatch. By October 2018, she was fighting through her 13th hospital admission in as many months. This time, it was lupus-related infections that sent her back to the emergency room. This time, her smartwatch warned her of a life-threatening health episode, leading her to summon emergency help.
On the drive to the hospital in the ambulance, Corinne’s temperature shot up to around 104 degrees Fahrenheit. She began to experience extreme flushing, such that her face was truly “on fire.” Her heart was in dangerous overdrive, beating as fast as 189 beats per minute while at rest. These distressing symptoms further emphasized the urgency and seriousness of her condition and the need for immediate medical care.
Corinne has fought uphill every day in her war against lupus. In the last two years, she’s gone to the hospital 14 times as a complication from this disease. Even with these challenges, she’s been better able to take control of her health overall. “Tech is not inherently good, nor evil — that’s a hill I’ll die on — but hopefully not anytime soon,” she stated, emphasizing her belief in the balanced role of technology in health management.
In the course of her recent health scare, Corinne began checking her heart rate regularly. At its peak, it was clocking in at 145 bpm and an hour later plummeted to 131 bpm. This knowledge became invaluable in her quest to understand her body and health and motivated her to take action on the spot.
After a week in the hospital, Corinne was finally ready to be discharged. She walked out with one more round of antibiotics and feeling a heightened sense of exposed absence. She had to describe how her disability disrupts her ability to do everyday things, like take a shower. “My face felt like it was on fire,” she recalled, Shakespeare vividly depicting the blistering pain caused by her condition. Recently, she had a new sense of confidence navigating these unexpected changes thanks to the help of technology.
Corinne’s smartwatch has been invaluable in helping her keep track of her health. When her last device fell apart, she was able to immediately purchase a new one. Whether that’s her morning routine, her workday, or her leisure time, it’s incredibly important. “I feel that technology helps to translate the ‘different language’ my body is speaking,” she noted. This consumer-focused view illustrates the vital and empowering impact of new technology in the world of chronic illness management.
Her mom’s support during this frustrating journey to repair has been steadfast. In a moment of despair during one of her hospitalizations, Corinne expressed her struggles with an emotional statement: “If you have a choice, please let me go, Mum — I can’t do this anymore.” This moving statement exemplifies how profoundly chronic illness can affect not only patients, but their families.
Today, as Corinne forges her path through post-viral health challenges, she is deeply embedded in the work to improve future health outcomes with technology. She wants people to understand that we each have the power to decide how we interact with our devices. “It’s your choice to pick them up, and it’s your choice what you do when you’re on them,” she explained. This belief is indicative of her deep belief in the appropriate application of technology in healthcare.
