Do you like to be notified? Notified of what, you might ask?
Notified of people about to arrive at your house, mail and email arrivals, pool chemistry levels, diseases, credit alerts, and a host of other things.
Would a central alerting system with bells or whistles work for you?
• 1 bell = mail just arrived in the mailbox
• 2 bells = email just arrived
• 3 bells = add a pool chemical
• 4 bells = go to the hospital because your heart is about to . . .
• 5 bells = someone has used your credit card number
Well, 4 of the 5 of the above alerts are here today. The 5th one has to do with keeping us well and, I suppose, has been the most difficult for science to deal with.
Yes, there are cameras you can swallow, and a host of diagnostic scanners and blood tests. These devices can hopefully spot ongoing disease. But how about an implant that would alert you and, via Wi-Fi, your physicians, as to incipient critical changes in your body?
Here's one scenario for the future:
• at age 5: A relatively small chip is surgically inserted in your lower abdomen. The chip immediately begins reading your gene pool information, as well as a plethora of other vital functions. A baseline is established for your system.
• at age 14: A “yellow alert” is sent to your doctor and to your computer. It says that your blood sugar has risen to a point where a change of diet (suggested diets are given) is highly recommended. If dietary changes are not implemented in one week, an ”amber alert” is sounded.
• at age 45: You are dining at a restaurant and a pulsating tone emanates from your abdomen. The same tone warbles from your cell phone. It is an “orange alert” — which is sent to your doctor. The warning advises you to seek immediate medical attention for an imminent blood clot in your left leg — approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes in the offing.
• at age 71: You are in the bathtub. You don't hear the bell ringing, but you do feel an abrupt pulsating in your abdomen. Your wife opens the door, and a team of emergency responders helps you out of the tub, puts a robe on you, and whisks you off to the hospital to be admitted (emergency room not needed). Heart surgery is scheduled for that evening. According to your implanted chip, your heart attack was to occur the next morning.
So, would you agree to be outfitted with such an implant? Some might say “Definitely.” Others might be afraid of their reactions to those somewhat “intrusive” warnings. Others might not want to know what their bodies are saying to them. And still others . . . well, you probably have a few years to think about it. Let's just hope that the cures for all those alert warnings are there waiting when the implant device is finally ready to go.
Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen@hotmail.com
