cover of episode Ep. 55 | False Alarm

Ep. 55 | False Alarm

2024/10/22
logo of podcast MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries

MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries

Key Insights

Why did Brooke and her family start feeling sick during the holiday season?

Brooke and her family started feeling sick due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a leak in their home's basement furnace.

Why did Brooke initially suspect she had COVID-19?

Brooke initially suspected she had COVID-19 because she was experiencing symptoms like exhaustion, aches, and a fever, and the pandemic was widespread at the time.

Why did Brooke and Stefan get tested for COVID-19, and what were the results?

Brooke and Stefan got tested for COVID-19 to rule out the virus as the cause of their symptoms, and both tested negative.

Why did Caroline's father, John Shiflian, agree to let her visit despite the family being sick?

John Shiflian, an infectious disease specialist, agreed to let Caroline visit because he believed the longer the family was sick, the less infectious they would be, and he trusted that it was safe.

Why did John Shiflian suspect an environmental illness rather than an infectious disease?

John Shiflian suspected an environmental illness because Caroline's symptoms lessened when she went outside, and people got very sick quickly when they entered the main house.

Why did the carbon monoxide leak go undetected by the smoke alarm?

The carbon monoxide leak went undetected because the smoke alarm installed in the home did not have a carbon monoxide detector, as it was installed before such detectors were required.

Chapters

Brooke Stroud and her family fall ill with a mystery illness during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a series of medical tests and a failed attempt at a family dinner.
  • Brooke Stroud, a clinical psychologist, falls ill with a mystery illness.
  • Her entire family, including her husband and children, also fall ill.
  • Initial COVID-19 tests come back negative, leaving the cause of their illness unknown.
  • Despite feeling slightly better after work, Brooke's attempt to cook a family dinner ends in failure as everyone struggles to eat.

Shownotes Transcript

When a woman gets sick with a mystery illness during the height of the COVID pandemic, she fears her holiday season will be ruined. But as her entire family starts getting sick one by one, a lousy Christmas is the least of her worries.

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