Ep. 55 | False Alarm
MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries
Deep Dive
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.
- 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