Woman credits smart watch for saving her life

SCRANTON, KS — A smart watch may have saved a Kansas woman’s life, after tipping her off to a serious health problem.

Heather Hendershot was watching TV with her husband one night when her smart watch buzzed with an alert telling her that her heart rate was too high.

Hendershot said, “It was over 120.”  She felt find and thought a good night’s sleep would lower it. “I couldn’t feel it going fast, I couldn’t feel it beating hard,” said Hendershot.

The next morning her watch indicated her heart rate was still too fast.  With young children in the house she decided to have it checked.  An urgent care doctor sent her to the emergency room.

Hendershot said, “They did some lab work, gave me some IV fluid and then with the lab work they noticed my thyroid was out of wack.”

Doctors diagnosed her with thyroid storm. “I had no idea that even existed, but can be fatal if left untreated,” said Hendershot.

Her husband said what they thought was the flu was something potentially far worse. “Come to find out it could be a life threatening thing. So, the watch kind of saved her life when you find that out,” said Cody Hendershot.

Now Heather Hendershot keeps her watch on day and night, “I will not take it off.”  And her husband is planning on getting a smart watch too.

Heather Hendershot also says she didn’t think she’d need the heart rate monitor when she bought the watch, but she’s glad she has it.