Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC • Hacker News Board

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#21

Post by maxawaytoolong » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 7:07 PM UTC

This happened to my dad. TIA was suspected but there was no lasting damage nor other stroke symptoms. It was ruled exhaustion. My dad regularly works 70-80 hour weeks and does at least one all-nighter a month. What I learned is that this is not uncommon in his field (medicine.) Four of his colleagues have had the same experience, they just don't let anyone know and really try to hide it out of personal and professional pride.

I was still trying to be a startup hacker in my 30s, working all nighters, living on pizza and coffee. After one all nighter I could not remember the combination to my lock at the gym (I often showered at the gym by work instead of going home) nor could I remember my PIN number at the ATM. My hands were shaking it felt like my heart was going to explode . I checked into the ER and they said I was fine but that I was experiencing acute exhaustion and dehydration.

Since then I've tried to tone things down a bit, but unfortunately most tech companies tend towards insane work hours, no matter how much they claim to follow a "normal" work week. I recently left a job because it was expected to work about 70 hours a week and I knew I'd end up falling apart like my dad (or Bill Nye) if I kept it up.

When I lives in SF, it was not uncommon for my fellow engineers to binge drink on weekends (or wednesdays), have super unhealthy foodie-fests like "bacon parties" or try to outdo each other with the craziest 4-espresso-shot coffee concoction. I've seen too many halfways-healthy looking programmers turn into high-blood-pressure overweight blobs over the course of 18 months, and I fear for their long term health. Nobody wants to admit it, but the culture of stress and overwork at startups (and other fields) has real physical effects. Maybe not today, but somewhere down the road.

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#22

Post by treyp » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 7:24 PM UTC

tc wrote: post #4

"Nobody went to his aid at the very beginning when he first collapsed -- that just perplexed me beyond reason," Why didn't she? Perhaps she was in the middle of a row. But often the reason that no one helps is that everyone is expecting someone else to do it -- someone more official or someone better located. If a person needs help, don't look around for who else is moving. Go help. -- A story, while we're on the sub…

the psychological concept behind what you're describing is called "diffusion of responsibility"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_responsibility

apartment buildings have burned down because nobody called the fire department, assuming someone else would do it the entire time.

when i was on a recent trip talking with a tour guide, the guide told me that they limit each group to around fifty people not because they can't handle it, but because they actually make less in tips in larger groups. the same applies here -- nobody tips because everyone assumes that the others will tip.

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#23

Post by karanlyons » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 7:55 PM UTC

peter_and wrote: post #19

tc wrote: post #4

"Nobody went to his aid at the very beginning when he first collapsed -- that just perplexed me beyond reason," Why didn't she? Perhaps she was in the middle of a row. But often the reason that no one helps is that everyone is expecting someone else to do it -- someone more official or someone better located. If a person needs help, don't look around for who else is moving. Go help. -- A story, while we're on the sub…

As someone who was there (in the 3rd balcony) it was seriously shocking. As dumb as it sounds, I think some people thought it was part of his act, although when he collapsed the second time, it still took about 15 seconds for someone to come to his aid. None of the 20+ staff at the auditorium came to help immediately either, which was even more shocking, since I hope that they would have some idea of what to do in a…

To clarify (and I can't believe this is what prompted me to create an account, but there you go): The first time he fainted, everyone just thought it was part of the speech. The second time, staff immediately came to his aid. This isn't some crisis with my generation or anything. It was just confusion.

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#24

Post by dbrannan » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 8:23 PM UTC

I've even seen this happen to people in good shape. The combination of no sleep, low blood sugar, heat, stress from speaking, and then standing for a period of time can all add up. Especially if you "lock" you legs while standing, which can lower the blood pressure to the upper body (head).

Still, it is wise to visit a doctor ASAP to have your ticker checked.

I hope Bill is okay - what an awesome individual!

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#25

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 8:28 PM UTC

sabat wrote: post #13

Nye's current status: "feeling much better". I had feared a stroke, but he's saying that he had just been pushing himself too hard. Whew. Dug up a story here: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2...

[deleted]

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#26

Post by FelixDoof » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 8:44 PM UTC

What is this world coming to? How can a notoriously animated prankster dramatically collapse during a presentation about gravity and go _5 whole seconds_ before standing back up? Why wasn't every student racing toward the stage with their defibrillator paddles already charged?

Kids these days with their twitters and their facebooks. Why back in my day, we _never_ socialized. Not under any circumstances! As was made terribly clear today, socializing just takes your attention away from the people around you who could collapse at any moment!

Everybody is terrible and deficient except me!

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#27

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 9:09 PM UTC

treyp wrote: post #22

tc wrote: post #4

"Nobody went to his aid at the very beginning when he first collapsed -- that just perplexed me beyond reason," Why didn't she? Perhaps she was in the middle of a row. But often the reason that no one helps is that everyone is expecting someone else to do it -- someone more official or someone better located. If a person needs help, don't look around for who else is moving. Go help. -- A story, while we're on the sub…

the psychological concept behind what you're describing is called "diffusion of responsibility" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_responsibility apartment buildings have burned down because nobody called the fire department, assuming someone else would do it the entire time. when i was on a recent trip talking with a tour guide, the guide told me that they limit each group to around fifty people not because t…

[deleted]

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#28

Post by siculars » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 9:43 PM UTC

During my rescue diver training there was a fair amount of time spent on crowd control during an emergency. For instance an incident on a boat, on shore or in the water. How do you handle spectators? Who is responsible for what? On a boat, for example, you might specifically ask one or two people to keep eyes on a distressed swimmer. When diving, there is a hierarchy based on experience and when diving you know the experience level of your fellow divers. More or less, everyone knows their roles.

In a situation like this someone needs to step up and assist. Contrast this to Patraeus fainting, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtZSkGvARCg, during testimony to congress. One of his aides was assisting him within 8 seconds. I imagine his aides are military and consequently trained responders. Nevertheless, assisting could be as simple as getting someone a chair and/or keeping them from smashing their head on the floor. The most important thing is to specifically assign someone the role of calling 911.

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#29

Post by lkrubner » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 10:00 PM UTC

People underestimate dehydration. The symptoms are extremely subtle. Combined with any other form of physical exhaustion, dehydration can trigger extreme responses in the body. The US military has had to deal with 20 year olds collapsing from what is sometimes called heat stroke, but heat stroke often has a large degree of dehydration attached to it.

If you get older and start developing the slightest bit of elevated glucose and/or glucose resistance (which can start years prior to developing diabetes) then even mild dehydration can lead to the body mishandling blood sugar levels.

Re: Bill Nye collapses during speech at USC

#30

Post by eel » Wed, Nov 17, 2010, 10:59 PM UTC

How should one help someone who unexpectedly collapses? I have no idea what I would do. I can only envision myself going up and dumbly asking "Are you OK?" which I am not sure is the best way to help.