Truthdig: Dying to Play the Wii

[marmar]

Dying to Play the Wii

Posted on Jan 16, 2007

from maltastar.com

A mother of three in California has died of water intoxication after participating in a local radio station contest. Participants competed by drinking large quantities of water without urinating in an effort to win a Nintendo Wii video game system.

If ever there was confirmation that America’s consumerism is out of control, this is it.


Malta Star:

Fellow contestant James Ybarra said: “They were little half-pint bottles, so we thought it would be easy.
“They told us if you don’t feel you can do this, don’t put your health at risk.”

Ybarra said he quit after drinking five bottles. He said: “My bladder couldn’t handle it any more.”

He added: “I was talking to her and she was a nice lady.

“She was telling me about her family and her three kids and how she was doing it for her kids.”

The competition was believed to have been sucessful when suddenly Jennifer Strange, 28, started complaining of a strong headache.

Jennifer Strange, a mum of three, returned to her home and a few hours later she was found dead in her living room........(more)

The complete article is at: http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20070116_dying_to_play_the_wii/

[mod mom]

1. How very sad. I feel for the family. Whose ever bright idea the contest was is in a heap

of trouble!

[neoblues]

2. Apparently, they should've used something like Gatorade...

As the "water intoxication" involves upsetting the electrolyte balance in the brain (and elsewhere I imagine).

Then again, such contests seem a little questionable to me; though I can't say I've heard of people dying from eating too many hot dogs or whatever.

Edit: added last sentence

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

4. Dangerous to push anything that upsets renal function. The GI system can handle overeating much

better than the kidneys can handle overhydration....and the kidneys directly control cardiovascular functions, which may respond to increased food intake but aren't controlled by it. Not to mention the danger of a severe vasal vagal reaction when the bladder finally empties.


MKJ

[durrrty libby]

3. Wow...talk about screwed up values and priorities.

Her children will end up resenting her for such irresponsible behavior.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. I hope not. Not everybody is aware of the danger of overhydration.

In fact, I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often with the insistance that everybody needs a gallon of water a day, or whatever it is (10 8oz glasses is it, now?). The impression is, the more, the better. And water is always touted as the option that has no complications - no caffine, no sugar, no coloring, no additives - how could it possibly be bad?

The family has every right to sue that station for everything it has - they took part in a contest that was presumably vetted by the station, and expected no serious consequence.

[fasttense]

5. I've never heard of water intoxication in adults

I've heard of it happening to young children and babies, who are forced to swim underwater, but I never knew an adult can do that. Wow, what an awful way to go.

[Porcupine]

7. There was a case 2 hours north of this one last year.

Some idiot frat kids decided to haze a new member by giving him 5 gallons of water to drink in a cold basement. It was very well publicized and made the local paper in Rancho Cordova where this case was. (Sacremento Bee)

People are idiots. The fools who set up the contest and the woman for not paying attention to how she felt.