Have an old Thermopen replaced the batteries once. I thought the wife killed it when she washed it. It was dead put it in a bag of rice for about 3 days it was still dead. Wife bought me a new one. I put the old one back in the bag of rice & forgot about it. My new one came & it works fine, still after all these years. Replaced the batteries in it also.
Can't remember how much time lapsed before I found the old one in the bag of rice, & BINGO It worked! Still works to this day. Keep it at the camper.
Don't leave your pens laying around for the wife to find & wash!