When I got home from the hospital on Tuesday, after hearing the term, “MRSA” for the first time, I immediately grabbed my computer and started to google. By the end of the day, after following a number of links, I had myself diagnosed with:
-MRSA
-TB
-Walking Pneumonia
-A mild case of asthma
As Friday neared, I got more and more nervous about what my doctor would tell me when I went back for a follow up appointment. I even found myself using my old cancer-talk: “If anything happens to me….” So I could not have been more pleasantly surprised when, on Friday, my doctor told me that I have none of these things. No T.B. No pneumonia of any kind. No asthma. And no MRSA. I guess I misunderstood what the doctor said on Tuesday, (“It looks like/it could be/we’re checking for”). So, thank God, I do not have a “superbug” that would require kryptonite to cure me. It is just a plain old, boring infection.
Lesson learned: It is good to use the internet to be informed about your diagnosis, but not so good to use the internet to try to diagnose yourself.
Jul 07, 2012 @ 13:37:44
GReat advice
Judy
Jul 07, 2012 @ 15:07:18
When I did medical transcription I used to diagnose myself all the time. I missed the cancer though. Go figure
When I started typing for psych I stopped diagnosing myself and started diagnosing family and friends instead.
Jul 07, 2012 @ 17:53:30
Yipeeeeeee! Three cheers for boring! What a relief that must be!!
Jul 07, 2012 @ 21:24:38
Glad to hear that. Onward and upward!!
Jul 08, 2012 @ 00:51:04
I’ms so happy to learn you only have a garden variety infection. I normally don’t rely on Google for a diagnosis, but I did find something useful yesterday on Google about the causes of my lingering (diagnosed) costochondritis. It may be due to too much athletic activity. No doctors have yet mentioned that cause to me because they didn’t know how much I have pushed myself over the years at the gym and at home. It makes perfect sense. But I absolutely agree that people must be very cautious in using what some call Dr. Google as their sole advisor. XX
Jul 09, 2012 @ 12:41:19
Glad your diagnosis was wrong
Hope you are feeling better. Jess has your money for the plants/shrubs. Love the Daphne one 
…wonder why 
. Thanks very much Florence.
Jul 09, 2012 @ 18:01:07
Joining in the congrats party. Glad for boring….. and DR GOOGLE=VERY BAD! I’ve had myself in an internet pine box at least half a dozen times. Hugs!
Jul 09, 2012 @ 20:27:47
Whew! What a relief you don’t have the super bug. Lesson learned, always get the doctor to say things twice!
Catherine
http://www.facingcancer.ca