Paranoia-Will-Destroy-Ya
The winner of the Guess What contest is none other than one of my favorite bloggerino's Toni.
Toni, you win a virtual bouquet of flowers given to me by my blogging friend and neighbor Kathryn.
The picture was a portion of a beautiful 1929 dining room chair and table set.
cyberchondriac (sy.bur.KAWN.dree.ak) n. A person who imagines they can diagnose diseases because symptoms match those on an Internet site.I think that's me.
—cyberchondria n.
Last Friday afternoon we were reading Frosty The Snowman for the 50th time (that week) when I found a hard lump the size of an Easter egg on my dog's leg.
I panicked.
I felt the lump over and over and over. And over again.
By Friday evening, after much consultation with Dr. Google, I was certain my dog had cancer and his leg would be amputated. I even found a dog prosthesis.
5 long, fearful days and a vet aspiration appointment later we found out it was a Limpoma (a fatty non-cancerous tumor).
I think a series of unfortunate events in my past coupled with my field of study (computer science; which forces to you to program code for all scenarios including, above all, the worst-case scenario) has made me paranoid.
Self: STOP IT. Step away from Dr. Google.
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I won? That is crazy! So what was the hole in the middle of the picture? Thanks for the beautiful bouquet!
I, too, have to stay off the internet and play Dr. Toni. It never bodes well for me or the person/pet I am diagnosing.
Yup, Dr. Google is the worst! He had me convinced I would orphan my children not long ago.
So glad it was a false alarm with Max!
I have a friend that I call a cybercondriac....she Googles everything and is dying from the latest disease. Husband called her on it one night and she was pi$$ed off FOREVER!!!
Oh wow, so glad pup is OK:) Dr. Google is the worst, and it's hard not to go down that road.
I thought the photo was an instrument...
I'm so glad your doggie is ok! Google can be a frightening tool. No. More. Dr. Google. Ever.
Congrats to Toni - I was close. I'm so glad that the lump was not serious - so glad!! Take care - Kellan
honey...i think it was you who told me, back when i was having cancer of every organ known to man...to walk away from the google!! google is NOT your friend!!
so...i'm on my way to come get you...pack the bags...we're going to FANTASY ISLAND!! so...think up a fantasy quick!!
xoxo
Been there, done that! I had a sweet lab who had dozens of those. In the beginning, I had each one aspirated and awaited the results in anguish. By the last 1/2 dozen or so I never even had them checked. At 12, he died of something totally unrelated to all the ailments I had stressed about over the years. Stay off the computer.
That's what I thought it was, but she beat me to saying it. I'm so glad you are going to ignore Dr. Google. My dog has one of those, too.
Oh, I know. I know. Combine Dr. Google with Web MD and working for doctors where you can hear horror stories of unprecedented nature...well, it's enough to keep me awake all night. Which is why I'm blogging at 10 pm when I should be getting ready to go to sleep!!
Glad everything turned out ok!
Ahh yes, I'm the same way. I google to much. I think I'm a google-a-chondriac. I'm so glad your dog is OK. WHAT A RELIEF!
I'm so glad your dog is okay. Our older lab had many fatty tumors.
hugs!
I think I'll persue a degree in cyberchondria. Think there's a market for that skill?
Glad your pooch is cancer free.
I am glad that it is nothing serious. I am a worry wart too.
Congrats Toni!
Thanks for the diagnosis. I've longed wondered what was wrong with me always heading to Dr. Google for advice.
So glad doggie-dog is going to be OK!
I'm a little of that too. Too much reading just sets me off tangent at times!
I learn a new word today - cyberchondriac. Thanks, MamaGeek. Hope I don't become one.
LOL....I do the same thing with our daughter. I google all of her symptoms and then get worried. But it usually turns out to be the common cold.
Ah yes...programming. Gotta love it. A yes, our backgrounds make us want to analyze everything.
You go to Dr Google too?! So do I!! LOL
Dr. Google and webmd are awful...stay away! They are even worse when you are a parent or expecting!
Resist the urge....don't do it!
Slooooowly take your hand off the mouse and move away...
I am so glad you doggie is ok.
Dr Goggle can be an evil Dr who puts all kind of evil thoughts in your head.
so happy your dog is okay!
A-men. I see Dr. Google and Dr. Yahoo. I'm surprised I'm still living. Glad pup is fine!
Oh I'm so glad your dog is going to be alright!! I hope the vets can remove the tumour ... and it wont cost you an arm and a leg to do so.
Dr Google is very bad.
Oh, Dr Google sucks! Stay far, far away!
Glad your puppy is Ok though!
I'm glad your pup is ok!
Definitely sounds like time for a time out. Glad it was nothing bad.
That's how you know it is time to go OFFLINE!
Ugh! I was gonna guess a dining room chair. Sheesh!
Good job, Toni. Grrrr. ;)
So glad your doggie is ok. My mom's dog has a couple of smaller lumps like that on the belly. Harmless. Whew!
I can't tell you how many times I have been sucked in by Dr. Google here at my house! Step away from it friend...step away!
Where ya been? I haven't seen ya in awhile! (Not here, but in My World!)
Melissa
I've had to stop diagnosing stuff via Dr. Google too. It made me too paranoid! But I still use it for everything else!
I know him all too well. stupid dr. google
Ha! Well, at least you were doing it with your dog and not yourself. I have had all sorts of crazy diseases in the last year, as have my poor children. I think I can even make myself believe some of my self-proclaimed diagnosis' :)
Stoopid Google ;)
I would seek a second opinion from Dr. Yahoo :)
Bradley
The Egel Nest
oh. my.
I think you may have stumbled across the secret to understanding the computer science geek. More than once Dr. Google has sent me on a path of trying to rule out various diagnoses. But at least I didn't create a UML diagram to follow - not enough pointy-haired manager experience yet.
Dr. Google got a restraining order against me.
Whatever. I could have stopped at any time.
Hi!
I had to laugh, I'm the same way with Web MD! That old saying, a little information is dangerous, is so true! :)
BTW, I don't know what breed your dog is, but we have a Vizsla. They are very prone to those fatty tumors, and mine has several. They do get larger with time, so don't be alarmed if you see it growing, it's normal. They are harmless, though, that's the good news! Glad your dog is okay!
Lizzy
I'm so glad it's nothing serious! The P-Dawg always gets on my case for Googling the heck out of any and all aches and pains in the family. But, as you know, it is a compulsion and cannot be helped.
Cyberchondriac? That's very nice work. But yes, I share your concern and I'm glad all is well!
Poor dog.
I had no idea there was a name for it but I've been guilty of it too. Glad your doggie is ok. :)
Okay. You even found a dog prosthesis?? LOL! That's too much! and my husband thought I was a hypochondriac... Seriously, same thing applies - unfortunate events in my past, only I was a Theater Major. Wait, that could apply too.
Love Bradley's take on it!!
I have that exact same Dr- Dr. Google and he has led me wrong many many times.
I'm guilty of Dr. Google as well. I'm glad you're puppy is alright. :)
Dr. Google is so dangerous. Glad doggie is fine!
My dog has several of those lumps all over her. Knowing they are not fatal or cause for concern doesn't make them less difficult to deal with. It is sad to think they might be painful or cause her to walk funny (they do) but the vet won't do anything about them since they aren't life threatening. While I am glad they aren't fatal, it would be nice if someone (Dr. Google?) would come up with a cure or at least figure out the cause so we could rest easy and get rid of them!
TM
I'm also guilty of abusing the Dr...sometimes you just can't help it.
I hope your doggie's ok.