Just Between Us

Too Much Information

What a Tangled Web the Internet Can Weave  

    Like most people these days, I have become dependent on the ultimate global library, the Internet. I would never claim to be as savvy as younger generations about surfing the Internet—I remain as baffled as I am thrilled by its capabilities. But I am grateful to live in this age of advanced technology. Indeed, I turn to the Internet so regularly for almost anything I want to research or purchase that I often wonder how I ever lived without the World Wide Web.
    But recently I came to curse this powerful, even magical, instrument that I’ve faithfully relied on. After not feeling quite right for months, I went to the doctor to discuss my symptoms. Responsibly, my doctor recommended a few standard blood tests and, “just to rule out the worst,” he threw in an additional test that I had never heard of. I asked him if I should avoid reading about this test on the Internet and avoid learning what a positive result from it could mean. He plainly said, “I don’t suggest going online; it’s not necessary at this point.”
    I left his office calmly, confident that he was just being prudent by ordering the test and that I was not a candidate for whatever it was he was ruling out. For once, I was not going to run to the Internet. After all, I wasn’t feeling that bad.
    But when I got home, in what felt like an out-of-body experience, I went straight to the computer. Thinking I was still in control, I typed in the name of the recommended blood test and its meaning and began reading about a rare, deadly cancer that matched almost all of my symptoms perfectly. In a nanosecond I went from being cool and collected to purely panic-stricken. Suddenly, it all made sense. I had been in denial! I was most certainly facing this fatal illness. I was sure that cancer was ravaging my body. The more I read, the worse I felt.
    In defense of my hysteria, I should point out that when I called my husband to break the news to him, he, too, was taken aback at out how similar my symptoms were to the disease that I can still neither spell nor pronounce.
    The next day I called my doctor back to discuss my online medical findings, and he did his best to dispel my fears. I also read more about my specific ailments and not the disease I was previously so sure I had. In time, I was no longer convinced that I was doomed. I was finally able to settle back into a rational state of mind and gain perspective on the situation.
    Contrary to how I handled this incident, I actually have always been aware of the dangers of self-diagnosing and the pitfalls of trusting false and misleading information found online. I know, I know. But I’ve also known how incredibly useful, educational and accurate the Internet can be regarding health-related matters. I was curious, but I was also unprepared for what I left myself open to discover.
    Though I had that terrifying experience, I’m still thrilled to have the Web’s wealth of valuable medical information and other resources at my fingertips. Over the years, the data I’ve gleaned has definitely been more helpful than not. But as with any powerful tool, I must approach the Internet remembering the well-known warnings: “Use with caution” and “proceed at your own risk.”
    E-mail Gina Jaber at ginajab@yahoo.com.