esrosedotblog

WSJ?OTD

I haven't done a Wall Street Journal Question of the Day for awhile.

They have mostly had business questions and, while I am interested in many of them, I don't think that they are blog material; not of general interest and not very fertile ground to grow 'stories' out of.

This one is good though:

When you have a health-related question, where do you first go for answers?

A relative or friend? A doctor? A reference book? A Web site? Somewhere else?

I was astonished to answer 'the internet'. The mouse wavered over 'doctor' and then, I realized that I rarely went to my excellent doctor without an internet briefing.

I think this started back when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and my friend Jim searched the web for me.

Imagine.

Ten years ago, I did not have access or understand how to browse the net.

Thanks to search engine technology! Although Jim is still around. I could use him but Googling is a lot easier.

The info on the prostate cancer led me to take the initiative on my treatment.

My family doctor, a good one, was the first to throw up his hands and say that I had more info than he did. Good doctor. Knew his limits.

When I got to docs who did know more than I did, I let go and listened to them. A good policy that I have adopted now as a routine.

A couple years ago I went in with a self diagnosis for a bowel thing. I kept my mouth shut until the end of our banter and his inter-conversational poking.

I told him that I had self diagnosed. He asked for the 'answer'. I told him. He gave me a gold star.

Another good doc.

Do they give gold stars anymore?

I am among 65% of the respondents who go to the 'net first.