Thursday, November 13, 2008

Does Anyone Else Think This Is Funny?

Ok, so normally I really try to avoid using things like WebMD as it tends to cause me unreasonable amounts of paranoia. One moment I'm experiencing mild cold symptoms, the next I'm convinced that I've contracted some rare form of Mongolian baht fly virus, mad cow disease, or any other number of ailments containing an animal name prefix and an -itis suffix. However the other night at work I couldn't resist doing a little research on some worrisome symptoms my friend was experiencing.

For those not familiar with WebMD, allow me to provide a brief overview... After clicking on the pale little man labeled "symptom checker", you're directed to click on the specific portion of your body that is giving you trouble. It then proceeds to present you with a ridiculously long list of possible symptoms (most of which will make you feel much better, by comparison, about your current complaint or illness). While you scan the list and select all symptoms that apply to you, WebMD compiles a list of all possible diseases, syndromes, disorders, etc. However some of the symptoms you select will then prompt you to provide a more in depth description. The following screenshot is one I came across the other night:


In case that's a little too hard to read, that does in fact say "encounter with an octopus in the south Pacific".

On a side note- my friend went to the real doctor a few days later and found that she has neither Mongolian baht fly virus nor mad cow disease. She's feeling much better, in fact.

5 comments:

Leslie said...

I thought it was hysterical before we even got to the encounter with the octopus!!! Oh how I love a good laugh. Thanks Mo!!!

Pancake said...

pretty funny!

LunaMoonbeam said...

Hmm...there's always the chance she had a tangle with an octopus and didn't know it!

(I came over here from Leslie's blog: Sometimes You Just Gotta Laugh)

Have a great day!

Debbie said...

I just came over from Leslie's site. I'm glad she recommended you. This is funny! I have never been to WebMD and I'm thinking now that maybe that is a good thing. Unless I happen upon an octopus, I think I'll just not venture there.

Angie @ Flibbertigibberish said...

Yikes. Close call! What if it had been the North Pacific?

Do you think that's real? Or did someone have a late night over there at WebMD and decide to give himself a good laugh? I love it!