So grateful for the Internet. I know that everyone is already aware of it’s benefits and how fortunate we are to have this vast, unlimited river of information, but this is my gratitude blog so you have to read why I’m grateful for it. :)
I was talking to a friend today about how we, as Mothers with Internet access, have no excuse to be ignorant about how to care for a child. When I have a question as to whether or not my baby can eat yogurt yet, I type in a few words online and can search through thousands of pages where people have asked the same question. If my hand goes numb after I eat tuna salad…or I burp a lot when I’m pregnant, I can probably find a reason why on the Internet. Sometimes it’s a challenge to see if I can type in the right search terms to get the results I am seeking, and when I succeed it is like…..EUREKA!
When I realized that my baby kept his thumbs tucked into his palms I immediately, of course, turned to the Internet to see if there was a “condition” or something associated with this. After much “play” with search terms I found that he had what was called “adducted thumbs” and that it was often present in certain genetic disorders. Of course I did what any good Mother would do. I FREAKED out! However, the Internet eased my fears as I read more about the rarity of the disorders and the many other obvious symptoms usually present, that he was lacking. All this study, though, prepared me for the genetic counseling and testing we had to go through “just to be safe”.
I’m grateful to live in an age where I can grow in knowledge indefinitely. We have been given this gift and must use it to further our knowledge, our talents, (and try not to waste too much time on it). It saddens me that some choose to use it to the detriment of themselves and others. If you are reading this blog, thank you for taking up some of your Internet time to read my ramble. (Don’t you have anything better to read about?)
