How Google Pwned My Pediatrician (or "Yes, mom, you were right...")

Alaina's six month well check was today.  Once again, medical science declared her a marvel.  Not surprising.  But her pediatrician did diagnose an innocent heart murmur.

"Are you familiar with heart murmurs?" she asked.

"It's just a goofy heart beat, right?  Like a valve not closing all the way?"  I wasn't worried, I've known lots of people with heart murmurs, and it's never been a problem. 

"Or it could be a hole in her heart.  Most murmurs that sound like this are no big deal.  She'll most likely grow out of it."

HOLE IN HER HEART?  NO BIG DEAL?  I totally thought I had a grasp on it, didn't think I would freak out.  But then she says hole in her heart....those words are a huge deal. 

I was on my way home when my mom called.

"So, have you Googled heart murmurs yet?" she asked.

"No, if her pediatrician isn't worried, I'm not going to worry," I said, still a good 20 minutes from home and Internet access.

But now I'm home.  And, of course, I couldn't stop the compulsion to type those 3 words into my Google taskbar.  Here is what the American Heart Association has to say about innocent heart murmurs.  Notice they don't mention hearts with holes in them. 

Innocent Heart Murmurs...not "hole" hearted!

I'm still not worried.