The Big Ordeal by Cynthia Hayes

Author:Cynthia Hayes
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781632993366
Publisher: River Grove Books
Published: 2021-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

SCANXIETY: TESTING AND MONITORING DURING AND AFTER TREATMENT

“All anxiety is because of a desire

for harmony. Seek disharmony,

then you will gain peace.”

—Rumi

Nobody likes getting medical tests. Whether from a needle stick for a simple blood test, a breast-smashing mammogram, a claustrophobia-inducing MRI or CT scan, or a painfully invasive cystoscopy, there is some measure of physical discomfort associated with just about every form of medical testing. But for most patients, it’s not the physical discomfort that brings anxiety. It is the heightened sense of uncertainty as we are reminded, yet again, that we had cancer, that it may not be gone, that it may come back. Studies report that fear of recurrence is nearly universal,1 although the percentage of patients for whom this anxiety reaches “clinically significant” levels is much smaller, with estimates ranging from 30 to 40 percent.2 As Monica said, “Fifty percent of people with my cancer recur. I’m now at the point where I can either let myself relax and believe that I will have a long life, or remind myself that I have cancer and that might not happen. I don’t want to live in fear, but don’t want to live my life foolishly either.”

That uncertainty about the future can be unsettling. Deborah wants to remain optimistic, but sometimes it can be challenging. “My ob-gyn said I was cured,” she said. “But we don’t really know. You never know which side of the odds you’re on and if it’s coming back.” Or, as Alan said, “I think I’m done, and my pattern of denial helps keep the fear away, but in the back of my mind, I worry. Pancreatic cancer can be a very fast killer, and that fear is still there. I suspect it is at the root of my irritability even though it is not in my conscious mind 24/7.”

And that presence in the back of the mind can lead cancer survivors to be hypochondriacs. Three years after her treatment ended, Charlotte said, “I still get a little freaked out by random symptoms. The doctor told me to be aware of changes in my breasts, in my bones, in my liver. So if I get an unexplainable twinge, I assume it’s cancer coming back. When my back hurt, I went to the ER [emergency room] and was assured it wasn’t cancer. I may be a little paranoid about it, but I’d rather be safe.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.