After my first course of chemotherapy in 1990-1991, I went for my first set of post-treatment scans. My greatest hope was for my oncologist to call me and tell me, "Wendy, your scans are all clean. Your cancer is in remission."
When I went for my most recent set of scans, I put my hopes in something other than "clean" scans and good news:
accurate news.
If I get good news because the problem was missed, I lose the opportunity to respond in ways that may help. If the news is bad because a normal test was over-read, I suffer avoidable distress and may undergo procedures and treatments that won't help.
Getting to the truth of a particular problem as quickly and safely as possible involves ordering the right tests (not too many; not too few), having the tests done properly, and having the results read as carefully as possible.
So when I go for scans, I remind myself, "It is what it is. The results have nothing to do with anything I am thinking, feeling, praying or hoping when I lie in the scanner." So I pray, "May the test be as accurate as technically possible and may the skills of the physicians be at their best."
More than Healthy Survivors hope for good news, Healthy Survivors hope for accurate news.
I'm going in for a second MRI this morning after having one last Wednesday. Your message is very pertinent and accurate!
Posted by: Roz | August 17, 2009 at 08:27 AM
Hang in there, Roz. With hope, Wendy
Posted by: Wendy S. Harpham, MD | August 17, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Beautifully said! I just got good news but I can't imagine what would happen if I was suddenly informed that the results were invalid.
Posted by: Aftercancer | August 18, 2009 at 07:52 PM
Very happy to hear your good news. Good reason to celebrate.
Posted by: Wendy S. Harpham, MD | August 18, 2009 at 08:40 PM
Very well put. I remember what a blow it was to be told I had epithelial cell ovarian cancer when my full pathology report came back, and not the (less life-threatening) stromal cell cancer I was initially told I had from the frozen section results. Inaccurate news is worse than no news; it sends us haring off down a path only to have to make a sudden & wrenching U-turn later.
Posted by: Finn | August 26, 2009 at 09:34 AM