Neuroendocrine Cancer: turn surveillance into a positive

It’s hard to be positive when you don’t know how you’re doing. The only way to know how you’re doing is to get professional surveillance. This is precisely why I see getting surveillance scans and other tests) as a positive. Even if something isn’t quite right, at least you know, your doctors know, and they can watch it or do something about it. They simply can’t do that if you’re not getting surveillance.

This is precisely why it’s a positive thing, i.e. if you don’t get it done, you don’t know how you’re doing – that is a more worrying situation in my opinion. Surveillance is meant in the widest context, it can range from a telephone appointing asking questions and getting answers, all the way through to scanning.

Don’t cross the bridge until you come to it}

Testing needs to be done. There’s an old saying that I truly believe in – “Don’t cross that bridge until you come to it” and it decodes in various contexts to something like “don’t worry about things in the future you cannot control”. In terms of test results, those will be what they will be, and no amount of worrying will change that fact. It’s wasted energy. Sit tight, wait and focus on other things until your doctor gives you the results. “Scanxiety” is a made up word but it does get abused as people use it in conversations and writing unrelated to scans. I just don’t get it. When I say I just don’t get it, I mean scanxiety and the intro to this post explains why.

I wrote some tips to try to avoid this fear by turning surveillance into a positive. You can read that here or by clicking on the heading or picture.

Living with cancer: 5 tips for facing things you can’t control

I realise not everyone is wired in the same way to handle fear and worry. But worrying about things you cannot control might be wasted energy. Try these 5 tips by clicking here or on the picture.

8 tips for conquering fear

Are you a worrier or a warrior (or both from time to time)? This graphic might help.

Disclaimer

I am not a doctor or any form of medical professional, practitioner or counsellor. None of the information on my website, or linked to my website(s), or conveyed by me on any social media or presentation, should be interpreted as medical advice given or advised by me.

Neither should any post or comment made by a follower or member of my private group be assumed to be medical advice, even if that person is a healthcare professional.

Please also note that mention of a clinical service, trial/study or therapy does not constitute an endorsement of that service, trial/study or therapy by Ronny Allan, the information is provided for education and awareness purposes and/or related to Ronny Allan’s own patient experience. This element of the disclaimer includes any complementary medicine, non-prescription over the counter drugs and supplements such as vitamins and minerals.