scanxiety a universal emotion

Midpoint between follow up CT scans after lung cancer surgery I found myself Googling “scanxiety” and curiously found a 2011 song by that name on You Tube, “Scanxiety (Waiting for the Scan)” by a band called The Wide Plains.

Googling more, I found a June interview which in turn lead to a link to the The Wide Plains Facebook page, messaged them asking if they would post the lyrics, which gratefully they did … danke schön!

Is scanxiety a universal emotion? … Beside being one of the 1 in 14 Americans diagnosed with lung cancer and experiencing ‘scanxiety’, how many others worldwide face the same anxieties undergoing medical tests. 

More than just a song, the Wide Plains' singer is by day a thoracic oncologist and leads a pallative care team. The lyrics of “Scanxiety” intend to express the apprehension and fear of patients with cancer who have to undergo scans at regular intervals as part of their follow-up care.

Toto?, I have a feeling we're not in the age of silly love songs anymore.

Scanxiety (Waiting for the scan)

The Wide Plains, Summer 2011

Here comes the fear again

While I´m waiting for the scan

Trying to stay as calm as I can

Though I felt the pain again

In my chest and in my brain

I am sure it is growing again

It`s a hell of a night before the scan

I´m afraid it will never end

If only I could tell I`m scared

But he`ll be agonised as well

Keeping silent as good as I can

The kids should have a normal day

I can hear my heart beat when they call my name

I lay down on the stretcher

Then the door will close

I`m holding my breath

and I have to go through the tunnel again on my own

They scan my body slice by slice

for lumps, nodes and opacities

while anxiety`s overwhelming me

if he only learned how to bring the news

and while he thinks to mean it well

he`s flooding me with guilt and shame

I long for words of warmth, support and empathy

I need your compassion

Not your dominance

Nor Your disrespect

To push it beneath the surface for six weeks

  

To hear their song on You Tube dubbed over some ‘interesting’ old super 8 footage … just click below

Patrick Leer

BLOGS:

Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/

My Lung Cancer Odyssey @ http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/

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