Most of us have been guilty of jumping to conclusions at one time or another. I know I have! It happens when we make assumptions, or hasty judgements, before learning or considering all the facts. Recognizing that these conclusions are mostly negative and almost always wrong, why do we do it? Let’s pause, take a breath and remember—don’t jump to conclusions.
My Latest “Jump”
Last month I went to the dermatologist for a skin cancer screening.
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It had been 3 years since my last check and I wanted to get all caught up on my health ‘to do’ list. I thought I could take care of a planter wart on my foot at the same time.
That simple skin screening, it turned into a 4 site biopsy session! I went in not expecting any issues and came out completely frazzled. I was worried and upset. What was going on? Also, it was summer—I love summer—and I wasn’t allowed to jump in the lake until the biopsy sites were healed. Not a great day. I started jumping to conclusions.
Waiting is Hard
Tick-tock.
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As I (kind of) celebrated 4th of July on the lake—no swimming!—I waited impatiently for the results and the healing from the skin biopsies. I finally called the dermatologist.
Results from the nurse…
- 1 benign mole
- 1 basal cell carcinoma—skin cancer
- 2 dysplastic moles requiring excision for clear margins.
What?! I was shocked. This meant more trips to the dermatologist, more summer fun postponed and more questions.
- What exactly is basal cell carcinoma skin cancer?
- What about deadly melanoma skin cancer?
I was immediately on the internet researching these results and what they meant for me. Whew, okay, basal cell carcinoma is different than melanoma. Easily treatable. Next. Another win, the chances of “severe dysplastic moles” hiding melanoma cancer beneath them is slim.
BUT POSSIBLE.
I found all the scary worst case scenarios…
Jumping to Conclusions
What kind of conclusions? The worst kind.
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My mind immediately jumped to very deep, dark conclusions. Doomsday scenarios interrupted my thoughts day and night. I was sure my days were numbered. This fear consumed me for a week as I waited for my followup dermatology appointment.
When my appointment finally arrived, I responded with tears to the nurse’s innocent question, “how are you doing?”. All of my fears spilled out in a rush. I obviously wasn’t the first tearful patient she’d seen. She quickly stepped out and brought the dermatologist into the room.
The dermatologist calmly explained…
- I did not have melanoma
- They didn’t expect to find melanoma hiding under my moles
- The clear margin requirement was (only) a precaution to prevent future melanoma.
The doc also apologized that the nurse’s call the week previous hadn’t made this clear to me. She cautioned me to use sunscreen and keep a close eye on my skin. Through my research, I’d found out breast cancer survivors are more prone to melanoma than the general public. Not fair! Even so, I walked out of there with a big bandaid on my back and a big smile on my face. I was going to live another day! The fact that I was still banned from lake swimming was completely forgotten.
Wait for the Facts (and Relax)
Moral of the story? Try not to jump to conclusions. They are often wrong and can cause unneeded anxiety and stress.
I realize that my reaction to the dermatology experience was very different than it would’ve been before my breast cancer diagnosis. For better or worse, our life experiences shape us and how we perceive the world. I now know if something DOES come up, it’s much better to take a deep breath, clear your mind and approach it calmly. That’s what I hope to do next time!
(In case you were wondering, the planter wart on my foot wasn’t actually a plantar wart, it was a corn! Back to the internet…)
