---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a PET scan scheduled in a couple…"
description: "\"“I had a PET scan scheduled in a couple weeks. If something was wrong, I'd find out soon enough. Nothing to be gained by worrying between now and then...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/john-green-12_quote_i-had-a-pet-scan-scheduled-in-a-couple-w_1450703.jpg"
---

#  I had a PET scan scheduled in a couple weeks. If something…

![“I had a PET scan scheduled in a couple weeks. If something was wrong, I'd find out soon enough. Nothing to be gained by worrying between now and then. And yet still I worried. I liked being a person. I wanted to keep at it. Worry is yet another side effect of dying.” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/john-green-12_quote_i-had-a-pet-scan-scheduled-in-a-couple-w_1450703.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/john-green-12_quote_i-had-a-pet-scan-scheduled-in-a-couple-w_1450703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/john-green-12_quote_i-had-a-pet-scan-scheduled-in-a-couple-w_1450703.jpg)

> ““I had a PET scan scheduled in a couple weeks. If something was wrong, I'd find out soon enough. Nothing to be gained by worrying between now and then. And yet still I worried. I liked being a person. I wanted to keep at it. Worry is yet another side effect of dying.””

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Worry persists despite logical reassurance, reflecting an instinctive fear of death and desire to stay alive.

**In simple terms:** Worry continues even when we know it won’t help.

Key Takeaway

Accept uncertainty and focus on living.

Themes

mortality anxiety human nature

Mood

reflective somber

Type

philosophical personal motivational

When to use this quote

- health checkups
- personal crises
- daily stress
- terminal illness
- making decisions

Key Concepts

existential dread psychological coping

Questions to Reflect On

- What does worrying teach you about your values?
- How can you transform worry into purposeful action?

A Different Perspective

Worry can become paralyzing if not managed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Gained Worrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gained-worrying-4584337/) [Wanted Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-worry-1973844/) [Worried Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worried-liked-1802350/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worrying Worried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying-worried-5215852/)

## Related quotes

> [“If something was wrong, I’d find out soon enough. Nothing to be gained by worrying between now and then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/if-something-was-wrong-i-d-find-out-soon-enough-nothing-to-be-gained/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Nothing to be gained by worrying between now and then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-to-be-gained-by-worrying-between-now-and-then/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [And yet still I worried. I like being a person. I wanted to keep at it. Worry is yet another side effect of dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-yet-still-i-worried-i-like-being-a-person-i-wanted-to-keep-at-it/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [I miss: not caring what I looked like, not worried if he liked me, when swearing was such a bad thing, but what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-miss-not-caring-what-i-looked-like-not-worried-if-he-liked-me-when/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Unless you're a serial killer, you're worried about being liked by somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-bauer-van-straten/unless-you-re-a-serial-killer-you-re-worried-about-being-liked-by/)

[Kristin Bauer van Straten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-bauer-van-straten/)

> [Don't you try and go through life worried if someone had liked you or not. You best make sure that they are doing right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/don-t-you-try-and-go-through-life-worried-if-someone-had-liked-you-or/)

[James Earl Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-earl-jones/)

> [You'll never change the world if you're worried about being liked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-never-change-the-world-if-you-re-worried-about-being-liked/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“However, the trouble with getting what you've always wanted is that once you have it, you have to worry that you'll lose it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-center/however-the-trouble-with-getting-what-you-ve-always-wanted-is-that/)

[Katherine Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-center/)

> [I discovered a long time ago that if I helped people get what they wanted, I would always get what I wanted and would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/i-discovered-a-long-time-ago-that-if-i-helped-people-get-what-they/)

[Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/)

> [What do you know about life? " Bitterness ached in her throat. " You were born with everything. You never had to struggle for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/what-do-you-know-about-life-bitterness-ached-in-her-throat-you-were/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [I knew I could do anything I wanted to do and go anywhere I wanted to go and not have to worry if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cilla-black/i-knew-i-could-do-anything-i-wanted-to-do-and-go-anywhere-i-wanted-to/)

[Cilla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cilla-black/)

> [“I felt the worry start to snatch at my breath when I finished talking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-felt-the-worry-start-to-snatch-at-my-breath-when-i-finished-talking/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [Not reassuring when weathermen say 'Today will be terrible but don't worry it won't be as terrible as tomorrow or Friday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/not-reassuring-when-weathermen-say-today-will-be-terrible-but-don-t/)

[Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/)

> [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/)

[Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/)

## More by John Green

> [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

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[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

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[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

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[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

[Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

## More Worry quotes

> [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/)

[Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/)

> [Not reassuring when weathermen say 'Today will be terrible but don't worry it won't be as terrible as tomorrow or Friday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/not-reassuring-when-weathermen-say-today-will-be-terrible-but-don-t/)

[Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/)

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/)

[Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/)

> [“I worry about you. Not just about your safety. I worry when you’re stressed. I worry when you’re unhappy.” His words leveled her world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-a-bardan/i-worry-about-you-not-just-about-your-safety-i-worry-when-you-re/)

[Amber A. Bardan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-a-bardan/)

> [You should never stress and worry when you can always pray and have Faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-never-stress-and-worry-when-you-can-always-pray-and-have/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

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[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

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[Ethar El- Katatney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethar-el-katatney/)

> [“But if that was going to happen, it was going to happen whether or not he worried about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/but-if-that-was-going-to-happen-it-was-going-to-happen-whether-or-not/)

[N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/)

> [I worry about Las Vegas schools. I hear in math, they only teach them to count to 21.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/i-worry-about-las-vegas-schools-i-hear-in-math-they-only-teach-them/)

[Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/)

> [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/)

[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

> [If I told my wife I was going to become a manager she'd say 'sign this then. Don't worry it's only a divorce. Au…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ginola/if-i-told-my-wife-i-was-going-to-become-a-manager-she-d-say-sign-this/)

[David Ginola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ginola/)

> [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/)

[Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/)

> [ When they \[people with insomnia\] start worrying about not sleeping, I'll say, "Say the mantra to myself; if I don't sleep tonight, I'll likely… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-harris/when-they-people-with-insomnia-start-worrying-about-not-sleeping-i-ll/)

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[Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/)

[Browse all 8,386 Worry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/)

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