Charm,
I did a lot of e-mail updates to our friends/family when my husband was sick. I did my level best to convey the seriousness of the situation without scaring the bejesus out of people with descriptions of frightening therapy machines. Here is my description of the radiation mask fitting:

[quote]... went to Metro yesterday (Monday) to have his radiation mask made by Tony the tech. As the illustration shows, the mask is bolted to the table so that he will be in EXACTLY the right position when the radiation is applied. The mask is made of plastic which softens in hot water, and is then fitted to the patient.

Once the mask was completed, he was scanned in it with a Picker CT machine (this is their setup machine, not the diagnostic or treatment equipment, for you Picker ex-pat's). This scan will be used by the radiologist to develop the plan (program) for the shaped radiation that will converge to obliterate the cancer with the least possible damage to surrounding tissue such as salivary glands. The ability to generate these shaped fields provides a tremendous improvement in the quality of life post-cancer. [/quote]

Isn't that better than getting someone who might be facing the same thing someday preloaded with fear?

I am a writer, and have some idea of the power of words to twist reality. I did that myself - but tried to twist toward courage, not fear - as the article does, regardless of its title.