A wake-up call
shock
PLAQUE, SHOCKING, SHOCK
This category expresses reactions of negative valence and includes moderate reactions describing the message as disturbing or unpleasant as well as strong emotions, where the ultrasound result was almost perceived as a shock:
It was exciting and somewhat shocking, after the ultrasound, since it showed that… well, I considered myself to be in good health so it was somewhat shocking to get the letter and finding out that I had plaque, and also that my arteries were thick, they were down for red, so my first reaction was ‘Oh no, I don’t want to die The thing is that it becomes a warning bell. You have to grab hold of things and not just throw away that piece of paper and think ‘Whatever!’ but instead try to improve things. Yes, I think it has been good. (Man, informant 6)I found out, stated in black-and-white, that this is how it really is. Me, who consider myself to be very healthy and have more stamina than my colleagues of the same age, and then… then it looks like this. (Woman, informant 13)