Real Case: ‘Unbreaking’ bad news proves as hard as breaking it

We’ve all had experience breaking bad news. I even used to teach medical students the art, using actors as standardised patients.  

But no one teaches unbreaking bad news.   

And that is the predicament that I’ve recently faced. 

The patient presented with odd symptoms that could be interpreted as neurological, along with new-onset headaches. I ordered an MRI, brain.