How did you handle going for important medical tests?

Perhaps some of us, or all of us, at one time went for an important medical test. It could have been a brain scan, or a cancer screening. The whole process seems so long, if you think about it. Days to the appointment, then the actual appointment, then the wait for the results.

Have you been in this position? If so how did you handle it. Did you think positively or very negatively? Then when the test result arrived, how was it?. I am interested to know how you dealt with the process but also, do you feel your positive thoughts regards the test, or lack of worry influenced the test? Particularly if it were a good result. If it were a bad result how did you manage to get through that?