Since I got diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago and learned that one in eight women will get breast cancer over the course of their lifetime, I have been worried about my female friends and family. I keep wondering who will get it next. Maybe that seems morbid, but I have more than eight women that are an important part of my life so I know in time there is a very real possibility that someone I care about will get breast cancer. Last week that fear came true. I got the call from a good friend that I have known for over 13 years and she told me she had been diagnosed. My heart sank.
My good friend Emily is a mom and wife. She is a great person. She's caring, funny, supportive and an awesome mom to her two college aged kids. She was so kind to me when I was going through everything. She always listened and offered comfort. As I type this, I still can't believe she has to go through all of this.
Since hearing her news, it has made me go back to the first days when I was just diagnosed. Her comments sound like exactly what I experienced. She said yesterday "I just can't believe this is really happening to me". I remember feeling the same way. The shock and disbelief combined with the fear was enough to make anyone go crazy. The uncertainty about what was to come and what it would feel like was intense. It was so hard to accept that I actually had cancer.
Now as dear Emily moves forward through this journey I will be there for her and her family. I know what they are going through and hope I can offer comfort and hope that there is life beyond breast cancer. Where I am now in life is a far cry from where I was three years ago. I hope she can see that and look to the future in a positive light.
