I am so grateful for old friends who have walked with me on this journey but I am just as grateful for the new friends that I have made only because of cancer, many of them fellow cancer patients.
Cancer is an isolating journey for, however hard people around you try to understand, it is difficult for them to walk in your shoes. Often I found that I didn't have any words to describe the pain, discomfort, thoughts & feelings that I was going through. Sometimes I couldn't share anything as I felt I had to protect people who loved me from worrying. I also found that some people needed to think I was doing okay or they were quite uncomfortable ... so I learnt to be super upbeat and positive for most of the time. Until I discovered a Facebook support group for my cancer type, ovarian. It was wonderful! Suddenly I wasn't the one with cancer, I was one amongst many, it was such a relief. I could finally be honest about my worst fears without the worry of upsetting anyone and I found such kindness, patience and understanding.
Today I have spent the day with a new friend, met through Penny Brohn Cancer Centre (google it... its great!). We live over an hour away from each other and we would never have met without cancer yet today we talked about death and dying, hope and positive thinking, suffering, chemo, kids and bowel habits! My soul is soothed and we have encouraged and supported each other.
God made us to be community, for relationships. When you have cancer you sometimes have to move on from the people who struggle to relate to you anymore and find that friendship in different places. Take a look in the online communities, there is wealth of support and friendship out there for us. Find a support group through your hospital, use old friends who have said they will walk with you but what ever you do, don't try and walk alone. Churches offer great communities where you can find friendship and support if you don't know where to go.
I thank God today for friends, new and old. I could not do this without them!
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