Friends

I'm tired today.  And sore.  Much more sore than after the excision biopsy.  But the overall pain is quite minimal.  I'm really lucky.

Lucky...that's what I'm really here to talk about today.  I am truly overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and support that I have received from my friends.  Maybe I've been playing the karma game well.  Maybe I'm nicer to people than I thought I was.  But whatever the reason....my friends are amazing.  Little things like a "like" or a comment on Facebook are really hitting my heart right now.  A text.  An email.  Friends who post on their own FB wall in my support (Heather Shinpaugh and Willie Kelty) or who dig up a picture of the Disney Princesses with bald heads (Matt Gallo) have really bowled me over. 

 

And I mustn't forget the "singing email" from Bryden McGarry.  I feel so amazingly loved.  Knowing that my friends are by my side no matter what just makes everything seem so much easier.

And I need to give an extra big thanks to my boyfriend Nick Starks.  He has been taking good care of me...driving me around, feeding me good meals, making sure I don't lift things I shouldn't, bringing me a cat to love on when Sumo won't come on his own....the list is endless.  When Nick and I got (back) together (after a twenty years or so hiatus) I warned him that breast cancer was likely a part of my future.  He said it didn't scare him.  Scars didn't make me less attractive, and a mastectomy (should it ever come to that) wouldn't either.  We would deal with the Big C if and when it ever became a factor.  We didn't expect that it would be a large part of our lives only a year and a half later. But it is.  He's a trooper.  And I know this wouldn't be near as easy to handle without him.  The thought of going through this alone...well I don't even want to think about it.  I'm sure I could do it.  But I don't have to.  Nick is here.  And he's going to be with me throughout.  And I'm lucky.