There are some benefits that joining Face Book that you may not think about. When you think of Face Book you think about people reconnecting with old loves and old friends but you don’t think about getting incredible support in your journey through cancer. I have found that cancer has touched a great deal of lives in my old hometown of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. There are many of my former classmates that have battled cancer. It was surprising to me to see all the people that have either battled cancer themselves or a loved one of theirs did.
It was nice to reconnect with old friends and see how their lives had turned out. It took me a while to decide if I was going to put on my face book page that I had battled breast cancer or not. The reason I had problems with it was because it seemed like a very personal thing and I had a hard time with people knowing about it. I was not sure if I wanted to share that part of my life with others. When I decided to put that I had breast cancer on my page I was surprised by the support and kind words that I received.
I reconnected with a girl I graduated with and had not spoken to since graduation. Nicole shared with me that she too had battled breast cancer, she fought it while she had young kids and a husband; the same as me. No one in my support group that I went to made me feel that they knew what I was going through, all the fears and concerns that I had as a young cancer survivor. It is amazing that someone about 1800 miles away from me could become one of my biggest means of support.
Like me, Nicole was diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 35 just like me. She has had a recurrence and fought it like the strong woman that she is. She has talked to me through my “going crazy” stressed days; she has encouraged me in ways that she will never truly understand. On the days that I felt like I was going to break from stress she lifted me up and told me that we were going to make it. She knew how I was feeling and she made me feel like I was not as crazy as I felt. All the feelings and thoughts that had gone through my mind she had dealt with also.
Nicole’s openness, honesty and heart have given me such support she will never know how much her friendship has given to me. Nicole has given me the power to share my story with everyone; she has made me feel normal and helped me remember that I need to live every day and not to worry about what I can’t control. If you are reading this and you know me from high school you know who I am talking about.
Nicole thanks for your openness and your support you have helped me live again.