Hard words to say...

Firstly, in February 2013 I was diagnosed with Paget's Disease of the Nipple and had a partial mastectomy of the left breast, followed 2 weeks later by removal of 16 more lymph nodes from under my left arm. Chemo and radiation followed with treatment taking nearly 12 months, during which time due to the steroids and lack of activity I put on 18 kilos, of which I have only managed to lose 8 since.

Like most people I lost my hair - scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, underarms, etc. and had problems with nerve pain and numbness in my feet and fingers.

Last week I discovered that an old friend was in town, a man I have always had a major crush on, and hadn't seen for 4 years.

We arranged to meet for dinner.

Then the panic set in...

How was I going to tell him what I had been through? How was he going to react to my extra weight? What was he going to think of my short, thin hair (I'd always had long hair)?

I spent the day slightly depressed, I couldn't decide what to wear, I didn't like the way my hair was sitting. I nearly cancelled several times. Even as I was walking to the restaurant I nearly kept walking.

I should not have worried, if he noticed the extra weight he had the good grace to not show it, commented he liked my hair. He was shocked when I told him that I had Breast Cancer and he said he was sorry for what had happened, and asked what treatment I had gone through, then looked at my chest and said "So....are they real?" 

I burst out laughing, I then remembered why I had always been a little in love with this man.....he always knew how to make me feel better.

Moral of my story? There are going to be times that you find it hard to tell others, I only hope that they are as supportive as this friend was to me, and if given the chance maybe they will surprise you!