3rd time - not so lucky .....

I hope you won't mind my post here , I do not have breast cancer myself but My dear friend has recently( two weeks ) been diagnosed with breast Cancer and is only a week away from a mastectomy . I was with her when she recieve the news over the phone that her scans for secondary sites were clear . I was shocked that her surgeon had not arranged for this news to be given in person considering it could have gone either way and indeed my friend expected the news would not be good . Thankfully the breast cancer nurse consultant at our local hospital gave us an appointment to coincide with the phone call . This was actually a very good thing as it has created a connection and trust that will be needed in the coming months, so perhaps the seemingly inept Dr did my friend a favour, not that he suggested the involvement which I still feel very cross about . 
While so relieved at this time that the cancer has not apparently spread the dreadful prospect of surgery next week is now looming . My friend has her husband her mum and I to provide as much support and love as we can and I hope that my friend will join you on this site in the future however for now any advice you can offer me about what may help and things that can be less helpful will be really welcome . In particular if any of you know any good really simple resources for very young children as my friend also has a five year old son who as yet knows nothing . His Mum and Dad will be telling him before her surgery but as they have just moved house this week and he school too it has been necessarily avoided . My friend is especially struggling with how to go about this so if you have experience that could be helpful or know of good resources I would be able to pass them on as she cannot at this time ask this for herself .