The Things Your Friends Say

When your cancer friend finds out that she does not have a second primary cancer, but instead an autoimmune disease, you have a conversation that plays out like this:
"Hey, so guess what, it's not cancer"
"Yay!"
Long pause....."Right, we're excited it's not cancer"
"Well, yes. But at least with cancer I knew what I was up against."
"True. Well if it's any consolation the treatments are pretty similar?"
"Whatever, I am still going to run this by my oncologist"

This conversation was classic and screwed up on so many levels, but one that I think lots of cancer survivors understand. The first medical setback you assume that it's related to cancer when you are still within the first five years out. You try to figure out how to deal with things that aren't cancer. You also still run all large medical things by your oncologist to make sure they are ok with it. Not that you don't trust the specialist or anyone else you see, but your oncologist is your go to person.

~~~

When you are struggling at track practice, but still really happy to be there and able to get through 9x300 m (yes that says 9!) at a pace that yourself 2 years ago would have been appalled at, sometimes your training partners lift you up.

Training partner, looks around at some of the fast athletes getting their free gear as they earned sponsorship level of our track club. Training partner looks and me and states:
"You beat cancer. How is that not automatic sponsorship? I mean, that's a bigger deal than running a fast time"

Let's just say that fueled me through the rest of the workout.

~~~

When you are discussing how your a little mad you had to break you no doctor appointments with your roommate who has been in physical therapy once a week for a year. She earnestly says to you:

"You make me feel normal because you get sick and go to the doctor. Other people I lived with never went to the doctors ever". 

Glad I could help.