What do you say to a friend with cancer?
by Princess Bubble

 This is not a blog where I tell you what to say.

This is a blog where I ask, "What do you say?" My dear friend has stage 4 Melanoma. She has 3 children and a father dying of cancer and a brother that recently died of cancer.

I want to be positive. To tell her I know God can do anything and I do believe that. But, I also want her to be comfortable telling me as much or as little as she wants about being scared, having moments she is not hopeful or even days/weeks. Having a place to vent. This precious amazing girl worries she will seem lazy if she rest because we live in this world so fast paced we see resting as negative sometimes verses a form of medicine the body needs!

She worries about losing her hair and gaining weight because these things make us feel beautiful, worth, loved, the person the see in the mirror and recognize. I am sure losing your hair and physical signs of the disease also are just constant reminders of the battle. When you look the same physically there is always my favorite place-denial.

In fact part of me does not even want to call my friend. How awful is that! But, she lives in another state and I want to just forget she has cancer and live in denial and think she is at home well having the fantastic life she should have. Calling her I am reminded, this is serious! But, what I would not give to be able to call my own father again. I know if she is taken from us I would regret that I did not embrace and cherish each opportunity to talk with her.

I also feel that maybe others feel this way because she calls me back when I say you do not have to-- and talks at length-which I am thankful for-but feel she must not be telling all of this to many people because she has so much going on. Or maybe she is and is hoping for just one person to say what she needs to hear. I want to be that person. I want to say something that will get her through this.

Then there are people who have told her if her faith is strong enough she will be healed. Are these people off their rocker? God promises us healing but that is often the ultimate healing-healing from this world and an eternal life with Him. I was guilty of comments similar to this once. My mother was healed of breast cancer when she had 6 months to live. Now, it has been 12 years! Praise God! Right after that I thought- you just have to ask!!! I still believe we need to ask for healing and believe it is possible-but we just do not know why God heals some and takes others.

I have been dealing with a lot of frustration lately from people I adore. When I talk to this friend with cancer I am reminded just how trivial my anger issues really are. Well, at least till I hit another bump in the road.

I just am so sadden that a sweet, wonderful, loving, godly woman is having to fight this disease with all she has when Bin Laudin who has spent so much more time in the sun than my friend is probably in a cave somewhere plotting evil and and cancer free.

I bought my friend a t-shirt that says it all "Cancer Sucks!"

Amen
www.PrincessBubble.com

Comments

 

PLEASE send her this post

It wasn't me, it was my 2 year old.  She was diagnosed with cancer in July 06.  There were so many people who said "I don't know what to say" and I didn't care what they said, I just needed something to do, someone to talk to, someone to tell me about the mundane non-cancer things going on in their lives.  

It is so hard because when cancer envelopes your life, you DO lose friends.  Those friends who are afraid to talk to you because it makes their own mortality real and touchable. Those friends who are afraid of making you cry, or saying the wrong thing when they don't understand that not saying anything makes you feel as if they don't care.  There are those people who need to keep their mouths shut, but usually just the fact that you care enough to call lifts the spirit.  

I don't know what to say.  I have a deep faith and for some, that makes it harder because I get angry with God...with all rights to be...that THIS is my new normal.  But remind her over and over.....not that her miracle is coming, don't make statements that have no bearing because they're not yours to give....but that giving the anger, the fear and anxiety to God is what is important.  That you love and support and encourage her, that you're there for her, that's its ok if all she wants to do is call you and cry and vent.  

Be honest with her, let her comfort you occassionally...you'd be surprised how much she needs that too....to know that you're afraid and that you love her enough to fear for her.

Anissa Mayhew

www.hope4peyton.org 

www.onevoiceproject.ning.com