(Photo by Beth Boyke Photography)
When you’re going through something in your life, the only people who get it are the ones who have been through it or are experiencing it.
A friend in Colorado, who I’d lost touch with, reached out shortly after my diagnosis and shared her diagnosis. Her positive texts mean so much and she gets it.
But I wanted to meet people locally. I reached out to a cancer support group shortly after diagnosis but did not hear back. The cancer center’s support group takes place on chemo day. Staying at the hospital on chemo day or going back to the hospital for meetings didn’t particularly seem appealing, even though I was interested in meeting others.
And then I heard that Martha, a blogger in my area who I knew, was part of someone I knew socially, was a Wisconsin ambassador of The Breasties. At 45, I’m on the older end of the women attending, but that’s okay. When you’re in your 20s or 30s with breast cancer, you’re often just getting started in your education, your career, your marriage, your family, which is a lot to think about in addition to your health.
But I am so grateful to have found this group of women. It’s so helpful to be with people who get it. Our stages, ER/PR/HER2 statuses, chemo, radiation, surgeries are different, but we get it.
Cancer has taught me that I need to manage my energy. I can’t do everything I want to do due to fatigue, but I’ll meet up with my tribe whenever I can.
