Today is the day. My friend Alice, we’ll say, has had countless appointments. Options. Decisions. Biopsies. MRIs. Ultrasounds. Mammograms. Genetic testing. Second opinions. Third opinions. Consultations.
You name it. She’s had it.
The surgery was put off two weeks because of scheduling the plastic surgeon.
In that two-week meantime a study came out showing fewer lymph nodes should be removed in breast cancer surgery. Amazing to have good news at such a late moment.
As I type this Alice’s mastectomy will begin in just a few minutes. Her surgery will be less invasive because of the study released on February 8. Invasive enough for sure…she’s having a “skin sparing” mastectomy. Losing the nipple and areola, but the skin will remain and a tissue expander inserted to help facilitate later insertion of implants.
She got great friends Alice does….a sign-up sheet went around to help her out every day for the next few weeks. Errands, meals, whatever she needs. There’s a waiting list for the sign-up sheet. You want to help Alice out, you take a number! A couple friends bought her medical supplies she’d need and are no fun to buy.
I’ve got a bunch of friends in crisis at the moment. Jill with ALS, Alice with breast cancer, Pheobe awaiting results of her STD tests, Nancy’s husband very ill with Parkinson’s disease, and a couple of others. In each case the friend brigade has stepped in and stepped up…a joy to see.
Studies show that men live longer if they’re married….women live longer if they have girlfriends.
So girlfriends….have a good day….and Alice also takes good wishes and good thoughts from girlfriends she hasn’t met yet.
