Friendship

I have to take time to mention my wonderful, beautiful, and loving friends.  I cannot discuss my journey without mentioning them.  I have had the pleasure of working side by side with some of the most amazing and inspirational women while teaching.  These women have gone from "colleagues" to friends to family.  Some have left our school, but remain in my heart and life.  When all of this began, I was determined not to discuss it with many, but with this group of women it is pretty hard for any of us to hide anything from each other.  I am happy I let them in, as I do not know where I would be without them.  I also can't forget that I do have other wonderful friends who I know would have stood alongside me as well, and do feel bad that I sort of robbed them of that, but it was what I needed to do.  But I am still sorry..

I will never have the words to express the thanks and appreciation for all of the love, support, and encouragement I got from them.  Before my surgery, I had visits, texts, and calls full of loving and positive words.  The night before my surgery, one called not expecting me to pick up, but I did.  I spent the next 45 min talking and laughing with her.  It was a wonderful distraction.  The morning of, I woke up to encouragement that continued all the way up until I turned my phone off. After my mastectomy, they went above and beyond.  Many nights (starting the night I got home) we had meals, complete with wine and dessert delivered to us.  Everything was so delicious.  It was nice for Jay and my mom not to have to worry about making dinner and could really just have a semi break and enjoy the evenings. I had the most beautiful flowers, cards, and princess pictures surrounding me on a daily basis.  Before my surgery, during a visit, one of my friends told me "you have a lot of us that love you and want to help, you just need to let us know."  Clearly they know me, they know that's not me, and devised a plan.  And for that, I love them even more.

I love these women, I always have, and always will.