Trifecta of Support

Last night, after resting up from my chemo day, I attended a breast cancer support group. I cannot recommend this highly enough. This group meets once a month and I knew that I didn't want towait a month to attend... even if it meant having to attend on the same day I received chemo.

It is important that the women and what they shared remain confidential, so I won't share any details... only my personal experience. I want to share this because I think that anyone going through this should seek out a support group.

There are three types (so far) of support that I'm receiving during this experience. The first is what I've shared the most about... the support of my friends and family. They are the ones that go with me to every appointment, drive me around when I'm not able to drive myself, and bring me dinner when I'm too tired to cook it myself. This is the support that occasionally makes you cry (joyfully) because you realize how much you are truly loved. There's also the medical professionals that are guiding you through your recovery. These people are an important part of your life for obvious reasons. Having a terrific medical staff supporting you is a very good thing. It allows you to trust in them and their methods and feel confident that you are going to recover.

You could conceivably get through your entire recovery with only these two methods of support and be fine. But, I think the third area of support, that of women who have been through this already, is critical. I learned so much from these women, who asked me questions about my illness that I never thought to ask myself. They made suggestions that I never would have thought of. They were well informed about each of the drugs, the various therapies, the various stages, etc. And they had an amazingly positive energy as a group. I walked in feeling tired and walked out feeling energized. I know that I made new friends last night. And, in doing that, I've ensured that I'm not alone through any of this. I have made friends that have gone through the same thing that I am.

Don't get me wrong. I already have friends that have gone through this, or something close to it. I spoke to one of them for nearly two hours on the phone the other evening. It was after that conversation that I realized how important it would be for me to surround myself with more women like her... hence the support group.

I also intend to get more active in this area. Last night, I signed up to indicate my interest in participating in a community outreach/education thing that happens this fall. I also shared with the women my plan to do the documentary and they were overwhelmingly supportive. I also invited anyone who is interested in sharing their story to contact me. I would really like to make this documentary about more than just me.