Is friendship important to you? How has friendship impacted your life?

I would rather be a friend to someone than have a lot of friends. I like helping people, but having too many friends means you never have time for yourself.  I like some me time once in a while just to try to get some things done around the house. I work a lot of hours at my job, so I don't have a lot of free time to give. 

I have been blessed with a wonderful group of friends but I don't think of them as friends, they are family. When I first was diagnosed with breast cancer & started telling my friends I had to tell them I was choosing to not go the traditional way of treatment and I needed their support of my choice even though they might have other feelings. It is a personal disease and a personal choice that you alone need to make. I had a couple of friends that said, after they were told  "You are just going to die then?!" I said,"That is something we are all going to do and I believe we all have a day we are going to die, and when that day comes, nothing will stop it, not matter what we do, but I am going to fight the cancer, just with natural methods and not with the poisons the medical industry pushes." I also believe I am going to a wonderful place when I die and I will be great either way. They have all been wonderful, especially, 1 of my best friends, my husband. I support any of my family & friends who choose to go the traditional route too, I spent every hospital stay with my sister, chemo treatment and anything else any of them would chose.             I believe my friends are just family born to different parents, and sometimes your own biological family are not family at all. I love & treasure them and am so thankful for them everyday.  

My friend is my fiance and the love of my life! We both have health issues and support each other when things get bad. Our love keeps us strong and able to meet each day as it comes! I also love this family of friends on Carenety,because everyone cares for each other!

Good friends are always there to lend an ear.

I did  not  I have enough friends thru all this. When I had an 8 hour major surgery on my esophagus, nobody was there to see me or support me in any way.  I had one friend who took care my son while I was in for 6 day stretches. So yeah, so called friends disappear when the Big C attaches itself. I lost everything fighting this. My kid and I live in a damn motel. Life isn't great. Losing your lives savings and your home is  terrible thing.

Hey all! I would like to start off saying who I am.. My name is Maryanne and I do understand in how some of you feel. Although I do have two very special friends that are like my sister's, I love them both too death. I was diagnosed with Thyriod Cancer but in August of this year, and I had my Thyriod removed September 30th. I am so greatful to have had them as my friends. It's been a real struggle for me and not just for me but for my family as well.

My husband and my to adult boy's are there for me but sometime's they don't like to talk with me in what is happening to me. It is a strain on all of them. So when I need someone to talk with I do call upon my friends ,and we go have a girl's day out. And like someone said on here we have a wonderful group where we can talk with each other....

@cancerdad66 I am so sorry to hear what you have went through. I know the struggle it is to make ends meet now-a-days & you add an illness that strips you of everything happens too much is our society. It's not right, while big pharm, insurance co.,medical industry, and the politicians the buy get richer. I hope you are filing bankruptcy because that's the only choice left. A person with cancer and insurance goes through their life savings (if they have any), in 2 yrs. What about the spouse that is left, when that person loses their fight with cancer,...etc? They are not only losing their  spouse but 1/2 of their income and left with all the bills. We need socialized medicine & maybe we would have treatment to make us better, without being rich and not just drs. sending you to more test, more specialist that repeat the same tests, and not as many  medical deaths by error competing with almost as many as cancer. (and some of the cancer deaths probably are from medical error too. I apologize for ranting on about this but I get so sick of people going through a life threatening illness having to have the added stress of losing everything, because they got sick. 

Try to stay strong and don't push away anyone who tries to be there for you. You shouldn't have had to be alone for your surgery. I lost my sister to ovarian cancer 11 years ago and was at her bedside ever hospital stay,chemo & friends were always asking what they could do. Sometimes you need to tell them, "well I could use someone to be there for my for surgery, I could stand someone to pick up my meds or drop off groceries this week, or I really need someone to come to my place and just talk of listen to me." Sometimes people really want to help but don't know how, or are afraid of interfering & it's a relief when you ask them so they can help, without the worry of disturbing you. 

I really pray your life gets better. Don't get down on yourself, you are still the person you were. You didn't choose this life or contribute to it by bad choices, it happened to you. Your not your cancer, you are a good person and doing the best you can to get through everyday, and that takes a very strong person. God bless. A friend

Thank you kind words. I have lost everything. I have nothing. I even had to sell my musical instruments that brought. Joy. We haven't eaten in two days Nobody will help with anything.  We live in the stingiest city in America. It's very wealthy and religious. And these people hate us for being sick and poor. It's awful. I don't even have 5 cents. We have no place to live, because you have to be rich just to be .accepted.  I never thought people could be so cruel.  I was told by a minister that was poor because I spent my money on dope and alcohol and that nobody ended up like us unless we were dope addicts. It's awful.  can't hold on much longer.

My heart say, I not come next time on the earth.

@cancerdad66 My heart breaks for you. I wish there was something I could think of to help. I don't know how a minister can totally turn their back on you. They have no business pretending to be a servant of God and to be so heartless and closed minded. How big is the town/city you live in? there should be some help out there somewhere for you. Do you have any relatives that live somewhere else that could possibly send you a bus ticket or something to get you to another area where you might have a better chance? I  would try other churches. Not all can be so heartless. Sometimes all there is to do is pray for Gods help. You are alive and have your son, and in your darkest hour pray and he comes through. He loves you, so put it in his hands and when I have thought I had no options I have handed it over to Him and something happened to keep me going. I don't want to sound preachy and I sure am not trying to make light of your situation but sometimes when you have nothing else you can do you hand it over to God and something happens to make things  better. I will be praying for you and your son, that happens soon.Just try and take it one second at a time, until you can get through one minute, then a day, and you can make it if you  don't give up on yourself.Go to the library and look for help, aid , shelters. It's warm and dry and free and you can look for any kind of programs while you are there. At least having lost everything you can not lose any more. It can only get better from here. Check on this site and ask if there is any help they can give, or at least maybe suggest some other options to try. I will continue to pray for you. Your friend