Taking a cue from
those cheesy but irresistible quizzes you find in magazines I have created a
quiz for those of you who know someone diagnosed with cancer. If you have ever wondered the correct or
incorrect way to respond, take this quiz!
Your (friend/acquaintance/co-worker/cousin/niece/neighbor/etc.)
is diagnosed with cancer, do you
A) Not say anything to her because cancer
makes you “uncomfortable”
B) Call her or send her a card, email, text, or
FB message to let her know you are thinking about her
C) Immediately contact her to tell her about
all the people you know who have died from cancer
You see your (friend/acquaintance/co-worker/cousin/niece/neighbor/etc.)
while out shopping, do you
A) Quickly hide to avoid her because you’re
not sure what to say
B) Tell her you’ve been thinking about her and
ask her how she is doing
C) Comment that you barely recognized her
without any hair and point out how sick she looks
You meet your (friend/acquaintance/co-worker/cousin/niece/neighbor/etc.)
for lunch and she begins to talk about her diagnosis, you
A) Excuse yourself to use the restroom and
don’t return; talking about hospitals and cancer gives you the “heebie jeebies”
B) Listen to her and acknowledge how she is
feeling
C) You constantly interrupt her to complain
that you’ve had a sore throat for two days and you couldn’t make it to your
yoga class
If you answered mostly A – ignoring the situation because it makes
you uncomfortable is giving your friend/acquaintance/co-worker/cousin/niece/neighbor/etc.
the message that you don’t care. Even if
you don’t know what to say, say something.
Send her a card or email, anything to let her know you have not abandoned
her at this most difficult time.
If you answered mostly B – you are a good friend/acquaintance/co-worker/cousin/aunt/uncle/neighbor/etc. Reaching out to her and letting her know you
are there to support her and listen to her will mean everything to her. It will get her through the toughest times to
know that you care.
If you answered mostly C – you’ve probably heard this before but
you tend to be somewhat obnoxious. Your (friend/acquaintance/co-worker/cousin/niece/neighbor/etc.)
needs your support and you need to be more careful about what you say. Although you may mean well, it might come off
as rude. Chill out a little bit.
I have read a
number of stories where a person diagnosed with cancer (or another health
crisis) have felt abandoned by someone close to them. I have to be honest, I have been so extremely
fortunate to have such amazing people supporting me through this time. From the moment of my diagnosis and
continuing through all of my treatments people have been encouraging,
supportive, helpful, and compassionate.
I can truthfully say that the people around me have helped me more than
they will ever know. Every single card,
message, phone call, text, etc. has contributed to giving me the strength I
need to get through this.
Looking
on the Bright Side…it’s a wonderful feeling to have so many people around to
lift me up every time I get down!
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