2007 wasn't our best year. My mother was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's in August and I was diagnosed with breast cancer in December, just 10 days short of retiring. We had no family in Melbourne, the closest living in Brisbane and the others in New Zealand and Japan. It was left to my husband to advise family and friends of both my diagnosis and my mother's situation.
It wasn't long before the phone was ringing and the emails flowing. Friends I had known for years but had been very remiss in keeping in touch set up a roster system so someone would ring me weekly. My half-brother and aunty whom I hadn't seen for 20 years called and emailed me regularly. The phone calls and emails were like a lifeline during my chemo and radiotherapy treatment. In July last year I managed to catch up with my three closest friends in New Zealand, the first time we had all been together in over 23 years. Even without the hair they still recognised me!! And only last week my husband and I flew back to New Zealand and along with my mother, caught up with my half-brother, aunty and their partners.
I seriously underestimated the bonds of friends and family. Even though we hadn't seen one another or been in touch for years it just didn't seem to matter. If it hadn't been for my diagnosis I wouldn't have renewed those wonderful friendships or had a relationship with my half-brother and aunty. Imagine all those great get-togethers I now have to look forward to.
--Trudy
