Where did all my friends go?

karody

I am two and a half years out from treatment.  During treatment, my friends, family, community, and even total strangers rallied around me.  People did and said the kindest things.  It was so amazing to see so much kindness and goodness in people and I was blessed to know people cared.

However, now I feel like my friends have disappeared.  I mean, I didn't expect to continue to get cards or meals dropped off at the door (I never expected it, but it was a flattering surpise at the time), but I did think that my friendships could survive cancer.  I have the sneaking suspicion that everyone thought I was dying and now that I have lived they aren't as interested. 

We should treat each person we talk to as if it might be the last time we speak to them because it might be.  I wish we would all rally around each other when things are going well- not just in the midst of catastrophies.  Does anybody else feel like this?

etherize

Yes, I can relate.  Although friends I'd hoped would be there for me during treatment disappeared, so it's not a surprise to me that they're not here now.

I think you're right that now that you've survived, they're less interested.  Sad, but it's human nature, I guess. 

karody

I felt like I was a popular cause, "My friend with breastcancer"  and now I am just like I was before cancer, it looks like that Stage III isn't going to catch me and my friends have kind of ditched me now.  I feel like I was a cause to pity then and now I am jus same old me and that isn't as rewarding.