Healthy Living

Judy Blume, the author of your favorite books as a kid, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The genius behind Are You There God? It's Me Margaret, Freckle Juice, and Summer Sisters announced on her blog today that she was supposed to head to Tuscany back in July to finish her latest book, but the plan was thwarted when a routine check-up found the big C.

And like only Judy Blume can, she put into words what it's like to find out you've got breast cancer:

Wait -- me? There’s no breast cancer in my family (recent extensive genetic testing shows no genetic connection). I haven't eaten red meat in more than 30 years. I've never smoked, I exercise every day, forget alcohol -- it's bad for my reflux -- I've been the same weight my whole adult life. How is this possible? Well, guess what -- it's possible.

Through her young adult novels, Judy taught many of us growing up that anything's possible. It was usually in the positive sense -- first kisses are possible, finding a best friend is possible, growing breasts is possible (we must, we must, we must increase our busts!) -- and now, as adults, and Judy, 74, we all know all too well that there's a negative side to those unknown possibilities. Sisters can die in car accidents, dads can abandon families, and healthy women can get breast cancer.

Judy underwent a mastectomy on July 30 and blogged that everything went well. Now, as so many breast cancer fighters and survivors have espoused over and over, Judy's relying on her friends for support, and claims she couldn't have done it without them.

And if anyone should know about how to rely on and relish friendship, I'm sure it's Judy.

How has friendship benefited you or someone you love while going through breast cancer?

Photo via kayemgi.wordpress.com