Friends with bumps

I have friends. Plenty of them.

Some I see every day. Some I talk to every day. Some I talk to only a few times a year. Some I've had for 25 years.

Today I was with my friend. A "new" friend. By "new" I mean I've known her about 3 years.

She had a bump. 2 of them actually. Growing on one of those parts that only us women have. One is nothing and will go away on its own. The other needed further evaluation. Follow up appointments were scheduled and I volunteered to go with her. I have learned over the years that these appointments are not ones you go to alone.

Back to the bumps. The big one specifically. Big enough that the U/S tech couldn't contain his concern which of course freaked out my friend. She returned to the waiting room visibly upset. I start going through the next few hours in my head. I'll call her husband. I'll call her friends. I'll console and give pep talks. I'll show her the video of R. breaking pretzels that were stuck up his nose with his tongue because its all I had. Yep, I'll do what I have to do to make things "better".

We head to meet with the doctor where I sit behind a curtain jotting down notes while the doctor pokes at the big bump.

She doesn't think its cancer.

Tears gradually go away. Composure is found and a huge weight is lifted.

She gets all the info she can and heads home to wait for the next step.

Friends helped with both of our kids. Friends called as soon as they found out we were back. Friends, not only concerned about our friend, but concerned about me. Totally unselfish. Totally standing at the ready should it have been the dreaded C word.

I never want another friend to go through what my friend did yesterday. The emotions, the fear, the flashing of the future before her eyes. But if they do, I hope they can go through it with friends like mine.

Have I said that I love my friends? Every single one of them even with bumps?