I Have a Friend

I have a friend that I would like to write about today. She only reads this blog very sporadically, and perhaps that makes it all the easier for my to write this little note about my good friend. (And will I share it with her? Probably not.)

My friend is a nurse. Specifically, an oncology nurse. Read: cancer.

She knows all about cancer. All about treatments. All about life, and certainly all about death. She is one of the most upbeat friends that I can claim to have. She is a joy to behold, every day. I do not know how she maintains her pillar of...not blind optimism, but of hope, I guess would be the term.

She is abreast of all the cancer research going on. And of all the fundraising for cancer research. Once I commented that I abhor the pink all over the place nowadays, which is a nod to Judith Karmen cancer research and my friend promptly put me in my place with stats and research anecdotes regarding breast cancer.

Something I most admire about my friend (besides her sound-barrier wit and intelligent repartee) is her professional behavior. For years she and I have known each other, even living in different cities and states. It always slays me when I find out months, and even years later, that one of my friends, acquaintances, fellow church members, has been one of her oncology patients.

Mind you, I never find out from my friend. It's always the patient who remarks on our friendship, or mentions a particular nurse (and my head jerks up), or, sadly, if I comment on an upcoming funeral, and all my friend will reply is "Oh!"

She knows, yet she will not acknowledge, divulge, or gossip.

I know there are many nurses out there who adhere to this professionalism, as they should. But I love that I have a best friend, and even that adjective is not enough for her to share details with me or with anyone else, that which should indeed be private.

I have a friend who is marvelous.