How to deal with bizarre reactions to your diagnosis—from co-workers who overreact to loved ones who keep their distance.
By Jen Singer
Reviewed by John D. Hainsworth, MD, and Roy S. Weiner, MD
After spending nearly a month in the hospital undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, I was heading to an ice cream parlor at the Jersey shore for some coffee chip ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. Finally, something upbeat and fun!
Then I checked my voicemail. An old friend who heard I had cancer had left a maudlin message. She mourned my diagnosis with long, sad sighs and a tone best reserved for condolences at a wake. I never called her back. I couldn't face the chore of cheering her up.
Cancer sure can elicit some bizarre behavior from friends, family and co-workers.
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