I suppose telling someone about a cancer diagnosis is like ripping off a band-aid. Get it over quickly, let the shock settle in and then everything is all better (pending the questions).
From my own experience, when I said "I have cancer." Peoples faces run the gamut of expressions ... shock, fear, shock, fear, surprise, guilt (in the case of my mother, is it something I did while I was pregnant?). Let's break the reactions down:
Shock - what on earth could you have done?
Fear - what is the prognosis?
Shock - It must be something in the water.
Fear - Is it contagious?
Surprise - You? But, you don't smoke, drink, do drugs, and exercise regularly????
Guilt - Is it my (insert parent of choice you're talking to) fault?
Incidentally, the reactions are much the same when you are the one being told of the cancer diagnosis.
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