Yesterday I finally heard back from my doctor’s office, after waiting a month for test results. 

“Good news,” the doctor told me, “your scans are clear.” 

Relief flooded my body. Finally! I could relax!

“Except the techs forgot to scan your chest,” the doctor went on, “so you’ll need to get another MRI right away.”

I thought I was OK, even though this news meant getting another IV, sitting in a cold machine for another hour, and then waiting another stressful three weeks for results.

I thought I was OK. 

But last night I couldn’t sleep until 2am.

And this morning I was getting a haircut, and I couldn’t stop sweating. I could feel my heart racing faster and faster. 

I barely made it out of the barbershop before I went into a full-blown panic attack. 

I called my partner Sunaina, and she was able to listen and understand what I was going through. 

She gave me empathy. 

And I didn’t feel alone anymore.

After I hung up, I cried. I let myself experience the fear, anxiety, and sadness that often comes up when it feels like someone else is in control of my life. 

I get this feeling a lot when I get medical tests and wait for what seems like forever for the results. 

And Sunaina is always right there with me. 

If you have a partner, or a loved one, or a friend who you trust, then you never have to be alone.

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