CLOVIS, Calif. (KMPH) -
"I love your hair!"
These two women sound and look like close friends.
"You naturally look good with short hair. Did you have short hair before?" asks Kim Wybenga.
Chellie Davis replies, "No, I had long hair."
But they just met moments earlier for the first time. Less than five weeks ago, Kim Wybenga was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer.
Wybenga says, "This is not a life-ender, but it's a life-changer for sure."
Now she's just hours away from having both breasts removed.
She says, "We're so blessed to have technology that we can do this in a safe manner and I could possibly have 20 or 30 more years with my kids."
So this proactive wife and mother of two hit the Internet to educate herself on what to expect. What she did not find, surprised her.
She says, "There's no information about the journey. No one tells you what it's going to look like, what it's going to feel like, the good days or the bad days."
But we knew someone on that journey. And Wednesday, we introduced Chellie Davis to Kim.
Kim greets Chellie and says, "Thank you so much for coming over. I've not met anyone personally who has been through this."
Chellie had a mastectomy six months ago.
Kim asks her, "What was the worst part of the surgery? Was it the pain? What was it like to look in the mirror?"
And all the personal questions Kim has, Chellie answers.
"Did you really find that to be true that you really couldn't get in there and lift up your arms?"
Chellie answers, "You can't take a shower. You're going to have tubes. My kids thought it was gross."
Kim responds, "My kids will think it's gross too."
Then Kim asks, "Stupid question but I'm going to ask, because if it's yes I'm going to call my doctor -- but did they catheterize you before surgery?
"No."
"Thank God...."
Two strangers with an immediate bond. Or what Chellie calls Sisterhood of Survivors.
Kim asks, "Can we stay in touch through this journey? I mean, I go to surgery tomorrow."
Chellie laughs, "I just live around the corner."
"You're kidding me!" Kim exclaims.
