Haley is my sister. She is the shit. Haley was the first person I told when I thought I might have cancer. I had gone to the appointment alone, thinking I was only getting an ultrasound. When they did a same-day biopsy, I knew it wasn’t good. She was calm and reacted just how I needed her to. That’s the benefit of growing up with siblings- no one knows you better. When I decided to do cold capping, I knew I wanted her to be there with me. She didn’t hesitate for a second. She came to every chemo infusion, took notes when the doctors gave us information, and helped with that effing cold cap. She showed up to take me to each treatment with a card (not a sentimental card- we don’t do that). She went into clinic bathrooms with me and lathered my hair in conditioner to make sure the cap didn’t stick. She sat in a small, hard, un-cushioned chair for hours and worked while I had the infusions. She anticipated every need, whether it was water, blankets, Tylenol, silence or levity, she knew what to do. We laughed until we cried over how ridiculous I looked in the cold cap, the loud goings on of other patients in the facility, and everything else. She knew I was not interested in pity or a sob-fest, and she gave me exactly what I needed the whole way through. I honestly could not have done this treatment without her and there is no doubt that there wouldn’t be a single hair left on my head if it wasn’t for her (literally).

I don’t know how to properly thank her and celebrate her for all that she has done for me, and she wouldn’t want me to, anyway. Public displays of emotion are not the Harris girls’ m.o. I do want to give a little shout out, though. Thank you, Haley. I’m sorry I slammed on the brakes when you had a broken collar bone in high school.