Giotto

And if you are sick, this stubborness can make you strong, although he needed a little pushing from Debbie not to give up

fmaldy24

It was good he was stubborn to fight the cancer - he needed it - but a little too stubborn when he pushed away Justin - glad they sorted it out

SojournHeart11

Me too, though it was painful witnessing Brian's inability to "perform" because images of the surgery kept popping into his head. I think that shows he was traumatized by the whole experience.

fmaldy24

It was indeed and I think they did that well with how memory of bad things can pop up in our brains when we don't want them too.

I think it was great how Justin just kept supporting him and loving him and trying things and he knew they would get there - but I think he knew that after he had issues after the bashing. In fact Justin was probably the only one who could work with him to make it better - no-one else understood what it was like to feel like that and to have something so negative in your head affecting something you always find so positive.

Giotto

You are right, the others wouldn't have been able to relate in Brians suffering. And especially for Brian, who lived his life through his sexuality, the surgery of course was traumatic it probably would have been helpful if he had someone to help him through that..

SojournHeart11

Brian told Ted, and he seemed very sympathetic about the cancer. I think all of his friends would have been sympathetic, too, if only Brian had fessed up and told them. For some reason he just wanted only a few people to know. It's a very personal experience and sometimes a sufferer may not want that reinforcement of not being well. It's because when you tell everyone and they keep mentioning it, it feels more real now that it's out in the open.

I hope I'm making sense here

Giotto

You made perfect sense

I haven't thought about it like that, but you might be right. It would make it more real if everybody mentiones it, and he told Michael that the reason why he didn't tell was, because he didn't want to be treated like he was sick..

SojournHeart11

Exactly

Giotto

Still, I don't think that Emmett or Lindsay would have treated him very differently.. Debbie probably, but she was the one who encouraged him to fight after she knew.. I think he underastimated his friends

fmaldy24

I think he did underestimate his friends but he was used to not telling them things I think and we have also said a few times that they underestimate him and his ability to be different and to change so maybe it goes both ways?

SojournHeart11

I guess he felt he wasn't obligated to reveal anything. Which is not good during times like that when you most need that support in your life.

fmaldy24

I guess it would be hard to open up in that situation - I don't know what I would do if that happened to me

SojournHeart11

I don't either

fmaldy24

Can't imagine much worse and I guess I can understand that he didn't want people giving him pity and sympathy - it's one of the things he never asked for or wanted I think.

Giotto

I don't know, depends on the people around you.