We've seen Giuliana Rancic chat up celebrities at the Oscars and goof with her husband, Bill, on their reality show, "Giuliana & Bill," for several years now, but lately they've been fighting a personal health battle together. The couple opened up in Glamour's April issue, discussing Giuliana's breast cancer, double mastectomy and how the experience brought them together even more.
"I wanted to yell from a rooftop and cry and scream," Giuliana said about the double mastectomy becoming a reality.
The "E! News" host revealed she and Bill weighed the pros and cons of the decision to go under the knife, and that ultimately they decided to go for it. But after the surgery, Giuliana was nervous to see the results.
"At first I didn’t want to look in the mirror, because I felt like, I’m getting better every day and this is about my health, so I shouldn’t get bogged down by what I see in the mirror," Giuliana said, explaining that the anticipation was harder to deal with than the results.
But it wasn't only Giuliana who was concerned about her decision to have a double mastectomy.
"A lot of people were shocked," she said at a Television Critics Association press tour in January. "They said, 'Are you sure you want to do this? Think about the life you lead and the fabulous dresses and that's part of your job. It could put your job in jeopardy.' And I thought, if I ever have a job that is defined by my breasts and some gorgeous gown then I'm in the wrong business."
Giuliana, who has been open about her breast cancer fight, has appeared on the "Today" show several times to update her fans on her progress. Though she puts on a tough face for the camera, Giuliana told Glamour that it's Bill who has been her rock throughout the entire process. Bill was right by his wife's side before and after the surgery, and he talked candidly about watching his wife go through the traumatic ordeal.
"As a husband and as a man, you wish you could trade places with your wife, but you can’t, and it sucks," Bill said. "I of course had my moments. But you know, you’ve got to be strong; I would never break down in front of her."
Giuliana admitted she was itching to get back to work after her surgery -- she returned to E! after just two weeks -- and she made it clear to her co-workers that she was still the same girl they know and love.
"My first day back, I walked in and these girls I’d seen every day -- my assistant, my hair and makeup girls, who I’d have fun with and be crazy with -- all had this sad look in their eyes," Giuliana said. "It was like, 'Hey, guys, cut the bulls—t. I’m the exact same person I was before. I’m still shallow, I still love clothes, I still want to talk fashion, I still want to gossip, so lay it on me.' They were like, 'Thank God.'"
Today, Giuliana is standing strong -- she and Bill are getting ready to start trying for a baby again -- and relayed that message in a recent interview with Michigan Avenue magazine.
"The one word I always saw in all the messages was strong," she said. "You're so strong, stay strong, be strong -- when you hear something enough, you start believing it."
