Informing Your Loved Ones That You Have Cancer

well i finally got around to telling my family that i have cancer. i didn't want to ruin their holidays so i waited until after to inform them of what was going on.
and, no, they do not read my blog...i didn't tell them i even had one. some things i like to write about and get my thoughts organized before my family knows. that's just the way i am:)
anywho, the questions for today are "how do you tell your loved ones that you are sick", and "do you actually let them know how you are coping with it"?
i guess honesty is the best policy but is that always true?
here's the situation:
when i e-mailed my sister and told her about my cancer coming back and the surgery, she told me that my mother has had heart problems and needs to see a cardiologist as soon as possible. my mother told her not to tell me because i "had enough on my plate". this of course is ridiculous! i thanked my sister for letting me know, but then thought, "i am a hypocrite". i withheld the information because i didn't want to worry them, but then i was upset when they withheld information from me for the same reason.
now, do i actually tell them that i have bouts of depression because of my cancer? or do i tell them i am doing fine and to not worry? would i want the truth from them even if i lie? where does hypocritical start and reassurance end?
it's interesting...i never thought of myself as a hypocrite in that sense, but i guess i am...as are many people. after all, small lies to comfort someone is still, in fact, a lie.

so if doctors take the hippocratic oath, does that mean that the patients are entitled to the hypocritical one?