Hi all,
My best friend has been diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma. He recently had his first cycle of chemotherapy and is due to get the results of his CT scan this week. The results will help determine the next steps, such as whether he needs a higher dose of treatment or whether another approach, like watch and wait, is appropriate.
I’ve been to appointments with him before and sat with him during treatment, but his partner is going with him to this one.
He can be a bit hit-and-miss about keeping in touch, which can upset me, but he knows I’m here for him and has told me he can rely on me. We usually speak or message a couple of times a week, and I try to see him in person each week. He seems happy with that level of contact. I don’t want to overwhelm him, but I care about him deeply and want to support him as well as I can.
I don’t want this to come across as making the situation about me. I’m just trying to understand how best to support someone I care about so much. He knows I am his best friend.
I’m thinking of getting him a small good-luck gift, perhaps a keyring. For those who’ve been through something similar, would that feel thoughtful, or might it seem like a gimmick or be upsetting? I’d also be grateful for any general advice on supporting him.
I’m finding this difficult too, because I care so much and want to be the best friend I can be.
Thank you in advance.
