One of my in laws has been diagnosed with a serious illness. In law is awaiting more tests but info online suggests any treatment offered is invasive alongside a possibly poor prognosis.
It has been very out of the blue and sudden.
DH is obviously very worried and sad. It’s probably his closest relative and he hasn’t got a big family. I am upset too, it seems so cruel and unfair as my in law is such an optimistic, resilient character who has always lived a very healthy lifestyle and not particularly old.
How can I support DH well through this? I am trying to just listen rather than advise or dissuade him from worrying. I don’t know if this is the right or wrong approach though. It seems to have helped him so far.
Unhelpfully, I have health OCD myself and I am suddenly now very worried for everyone else’s health and wellbeing, as it’s reminded me how sudden and crap these things can be and how it can be ever so random.
Would be grateful for anyone who can
A) advise how I can be there for DH
B) talk me round from incessantly worrying myself silly that it’s going to happen to someone else we know and love, or one of us
It’s come at a tricky time as he is starting a new job very soon and we are TTC, some good things on the horizon…. which means it feels almost terrible to even be thinking about given the bad news about in law. (Not that my in law would want everything to grind to a halt. They’re a proud person and don’t want anyone to worry - we are putting on a good front of being reassuring to them!)
Thank you in advance.