My MIL and I don’t have the closest relationship - we are civil when we meet but aren’t particularly close. In the past there have been issues with disrespecting boundaries from her side (in my view) and I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m not warm enough, in that I make polite small talk whereas she’d prefer if I told her all about my deepest worries and had no issue inviting her to watch me give birth.
I am however incredibly close to my husband, as cliche as it sounds we’re best mates in every sense of the word, he’s said himself he isn’t comfortable talking to anyone about how he feels except with me. He is very close to his mum himself.
There’s a high chance MIL is about to be diagnosed with cancer (had cancer before, has all the symptoms again now, waiting for scan results). I’d like to develop a closer relationship with MIL for my husband’s sake as I want to support him and his family as much as I can. What should I say to him / her to be supportive and what shouldn’t I say? Any tips on how to support him or them would be massively appreciated. Im lucky enough to have never experienced serious illness or death in my immediate family or in people I’m close to (MIL’s first cancer was before we met)