Supporting my friend - AML relapse

[NewUser94827396]

Hi
This is my first thread and I hope it's the right place to ask advice
My friend has just found out her LO has relapsed and needs more chemo for AML. I wondered if anyone has been in this situation and if there is anything practical or otherwise I can do to try and ease the non hospital side of things at the moment.
Thanks

We didn't go through a relapse, but have had a young child go through chemotherapy

In the background I really appreciated just knowing my friends were there - their checking in on me for a chat, occasional coffee if I had time. We had friends who just stepped in when we really needed them - will be forever grateful

Does your friend have other children? Could you offer to help with occasional childcare if you'd be happy to?

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. And I'm still sorry you and your family have been through tough times
Thank you for the suggestions. I think I'm worried that my wishes to help will become another burden my friend doesn't need right now. So I'm trying to keep on touch without the expectation of responses (if that makes sense?)
I like the suggestion of helping out the childcare. Although I'll need to research age appropriate activities as mine are much younger!

I’m so sorry for your friend and her little one. My ds had AML at 16 months old (6 years ago now) fortunately no relapse. Just being there, messaging and keeping in touch will be a godsend. The most useful thing for us was people making home made meals- ones that me/dh could have a portion in hospital in microwave and the other one could have at home. Your friend will have no energy or inclination to cook or eat healthily, the focus is on the child and getting them better. Sending love

Haven’t gone through this from the point of view as a parent, but lots of people say “let us know what we can do to help” and often you feel you can’t ask or you do and people don’t help.
So maybe say something like you’ve said here, that you don’t expect response but would like to help, and things you could do are (but say not limited to) childcare…. Coffee…… bringing a healthy home cooked meal to the hospital for parents….. clothes washing…… whatever you feel you can realistically do, so it’s less mental load for them and they don’t feel like they’re asking something you’re going to say no to.

Second what @Jemimapuddleduk said about the meals.
Sorry for anyone who’s going through anything like or has experience of it.

Having had a child with ALL 20 years ago my heart goes out to your friend. In more recent years, a friends husband was seriously ill with a brain tumour, all us local friends took it in turns to drop off meals (someone even did a full Sunday roast!) that were freezable and easy to reheat, collect laundry and run a hoover round the house. Her children were young teens at the time so it took a lot of the stress off them too.

Thank you everyone for your responses. I really wasnt expecting so many! And I'm sorry so many have been through similar experiences to my friend!
This week was my own freezer full up week so I I'll add a few more portions to the batch cooking and drop them round!