My son's girlfriend.

[MeganJames]

My son is 17 and has been in a relationship with his girlfriend,16, for over a year now. She's a lovely girl and really looks out for my son and they get along so well (they've been friends for many years too).

This year she's been diagnosed with Crohn's disease. She's been battling with the diagnosis but puts on a brave face which makes her even better!
She's close with her mum but I know they don't talk about it much.

My son has been supporting her but he often asks me how he can help and I wish I had an answer for him.
I don't know how to help or if I can help but it's obvious that this young girl is suffering inside.

Your son is so lovely wanting to support her but it isn't his job and there isn't much he can do.

My 20 yo DSs girlfriend has a number of health problems which means she goes through periods of being very very unwell and he started off wanting to support and help her and do everything for her, he ended up with a lot of resentment towards her after the first year (maybe even less) because he felt he was missing out on a lot of things a normal 17/18 year old should be doing because she couldn't do a lot during her worse times. 2 years on and they've worked out how to make it work for them and they are all good but at one point he told me he actually hated the thought of coming home from work and seeing her.

She too is such a lovely girl who has so much love in her heart and I couldn't think of a better girl for my son, I love her too! I help her as much as I can and am more than happy to take on a little more when she goes through the worse times, I hurts me to see her hurting as well, but there isn't very anyone can do.

Tell him to just be there for her, support her and help her when she needs it but don't take on too much because it is not his job.