Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

[amrita]

I have a good friend who was diagnosed with non hodgekins lymphoma about ten years ago. He has the slow growing type and was told it was terminal. He went through chemo and radiation, was in a wheel chair for awhile due to damage to his hips from the radiation. He had one hip replaced and was waiting for the other to be replaced. He had been doing very well for a couple of years. Recently he has had a recurrance and it's not loooking as good. His doctor has given him 6-9 months to live... 1 year if he fights really hard.

This is so hard for me for several reasons and I'm not sure how to best support him. We dated for a while, about six months ago during a time when he was separated from his wife. When he became ill, he went to his parents to stay and his wife came as well and has stayed. I have distanced myself because I don't want to be in the way if they decided to reconcile. However, now he has contacted me with this information and told me that he does not want to "fade away and die" without letting me know he loves me. He claims to be too tired and sick to leave his wife or ask her to leave. He sounds horrible.

I've asked him what he wants from me, how can I support him and he says he doesn't know. I am 33 years old and I have not had to experience death of any loved ones... all of my grandparents are still living.

If someone has an idea of what would be best I would love to hear it.
Thanks