Helpless but full of hope

I am sad. I am mad. I am upset. I am angry. I am helpless. I just found out a friend has cancer. It is early yet so nobody knows what is happening. It is early yet so nobody knows what to do. Do you run out & buy a card? Do you run out and bake a dinner for the family? Do you run out and scream at the world?

This is not a close friend but this is a person I consider a friend. We go out as part of a group together occasionally. When I first started my job she was always a person who greeted me with a smile. I have taught her son. I chose my son's nursery school based on her and her family. So what do I do now? This is one of many times that I have a friend who was not best friend go through a crisis. I do not know the rules. I sit back & feel helpless. I call closer friends of those friends and offer my help.

I hate this. I want to let her know she is in my thoughts but I do not want to intrude. Last time this happened I sent the person a funny card. The other time I chipped in a gift certificate to a spa. I hopefully can something like that for her too. I know there is strength in prayer so I will send as many to her as I can. I never read about this problem in any advice column. I wonder what others do when they run into this issue. How do you help when you are close but not close enough?

I hope this is caught soon enough. I hope all will be well. I hope she gets enough strength & support from her loved ones. I hope I can send her positive thoughts & prayers to get through this. So maybe if I let everybody in blogland know then they will send their thoughts & prayers too...