My last T, and now my current T, and I had an agreement that I could always ask about their health, and they would be honest and straightforward with me. My last T was as honest as he could be, but then was unable to tell me when he went on medical leave, because it happened so suddenly. He did come to a brief "closure" session with me and new T, for which I am grateful.

Prior to him, I had a T who was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor that had re-appeared after he had been cancer-free for years. He was not honest with me about how bad things were, and I didn't learn until after the fact that he had died. He had kept assuring me that treatment was going well, and that he would be back to work in a few months. It was devastating to lose him, but made even harder by his lack of forthrightness. This was one of the main reasons why I had a promise from my last T that he would always be honest with me about his health. It hurt tremendously to lose him, too, but the fact that he kept his word was and is a precious gift to me.

Because of my experiences, and because T and I have talked about this, I would definitely ask.