What does it mean-FaceTime icon in right corner of text/chat disappeared and then reappeared

Hello,

Yesterday, I had a very close friend/iPhone user out of the blue send me an extreme text stating among other things that they didn’t want to drag me down and were cutting me and everyone out of their life and wanted to be left alone. I assumed they had blocked me because my messages back were green, and calls straight to vm. The FaceTime icon in right corner our chat thread disappeared.

I went to their house and we had a brief conversation where things said/unsaid are leading me to believe they have received a troubling health diagnosis, but they reiterated they were sorry and wanted to be done. I respected their wishes but have been distraught. This morning I went to read their text again, and noticed the FaceTime icon is now back in the corner.

is this just a fluke/glitch? Or a sign that they simply turned their phone off or in airplane mode after sending me their text and phone is back on now so icon is back?

any thoughts would be appreciated. I will respect their wishes for no contact right now, but would be a relief to not have them cut off contact so completely.