When Karen was first diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), we could not accept or believe it. The cruelty, the pain, and the prospect of a future without Karen did not fit into the plans we had made.
When all of life seems as it should be, and then we are faced with the news it will all come crashing down, what can we do? We adjust. We adapt. We find ways to live that were not part of the original plan. At least, in my experience as a builder, that is what we try to do.
I can usually fix things. But this...
This diagnosis of a life-altering, and ultimately deadly disease, threw us into a new world of doctors and adaptations and constant care. But Karen was still Karen. And I was still me. We were still us, and we found ways to live for the time we had left. This memoir recounts the good times in our relationship, the progression of her ALS, and the process of my own healing.
When your spouse has a terminal illness, the grieving begins quickly. It ebbs and flows along the way. But there is also opportunity to delight in moments we might have missed.
Caring for a spouse focuses everything around the person and the illness. Stepping back into everyday life can be like stepping out of the grave yourself. Still, in my grief, I discovered the gentle grace of God, who met me on the journey back to life, and who had been there, with us, all along.
The heart of this book speaks to those who grieve loss in an intimate relationship. You may be in the long process of grief for a spouse with a terminal illness, or navigating the sudden loss of that dearest part of your own heart. But the story does not end there. The faithfulness of God, His presence with us along the way, and the new beginnings that follow are all a part of this story, which is ultimately about hope.