I really don’t know what to write. I know I should. I want to. But for the life of me, I am such a bundle of emotions, I can barely string together a coherent, pensive thought. Instead they’re fragments of grief.

It’s almost been a week since I found out my husband is dying/going to die. And it has been quite the emotional roller-coaster. The moments where I glide along an even track are my favorites, because it’s then that I can readjust and get my bearings. Although even then, I will barely have had any time and something will plunge me into a spiral. And it can honestly be anything. (Songs, I’ve discovered, are the worst.)

We have since spoken with the doctors handling his diagnosis and they seemed optimistic, in regards to treatment. (Or at least I took it as optimistic, even though the diagnosis is terminal.) The primary doctor or attending (whatever it is) was pretty certain he has ALS. I guess they went with motor neurone disease because it’s too soon to make a concrete diagnosis, and MND is kind of an umbrella, with other bizarre things beneath.

In regards to time… Well, even he said from the start that’s a loaded question. He said from his experience with the disease that it averages 4-5 years. Which, is good, and shitty. It all depends on the person and each one is different. The primary physician suggested doing clinical trials for treatments, and my husband definitely wants to (because he wants this to have meant something.) The resident also suggested a secondary treatment that would involve my husband getting shots three times a week, and would include a permanent port in his body for injection. I thought the hubs would say no to that but he was on-board. The doctor said this “infusion” typically adds about 1/3 to the time.

For whatever reason, I have a number of years stuck in my head. I only think of it because between the two of us, there is usually a 12 or 7 between us. And with the husband it’s always 7. However, I understand that’s just a grieving spouse clinging to hope. I should know, more than anyone at this point, that nothing is ever certain.