Until We Knew

Until We Knew is a poignant self-depiction of one woman's dilemma in love and grief. The

husband of Elisabet O Klint was not yet sixty when he was diagnosed with ALS and

frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This notebook, a retrospective diary, is about the year they

fought against his illnesses and lived with this sorrow. In her autobiographical story, Klint

allows us to accompany her through life as it happened, with the aid of notes jotted down

retrospectively in her diary. Her words grip the reader as she brings to life the struggle that

developed when her husband faced two life-threatening diseases with no cure. She hoped to

be able to understand these illnesses and the suffering of her husband. More than that, she

hopes the one who is facing a similar situation can get comforted and helped. 

"I felt supported by many but unnecessarily lonely too. 

My husband was not yet sixty when diagnosed with ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

Both of which we knew nothing about before the slow and challenging path towards

diagnoses.

I dream that I am speaking for both of us and that we are listening together to the story that I

am telling. I watch him smiling, laughing, and gesticulating to show his feelings. Could I

have made him any happier, more comfortable, or more secure? Or was he happy perhaps,

and even thankful deep inside that I was there for him the entire time? Which of his actions

were really his own, and which resulted from his illnesses? I took care of him and the

increasing needs as the diseases progressed. These are terminal illnesses with expected and

unexpected developments. A day-to-day roller coaster. Each day full of emotions, some

conflicting. A continues battle for someone who disappears. 

By sharing our story, I hope to contribute and raise awareness of FTD and ALS. I wish these

pages can somehow educate. I'm convinced that certain areas in healthcare could improve

by much with small changes. "