Yet, I saw the end coming.

We had always held hope for a cure. But once I received the 1-in-10-million diagnosis of primary lateral sclerosis, a much less fatal version of Lou Gehrig’s disease, our relationship changed. Two months before he left, I asked him if he was unhappy and if he wanted to separate. He assured me that he was with me “110 percent” but said our situation was weighing on us. We agreed to find a therapist, so I reached out to a support group for recommendations.

Therapy never happened.

In that time, he told me he had developed feelings for someone else — there was life he was missing out on.

I grieved the end of my partnership the first night. When morning came, I was immediately thrust into the battle for survival that someone with a disability must face head-on when a separation occurs.

The big items: We lived in the accessible condo that he owned. I had long taken having a walk-in shower, in-unit laundry and so many other luxuries, for granted. Where and how would I live? How would I get to and from medical appointments? Who would help me make phone calls? How would I do the simple things, such as taking out the trash and recycling? It was overwhelming. I sprang into action as quickly as my body would let me.

He initially asked me to move out of the home we’d shared for nearly seven years within a week. (While he later said I could take my time, the damage had been done.) Finding a place to live while on a budget is hard no matter what.

Now, add on a list of items you need for survival. I found that many buildings with affordable units were not accessible. After renting for a year and much help from an excellent real estate professional, I found an accessible condo in my price range near accessible public transportation in Washington.

But accessibility and location come at a price that many in our community cannot afford. Many disabled Americans struggle to survive on benefits the government provides. And the unemployment rate for us sits at 6.9 percent — just under double the general unemployment rate — and many of our community who have a job are underemployed or underpaid. Even those with a disability who are employed earned a median of $22,274 in 2017 according to the American Community Survey — less than 70 percent of the median earnings for the nondisabled. The national average fair market rent for a one-bedroom home is $970 per month and $1,194 for a two-bedroom home, nowhere near affordable for the average disabled person.