Motor neurone

Has anybody out there had a SO or a family member suffer from motor neurone disease, finding it difficult to communicate with my partner, his mam is suffering and has been diagnosed only months to live, my SO is hard to communicate with as his family are private people and I don't want to keep reminding him, but he insists that I never ask it's tearing me right down the middle because I want to be there for him but not constantly remind him of what is happening xx