Difficult Conversations

To John Heckel:

I wanted to let you know how incredibly touched I’ve been by your columns about your caregiving journey with your wife, Janet. I’m moved practically beyond words at the love and strength you both share, and your commitment.

I, too, am in a relationship with someone I’ve known for less than a decade, and I have health problems — though nothing nearly as serious as what your wife is dealing with, and not fatal. It’s not important to dwell on the particulars, but I wanted to say that after I read your most recent column [“Love Me Enough,” December Senior News, page 10], I read it out loud to my partner. The subject matter was something that neither of us could look each other in the eye and talk about, and it wasn’t long before one or the other of us changed the subject — though my assumption is that he would help me as readily as I would help him if the time came.

So the strength of what you wrote about so honestly in your December column, that daily but oh-so-personal bodily function that many of us don’t want to admit we may ever need help with, was for me and perhaps other readers an eye-opener insofar as what’s comfortable to navigate verbally with our significant others.

So thank you for opening the door to difficult conversations but, more importantly, thank you for opening the door to your and Janet’s lives and inviting us in. I look forward to your future columns with awe, sadness and utter respect.

Annie Kassof, McKinleyville.