DEAR CHALLENGED: I am sorry about your frightening diagnosis. Please do not leave the people who love you hanging. Your husband will see you growing weak and increasingly sick. Your children should be prepared, in an age-appropriate way, about the changes you will experience so they don’t think it is their fault.

Do I take a man who has a hard time kissing and hugging me because he shows affection in other ways, or should I move on?

I took care of my husband 24/7 for the last two years of his life. I see this man at work all the time. He lost his daughter around the same time I lost my husband. We carpooled and talked a lot. I bought him a tree this year for Christmas with presents (everyone in the vanpool gets presents).