2 minute read
South Fayette resident talks love and health in new memoir
By Andrea Iglar
Denny “D.J.” Connors didn’t choose the easiest topics to tackle in his first book.
Of course, the South Fayette resident’s experiences with illness and love inspired his memoir in the first place.
Mr. Connors started writing “It’s Me, Until It’s You: A Story of Medical Struggles, Endless Courage and the Love That Made It All Endurable” as a way to talk about his prostate cancer, but the narrative evolved into a love story about the author and his late wife, Suzanne.
The story is a brisk read peppered with some colorful language and a slightly selfdeprecating humor that helps keep heavy topics from feeling depressing.
“I’m not a very serious person,” Mr. Connors said during an interview in December.
One aim of his writing was to help overcome the general embarrassment of talking about prostate cancer, which can occur in the small, walnut-shaped prostate gland that is part of the male reproductive system.
In fact, the original title of his book was “The Walnut Closet,” a coy reference to the prostate.
Mr. Connors said he decided to open the closet door, so to speak, and share his experiences because he realized he was not alone in being uninformed about this major male medical issue.
Maybe it’s my personality; I’m not afraid to talk about stuff like that, and it’s time.
South Fayette Township resident Denny "D.J." Connors has self-published a memoir that explores his experiences with prostate cancer and the heart condition of his late wife, Suzanne. Ultimately, the author says, thebook is a love story.
Andrea Iglar
In the book’s prologue, Mr. Connors said he simply wanted to tell a true story about himself, but it “turned into a different story—a love story." In the book, Mr. Connors shares personal anecdotes that range from lighthearted to heartbreaking. The author reveals a bit about his Pittsburgh-area childhood and service in the U.S. Air Force, where his nickname D.J. inspired his pen name, D.J. Connors.
He candidly discusses his relationships and how he ended up moving to the Hickory Heights neighborhood of South Fayette 15 years ago. He opens up about his illness and his wife’s heart condition, which ultimately leads to her sudden death.
The stories were difficult to communicate, especially for a novice author retired from the steel and coal industries.
“It was a real challenge,” Mr. Connors said. “I didn’t have experience. I didn’t know what to expect, and there were times I wanted to quit.”
For more than two years, he endured tears, writer’s block and frustrating obstacles such as a single paragraph that took eight hours to compose. Other times he felt inspired, and words flowed from his pen to paper.
(He literally wrote in black ink, and then a friend and one of his daughters typed the manuscript from his handwritten draft.)
Determination prevailed, and in 2019, Mr. Connors self-published a book that gave him a sense of emotional relief—plus a tool to help other people dealing with prostate cancer.
“I don’t want to be the spokesperson for prostate cancer, but if someone asked me to be, I would do it because that’s how important it is,” he said.
“It’s Me, Until It’s You” is available in print and digital versions through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other outlets.
Already, his book has touched readers affected by the disease. “As far as I’m concerned,” Mr. Connors said, “the book is a success because I’ve helped more than one person.”
