Dear Doctors: What are the essentials for a vacation first-aid kit? We are spending a week at the lake with two other families in August. I want to be prepared, but not loaded down with useless stuff. Our group has kids that range from 4 to 18 years old.
DEAR HARRIETTE: Since my divorce, my 14-year-old son has been distant and openly disrespectful. He believes it’s my fault that his father and I split up. In reality, I discovered that my ex-husband had been paying women for sexual favors, and I was disgusted and felt betrayed. Despite this, I haven’t told my son the real reason for our separation because I want him to continue to respect his father, who has been a great dad to him. However, given my son’s recent change in behavior, I’m starting to wonder if now is the right time to reveal the truth. – Heartfelt Guardian DEAR HEARTFELT GUARDIAN: Your son definitely needs your attention and loving care as well as a reestablishment of boundaries. What he does not need is a revelation about his father’s bad behavior. You can explain to him that sometimes couples grow apart, no longer share the same needs or values or have other challenges that drive them to disconnect. While it may be hard for him to understand what happened to his family, both you and your ex love him and want the best for him.
It wasn’t really a surprise that President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he will no longer be a candidate for a second term. After all, Biden was under crushing pressure from some of the most powerful forces in the Democratic Party – congressional leaders, fundraisers, former President Barack Obama, and especially former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In the time-honored Washington way, once Biden relented and stepped aside, people who just hours earlier had their boot on his neck raced to express their heartfelt respect and admiration for his judgment, selflessness, and patriotism.
Dear Doctors: I developed sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to lupus in 2019. It affects high-pitched tones, and it makes it harder to hear in a crowd. It’s confusing because sometimes I am able to hear high-pitched tones. I just finished nursing school and will be working with patients soon. Are there any treatments for this?
DEAR HARRIETTE: At 36, after I’ve spent 10 years as a devoted housewife and raising our three boys, my husband’s recent job loss due to healthrelated issues has brought us to a crossroads: How can I return to work? I had a thriving career before deciding to focus on our family, but the thought of reentering the workforce after such a long break is daunting. I find myself questioning my skills and wondering how I’ll fit into a rapidly changing job market. Despite feeling uncertain, my husband believes in my abilities and encourages me to consider working again.
Friedrich Nietzsche famously wrote, “He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster.”
Ronald Reagan had it, Jimmy Carter didn’t. George H.W. Bush had it until he didn’t, and the same can be said for his successor, Bill Clinton. Joe Biden had it, lost it, regained it and lost it again. Donald Trump has it in surfeit.
Dear Doctors: My landscaping business keeps me outside a lot, and my son has a job as a line cook. We both worked through heat waves last summer that made our jobs dangerous. Can you please write about how to know if you’re in trouble with the heat and what you can do about it?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a mother of two teenage daughters, ages 14 and 16, and their constant fighting is driving me insane. It seems like every day there’s a new argument, whether it’s about sharing clothes, using the bathroom or even the smallest things, such as who gets to sit in the front seat of the car. I’ve tried talking to them individually, having family meetings and setting up rules and schedules to minimize conflicts, but nothing seems to work. The tension in our home is palpable, and I worry that these constant arguments are damaging their relationship beyond repair.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 26-yearold woman from Cincinnati. I started a new job a few months ago, and I’ve developed a crush on one of my coworkers. He’s kind and funny, and we get along really well. I look forward to seeing him at work, and I think there might be a spark between us. However, I’m hesitant to make a move because I’m worried about the potential consequences. What if I ask him out and he says no? Or worse, what if we go out and things don’t work out?