I’d like to express my condolences to everyone impacted by the tornadoes and severe weather this past week. Thank you to all the volunteers, elected officials, and everyone who offered their help. I’ve kept everyone in my prayers over the past few days.
Dear Doctors: I have Parkinson’s disease. I was diagnosed 10 months ago, and it is already affecting my ability to walk and to use my hands. My husband recently read that there’s a diabetes drug that can slow down the symptoms. Do you know anything about that?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m feeling a bit lost and hurt lately because my sister, who used to be my closest friend, seems to have disappeared since getting into a relationship with her new boyfriend. She’s been spending all of her time with him, leaving little room for our sisterly bond. I am not the only one who feels this way; she has also pushed away all of her friends as well. We used to hang out just about every day, but now it feels like I barely see her. She cancels plans with me at the last minute or brushes off my invitations with excuses about being too busy or tired.
Time was, and it wasn’t that long ago, when Hollywood gifted us with epic films depicting heroic high school boys (and cute girls) fighting guerilla actions against invading Russian armies. Starring Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey, the 1984 film “Red Dawn” was probably the best known, but Chuck Norris also made one about a commie invasion of Florida.
As quoted: 'Necessity is the mother of invention' (probably Plato). 'I have seen the future and it works' (Lincoln Steffens). 'Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert' (Isaiah 43:19).
Dear Doctors: My brother was just diagnosed with PTSD. I would like to know more about that. A guy in his veterans' support group who got a therapy dog says it's helping him feel better.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 'nephew' — my cousin's son — is very dear to me.
Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, told CNN, 'The way you take care of a bully is you bloody their nose.' A 20-year Navy veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gonzales knows something about bullies, and he was referring to several different thugs.
O ur cat, Felix, has a new home. We adopted Felix in Mexico while we were staying there. The woman who fostered him, Marcela, thought he was a kitten because he was so small — except for his tail, which appears to be intended for a much larger cat.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have an upcoming birthday trip planned in Hawaii, and I'm unsure about the etiquette of asking the people I've invited to contribute toward the cost of the trip. These are mostly close friends and acquaintances from college. Is it considered acceptable to request that guests pay a share for the trip, or is this not a common practice? I want to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the arrangements. Any insights or advice would be nice. — Birthday Girl DEAR BIRTHDAY GIRL: Your friends should not assume that you are paying for their trip, even though it is your birthday. It is important to be clear with them what the anticipated activities and expenses will be.