DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend is deeply passionate about international humanitarian work. It’s a huge part of who he is and, honestly, one of the reasons I admire and love him so much. Recently, he told me he’s planning to move abroad to work in a conflict zone for an extended period. He sees it as an opportunity to make a real impact, and he feels called to be there.
Dear Doctors: Can a doctor rule out walking pneumonia just by listening to your chest? My daughter and husband both have pneumonia, and I have been feeling weird. There’s no cough or fever, and my oxygen is at 99% saturation, so the doctor said I’m fine. But it’s days later and my chest still hurts, and I still feel tired and breathless. What can I do to be taken seriously?
Dear Doctors: I have had geographic tongue for almost two years. It’s unsightly and sometimes quite painful, but my ENT assures me it’s not related to infection or cancer. A prescription for nystatin oral hasn’t made a difference. Is there anything else that might help?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m feeling really terrible because I forgot my best friend’s birthday, and now she’s not speaking to me. We’ve been best friends for over 10 years, and I’ve never missed her birthday before. This year, I ended up working a double shift the day before her birthday, and I was so exhausted that I slept basically the entire next day. By the time I realized what day it was, it was already late, and I had completely missed the window to call or even send a text. I tried reaching out the day after with a sincere apology and even sent her a small gift and a message explaining what happened, but she hasn’t responded. I get that birthdays are important, and I genuinely feel awful for forgetting, but I also wish she could see it for what it was: a one-time mistake, not a reflection of how much I care about her.
DEAR HARRIETTE: Out of nowhere, my mom confided in me that she never really enjoyed being a mother. She said that since I am 45 years old, she feels like she can finally be honest about it. She told me she loves me and my siblings, but the day-to-day experience of raising us was overwhelming and exhausting. She said working full-time and then coming home to care for three children felt like a burden she never really wanted. She even admitted that if she could go back, she wouldn’t have had kids at all.
Dear Doctors: Cannabis is legal where I live. I’m not a heavy user, but I do enjoy it now and then. I just heard about a study that ties using cannabis to heart disease. There’s not a lot of information about how using cannabis affects your health, and I would like to know more about that study.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My oldest daughter is preparing to head to college in the fall. She has worked so hard over the years – as a student and as a sister. Her father and I spent a lot of our time working, and she picked up the slack with her two younger siblings.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have the opportunity to take a job where my friend will be my boss. I’ve never worked in an environment with someone I was friends with prior to working with them, and I don’t often make a habit of becoming close friends with co-workers. I’m a bit wary.
Dear Doctors: I am 72 years old and in good health. Last fall, I got weak and shaky while working in my yard. It was a hot day, so my son insisted on calling 911. They said it was heat exhaustion, and I got treated on the spot. How is heat exhaustion different from heat stroke?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been looking for a fresh start for a few years.