Dear Doctors: A friend who is 74 years old had an episode recently where she suddenly sounded as though she had dementia. Her physician diagnosed it as an effect of a UTI. Can you talk about how UTIs in older people can mimic dementia? Also, why do they affect more women than men?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm headed home for Christmas, and I feel nervous about it. I gained a ton of weight during quarantine. As I have been trying on clothes to figure out how to dress during my visit, I realize that most of my clothes are too small. I am feeling extremely self-conscious about seeing my family and friends in my hometown. I haven't been home in a long time – since before COVID-19. The person they remember is not the person I am today, at least not how I look. I don't feel like dealing with people asking me what's wrong with me and criticizing me about my weight. What can I do to get over this? I want to see my family, but I dread how I will be received. – A Little Heavy
Twitter announced last week that Parag Agrawal will be the social media giant's new CEO. He has a difficult job ahead of him, trying to maintain the site's reputation for fast-paced, free-ranging commentary, while also keeping the platform free of dangerous misinformation.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm in my senior year of high school, and the pressure is intense. It seems like my friends and I are constantly mad at somebody. There's just so much tension between friend groups and people who are dating or not and trying to figure out relationships. Plus, we are applying to college and worried about whether or not we will get in. I talk to my mother about it, and she's kind of helpful, but it's all just too much. I don't know how to manage this time. One week I have friends, and the next week it feels like nobody is my friend. How can I stay calm and still get my work done through it all? – Overwhelmed
"It's not about luck," my friend Andrew insists, "it's about gratitude."
30 YEARS AGO
Some seem determined to rewrite history in the name of political correctness. Recently the European Commission – the executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposed legislation and enforcing EU laws – proposed to substitute the “Christmas period” with “holiday period.” This week, after an outcry by conservatives and the Vatican, the proposal was retracted.
Over the last few weeks, Pope Francis has been pointing to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, as a role model. At a time when the United States has some 440,000 children stuck in the foster care system, it's a good time to be talking about foster parents.
Nobody wants to run for the Senate as a Republican in this state.
Dear Doctors: I went to urgent care with bad stomach cramps, and the doctor there talked about something called "leaky gut." But when I asked my own doctor about it, he said it's not really a thing. What do you know about leaky gut?