Dear Doctors: I’m pretty good about eating a healthy diet. The exception is each month during my period, when all I seem to want is potato chips and ice cream. Is there something going on with my body, or is this just a good excuse for a few cheat days each month?
DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother is turning 90 this year, and we are absolutely thrilled. As we have been planning her birthday celebration, it has occurred to me that I want to be sensitive to my friends who have lost their parents in recent years. We all grew up together, so I want to invite them to attend her party, but I don’t want to remind them of their own losses. My family and I feel so blessed to have our mother still and want to make this the happiest time for her and everyone who joins us. How should I handle this? – Love and Loss DEAR LOVE AND LOSS: First of all, blessings to you and your mother for reaching this milestone. Conflicted feelings about this celebration are understandable, so it is wise to proceed with tenderness. That said, I’m sure that your friends would be more hurt if you did not include them in your invitation list. If they and their parents were integral to your mother’s life as you grew up, they will appreciate the gesture.
Dear Doctors: My father is 74 years old. He wants to stay healthy, so he has started taking a fitness class at his local community center. One of the exercises they do is to walk backward. The instructor says it’s good for your body, and also for cognition. Do you know if this is actually true?
DEAR HARRIETTE: There’s this guy I’ve been interested in for a while now. We have great chemistry, and every time we hang out, I find myself liking him more. The problem is, he’s already gone after three of my friends. Each time, he’s flirted with one of them or dated them briefly, and even though none of those relationships turned serious, it’s left me feeling conflicted.
Recently, I participated in an interim study, IS-24-061, examining public corruption laws. Overall, the study primarily focused on waste, fraud, and abuse, but it was more about identifying waste than uncovering actual criminal activity.
It is almost impossible to be against a rule announced by the Environmental Protection Agency last month requiring utilities to replace all lead pipes within a decade. After all, who opposes the swift removal of a deadly toxin from drinking water? But there’s a tricky road ahead, and it’s an expensive one to travel.
• Laundry detergent sheets are all the rage now, replacing heavy plastic jugs as an ecofriendly way to add detergent to your washing machine. Since the soap is activated in water, it’s imperative to make sure the stack of sheets does not get wet or even come in contact with trace amounts of water. Remove the sheets from the existing paperboard packaging and place them in an airtight container. This is a great way to upcycle an old food storage container.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I love my mom, but I just can’t trust her with any sensitive information. Every time I share something personal or private, she turns around and tells my family, her friends and even acquaintances, and it’s incredibly frustrating. For example, I’ll confide in her about something going on in my life, and the next time I see a relative or one of her friends, they’ll start asking me about it. It’s awkward and upsetting because it’s often information I never wanted these people to know.
The interchange of Interstate 40 and Airport Road in Weatherford soon will be designated as the “Lt. Gen. Thomas P.
Dear Doctors: I tripped on a tree root and almost did a face-plant. I landed on my hands with my arms stretched out, and now my right shoulder has started aching. My boyfriend thinks it’s a rotator cuff injury. I’ve only heard of that in baseball players. What is the rotator cuff? What is the treatment?