Dear Doctors: I’ve been an endurance athlete my whole adult life. After having COVID-19, I’ve gone from running marathons at an 8-minute mile pace to needing walking breaks whenever I run. Are there studies about long COVID and endurance? How do I find one I can join?
DEAR HARRIETTE: For many years, I worked in corporate America with a strict 9 to 5, Monday through Friday schedule. Recently, I made the switch – as the economy demanded – to working freelance. I now work in media and do a lot of event-based work. It is way more fast-paced, and my schedule is completely different every single day. I quite enjoy the change, but my boyfriend, not so much. We’ve lived together for the past three years, so he’s used to the old version of me. He expressed that he feels neglected and that he believes I put my work before him.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 30th birthday just passed, and it was awful. I hate to sound ungrateful, but what should feel like a major milestone felt completely overlooked. Honestly, I’ve had a rough year, so I was OK with having a quiet birthday this year – just some reminiscing, goal setting and maybe some quality time with friends. Someone asked me if they could plan a surprise for me. While the thought was sweet, I expressed that I didn’t want anyone spending money on me, but they insisted on doing something. They asked what I would want, and all I asked was that it be low-budget and that my parents be present. I found out that everyone who attended had to pay, despite it being in my friend’s home, my parents were not invited and the host had a program full of her favorite activities for the gathering. It didn’t feel like this party was for me at all.
Responded to a animal call of a calf out in the area of Oklahoma and Hughes St., Thomas.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I accidentally referred to my friend with the wrong pronouns, and they snapped at me! We’ve been friends for nearly a year now, but I introduced them to some new friends and used the pronoun “she” to describe something about them. I felt awful. Just as quickly as I was about to correct myself, they were already yelling at me. They lost it.









