Dear Annie: I am 57 years old and autistic. Due to my inability to read people and my own bad choices, I am the single mother of three adult children, whom I love and am indescribably proud of, but I have never been loved. As a child, I was sexually abused by my father for years. A teacher ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please provide your recommendations on how we should conduct ourselves after we get the COVID vaccine? Please include an explanation of how immune we actually will be. -- T.S. ANSWER: Three vaccines are approved under an emergency authorization at the time of this ...
Dear Annie: My ex and I got married when I was 19. We stayed together for 10 years, during which I was dealing with untreated depression. That did not make life easy for either of us. Eventually, he left, leaving me to care for the kids. He gave us some financial support but was not present in ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am currently on rituximab immunotherapy. I have had my first Moderna vaccine, and my second shot is scheduled in four weeks. My oncologist is not sure how the rituximab affects the immunization and the effectiveness of the vaccine. Can you explain how people on immunotherapy ...
Dear Annie: We occasionally will have friends over for dinner, and there have been times when they simply won’t leave. I’m not talking about an hour or two; many times it’s three or four hours after dinner! We love our friends and are happy that they feel very comfortable with us to ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: I’d like to know what kind of damage to look out for after being a heavy drinker between the ages of 19 and 40, at which age the drinking slowed to a comparative trickle. I used to have many binge events plus regular consumption three to four nights a week and now have a ...
Dear Annie: I raised my son, who is now 41, as a single mom. I am 75. My son and I have always been very close. Ten years ago, he married a very intelligent woman, and now I have two beautiful grandchildren. I was getting along well with everyone, but now my life is so depressing because my ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve had regular swab tests for COVID-19, which have always been negative. The last one was just a few days ago. I had an antibody test six weeks ago that also was negative, but my antibody test this time was strongly positive. I’ve been very careful about protecting myself ...
Dear Annie: I raised my son, who is now 41, as a single mom. I am 75. My son and I have always been very close. Ten years ago, he married a very intelligent woman, and now I have two beautiful grandchildren. I was getting along well with everyone, but now my life is so depressing because my ...
The 1950s were pretty good years throughout the US, and there’s no shortage of 50s’ memorabilia today reminding us of those great times. But growing up in Houghton during that era was an especially rich experience. I often think of it as my “Mayberry, Michigan,” experience – a source ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have had low GFR readings ranging from 53 to 37 for the past 15 years. I’m an 87-year-old female in good health. I do strength training and Pilates, and am quite active walking my dog and doing my own yardwork. I’ve had heart disease for 10 years with no symptoms, and ...
As one gets older, it is natural to look back to those who were and always will be part of who we have become. I grew up in a family of eight children, and our sister Barbara was number 5 in the chain. Even though it was some years ago, I want to share the memory of Barb’s final day in the ...
Dear Annie: I’ve been in a relationship with “Stuart” for almost three years now. In that time I’ve grown a lot, working to become healthier physically, mentally and financially. I eat healthily and work hard at my job. I no longer drink alcohol. I want to be the best version of ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife and I tested positive for COVID-19 on December 20, 2020. Due to our ages, we qualify to receive a vaccine now. But we have heard and read conflicting advice relating to the appropriate vaccination timing for people who have tested positive, ranging from get it as soon as ...
Dear Annie: My boyfriend and I have been together for 10 years. Everything was good until three years ago when a woman contacted me to tell me that she’d been seeing him. She apologized to me for it. After we got off the phone, I found her on Facebook and realized that they’d been ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: What is celiac artery compression syndrome? I’m told I have this, and it’s causing an aneurysm that needs to get repaired. I found out on a scan taken for another reason. I have had some pain after eating. -- I.J.M. ANSWER: The celiac artery is one of three large arteries ...
Dear Annie: Just wanted to say thank you for including the letters from people who really love and appreciate their spouses. Life has been difficult lately for many of us, and reading positive words is uplifting. Dwelling on people’s often-petty complaints makes me feel down while reading ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: My doctor is insisting I take cholesterol medicine after I’ve refused to take it for years. I am 66 years old, and my total cholesterol is 301 (triglycerides 76, HDL 83 and LDL 206). He has prescribed rosuvastatin, 20 mg a day. I feel with my triglycerides and my HDL being ...
Dear Readers: On International Women’s Day, March 8, I answered a reader who has three boys and wants to add a girl to their family. Her husband is wary because, if they have another baby, it might be another boy. But his wife said that even if there is another boy, she will be happy and love ...
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have had over 50 vaccinations in my life (I’m 78), most of them while I was in the military. I have often wondered how the vaccine spreads throughout the body, as the shots are almost always given in the upper arm. I would welcome your explanation of what exactly takes ...