Dad won’t stop smoking around grandchildren

DEAR HARRIETTE: My dad’s a heavy smoker and has been for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, he used to smoke inside the house constantly. I remember the smell being everywhere – in my clothes, in the walls, even in my toys.

Recovery of mastectomy can take a long time

Dear Doctors: My best friend has breast cancer that has spread to her lymph nodes, and she needs to have a double mastectomy. Can you please talk about how all of this can psychologically affect you? What can I do that will help her and not be a burden?

DO JUST ONE THING

• If you dread ironing clothes, here’s a simple tip to speed up the process and help you save energy: Remove the fabric cover from your ironing board and cover it with a few sheets of aluminum foil. Then place the fabric cover on top of the foil.

New marketing grad not feeling fulfilled

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently graduated and entered the workforce, and while I feel grateful to have landed a full-time position in marketing, I’m starting to feel a bit lost. The job itself is fine.

Melanoma highly treatable when caught early

Dear Doctors: My sister-in-law is 82 years old and was recently diagnosed with melanoma. She has an appointment for treatment in a couple of weeks. I thought this was a serious and deadly disease. Can a patient wait long periods of time before treatment?

Volunteer wants to adopt cat despite boyfriend

DEAR HARRIETTE: I volunteer at my local humane society every weekend, and over the past several months, I’ve developed a real connection with one of the cats there. Her name is Marbles, and she’s been at the shelter for more than a year now.

Running has same benefits as antidepressants

Dear Doctors: I started taking meds for depression. When I let my doctor know at my last visit, he told me about a study that says running also helps with depression symptoms. Do you know anything about that? Maybe if I try running, I can stop taking these meds.

Ex-partner questions timing of reconnecting

DEAR HARRIETTE: I think I’m still in love with my ex. Is it possible it just wasn’t the right time for us?My ex and I ran into each other for the first time in a long time at a party back in December, and it’s as if we picked up where we left off.

DO JUST ONE THING

• Whether you’re in a hotel, restaurant, office building or at the gym, if you see a water leak, you should say something. The managers of these commercial buildings often are completely unaware that they may be wasting water, and it helps when someone like you brings it to their attention.

Runners encourage friend to train for marathon

DEAR HARRIETTE: All of my friends are into running, and lately they’ve been talking about training for a marathon together. They keep encouraging me to join them, saying it would be an amazing challenge, a great bonding experience and something I’d feel proud of accomplishing.