Parent worried after reading diary

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently read my teenage daughter’s diary. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular or worried that she was hiding something from me – I was honestly just being nosy.

Slipping rib syndrome causes pain

Dear Doctors: I was diagnosed with slipping rib syndrome and had to have surgery to correct it. My doctors say the rib is now stabilized, but I’m still having cramping and pain in the area, sometimes quite severe. Why would that be happening after the repair?

Friends don’t share commuting duties

DEAR HARRIETTE: I love my friends, but I hate how inconvenienced they have made me. My friends and I are all college students who met freshman year living in the dorms. It was so easy to hang out with one another because we all lived in the same building and were basically joined at the hip.

Taking precautions against SIDS

Dear Doctors: My daughter just had a baby, and we’ve been talking about SIDS. I remember hearing a lot about it when my own children were babies, but it doesn’t seem to get as much attention anymore. Do doctors know yet what causes SIDS? What can parents do to reduce the risk?

Nothing compares to talking face to face

Iwas driving back to my little motel after my first two talks of the week.Earlier this year, I attended a national conference for librarians. My publisher wanted me to be there to sign free books, and I have never in my life seen people so excited to get a free book as those librarians.

Mom regrets giving up career and hobbies

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like I wasted my whole life putting my husband’s and children’s needs in front of my own. I didn’t accomplish the things that young me set out to do.

Democrats agree Trump is on the ballot

Trump told Republicans, “please pretend that I am running,” at their recent convention in Dallas.Well, no one has to pretend. Democrats agree completely. They also want voters to view the November elections as a referendum on Trump’s presidency.

Fashion student worried about being rude

DEAR HARRIETTE: I moved away from my small town in Ohio to go to fashion school in New York City. When I was out and about, a girl stopped me at the train station and asked me who I was.When I confirmed my name, she exclaimed that we went to school together and she graduated a few years before me.

Elderspeak can cause risks to physical health

Dear Doctors: My mother is 82 and mentally sharp. She’s frustrated because in medical appointments, she often gets talked down to. They call her “young lady,” people don’t listen to her and when I’m in the room, they talk to me but not to her.

Local fire departments benefit from assistance

Dear Editor: Our local fire departments, both rural and urban, play an essential role in protecting our families, homes, ranches, and businesses. Our firefighters are always ready to respond when someone in our communities needs help, often putting their own safety on the line to protect others.