DEAR HARRIETTE: Throughout my entire pregnancy, my mom treated me badly. I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant, and she was not happy. Not only was I not married, but I wasn’t in a particularly stable relationship either. She held a grudge, probably out of shame or embarrassment. She barely spoke to me, and when she did, she was not kind.
Dear Doctors: I have been told that I have tonsil stones. What are they, and how do you get them? Do you know if this is a common condition? Are there any natural remedies?
DEAR HARRIETTE: My mom has always been emotionally distant, and now that I’m an adult, I’m realizing just how much that’s shaped our relationship. Growing up, she wasn’t unkind.
Reality does not always match up with fantasy.
Rumeysa Ozturk is a 30-year-old graduate student at Tufts University and a native of Turkey who wears a traditional Muslim headscarf. Six weeks ago, she was arrested by masked federal agents on a street corner near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts, and sent to a detention camp in Louisiana.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m working as a nanny for a family I really enjoy. The position has been a good fit. The child is wonderful, the hours are manageable and I’ve developed a positive relationship with the rest of the family. However, there’s one issue that’s starting to create some stress for me: Part of my responsibilities include driving the child to and from activities, school and playdates, all using my personal car.
Dear Doctors: I am a 74-year-old man with a somewhat embarrassing question. My grandson recently asked me why I smell dusty. I’ve heard about “old person smell,” but always thought I would know if I had it. What causes it?
30 YEARS AGO
In 1954, the Supreme Court, in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m currently caught in a battle between my sister and my wife. My sister is getting married soon and, unfortunately, does not want my wife to attend. My sister has always been rather protective or defensive of me, but about a year ago, after taking a trip together, my sister decided that she thinks my wife is self-centered. At first, I laughed it off because I disagree. But throughout the year, I’ve noticed that they don’t talk much anymore, and my sister can be a bit unkind to my wife.