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‘Old folks’ and ‘rookies’ in politics

After what we have experienced recently I assure you America will never again hire anyone who would serve as president into their 80s. No blame can go to the founders of our nation who did not feel that it was necessary to put an age limit on the presidency. And then we had the “Joe Biden and Donald Trump combo.” By 2028, we would have had 12 consecutive years of total dysfunction, for various reasons, coming out of the Oval Office. There is virtually no corporation, nor is there any other occupation or career that would allow anyone to work in an official capacity into their ...

Waiting room worries

Dear Annie: The doctor I have been seeing for over 20 years has decided to discontinue her practice in the town I live in and move to another town. I can’t get to that town, so I’ve asked friends to recommend their doctors. But I’m dreading having to set up an appointment with a completely unfamiliar doctor. How do I get over the anxiety of seeing a new doctor, new office, new staff and now a new medical portal I have to learn to navigate? I’m just anxious about starting all over again. — Anxious Dear Anxious: Twenty years of trust doesn’t transfer with your file, so the ...

Providing information on how to combat chronic kidney disease

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your column every day. I haven’t seen any information on chronic kidney disease (CKD). There are many articles on the internet about this subject, telling us how to combat it with easy, at-home remedies. Most articles discuss how to cleanse your nephron filters with things such as pumpkin seed oil, cinnamon, etc. I’m a borderline Type 2 diabetic, and I take Jardiance. My last eGFR was 52. My last creatinine level was 1.39 mg/dL. Could you possibly provide me with some useful information on this subject? Is there a simpler way to combat CKD? There are millions ...

Dear Annie: A season of distance, not goodbye

Dear Annie: I am an 86-year-old mother of three children, a grandmother of six and great-grandmother of eight. We have always had a great relationship with our children. Our youngest daughter, who has always been close to us, went through a stressful divorce. Her husband had an affair, and she divorced him. She always came home every few months, or we went to see her. In the past few years, she has only come home twice a year, only for a day or so at a time. I am no longer driving, so going to visit her is not an option. She calls almost every day. She says there is nothing wrong. But ...

When the guardrails are destroyed

People of a certain age were taught to respect the police, obey the law and other rules and regulations mostly practiced by our parents and grandparents. They believed such things would lead to better lives for themselves and for the nation. For many, they did. Today we look at the lawlessness, the antisemitism, the hate speech directed at the president, teen takeovers, attacks on police officers and others and we might ask: why is this happening? The answer can be found on the side of the road. To use a metaphor, the guardrails have been removed. Guardrails are crash-tested barriers ...

Who remembers Oliver?

I still listen to Oliver Anthony. He was the rednecky guy who played guitar outdoors with bugs and dogs. His songs are mournful and angry, lamenting his struggles with addiction, his poverty and the changes in America. In his song “Rich Men North of Richmond,” welfare queens on one side and a Washington elite on the other were wasting his life. The song became what Fox News called “The Conservative National Anthem.” Biden was president then. They even played a bit of it at the first Republican debates in August of 2023. The politicians appeared a bit mystified when asked to ...