Dear Abby: My husband and I have been married five years. My husband's stepdad died two years ago. After the funeral, we offered to have his mother come live with us until she got back on her feet. ...more

February 3, 2008

Dear Abby: A friend was diagnosed with cancer. A single woman living alone, she rallied a group of co-workers, friends and neighbors to donate their time to help her with a variety of tasks. These included driving her back and forth to chemo and doctor appointments, fixing meals, cleaning her house (she has OCD and was superpicky about every detail, including cleaning the cat box), sleeping over to make sure she was OK (we had only a lumpy couch because she refused to set up a bed in one of her two vacant bedrooms!) and handling a variety of other tasks. ...more

January 27, 2008

Dear Abby: My husband and I have been going round and round about nursing homes. My father's illness and memory loss have brought us face to face with the issue. This dilemma is not for those families who can afford to pay for someone to care for a patient in his or her own home. Nor does it apply to those who can afford an assisted-living facility. ...more

January 20, 2008

Dear Abby: I am a stay-at-home mom with two little girls. My problem is that my father-in-law insists on visiting us when his son - my husband - is at work. I find it weird and imposing. I have already voiced my discomfort to my husband. He tells me I am being ridiculous and selfish. Is that so? ...more

January 13, 2008

Dear Abby: It seems I will never meet my "Mr. Right." Every person I'm attracted to is either in a relationship or doesn't like me. ...more

December 30, 2007

Dear Abby: As you know, when students are in their last year of high school, their minds start wandering to other places - college, careers, marriage, etc. But my daughter is the complete opposite. ...more

December 23, 2007

Dear Abby: I have been dating a great guy, "Curtis," for about a year, and I'm happy with everything about our relationship except for one thing. Curtis lives out of town. I live in the same town as his parents. He stays with me many weekends, and when he visits his parents and they ask where he is staying, he lies to them. ...more

December 16, 2007

Dear Abby: I was the other woman for seven years, involved with a man I thought was perfect. His wife knew about me. It was never an issue until he fell in love with me. After that, things changed. He began making promises and told me as soon as his wife got herself together and found a job and a place to live, he would divorce her and be with me forever. ...more

December 9, 2007

Lyn's new column, The Caregiver's Caregiver, first appeared last July in 4You, Tampa Tribune's magazine for health, fitness, nutrition and appearance. Kim Franke-Folstad, editor of 4You, recognized the need for caregivers to take as good care of themselves as they do the loved ones in their care. The subject is one Lyn has been involved in since the 1980s when she began helping care for both her father and her grandmother. Her father suffered with Alzheimer's disease for 13 years. Her grandmother did not have dementia, but she grew increasingly frail and unable to care for herself. She lived to be 95. Lyn's many magazine articles on caring for caregivers and her book filled with practical caregiving tips earned her the nickname "the caregiver's caregiver." Therefore, naming the new column was easy. ...more

December 7, 2007

Dear Abby: I don't celebrate Christmas and haven't for many years. Once in a while, someone will give me a Christmas gift. (I have also received the occasional Easter gift.) ...more

December 2, 2007