DEAR ABBY: I’ve been thinking about suicide a lot lately, more than usual. I’m not angry about anything, just in pain. I keep getting knocked down after I try so hard to pick myself up. I tried calling a hotline, gave up on that. (I guess they’re busy.) I can’t afford doctors and psychiatrists. The […]
Matthew Daigle
Matthew Daigle is a court reporter at the Norway bureau of the Sun Journal and has worked for the company for more than six years. He covers the courts, Oxford County government, and the towns of Norway, Paris and Otisfield. He lives in Greene with his fiance, his two Siamese cats and his 13-year old chihuahua. In his spare time, he likes to read, watch movies and listen to podcasts about the television show “Survivor.” He is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington and earned a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing.
Excess production of stomach acid misdiagnosed as IBS
DEAR DR. ROACH: For more than three years, I lived with never-ending diarrhea. My doctor diagnosed me with irritable bowel syndrome. Once, I got very dehydrated and passed out after taking a shower. I was admitted to the hospital. An evaluation at that time, including a nuclear test, showed a tumor on my pancreas and […]
Pisces: Keep it simple and reap the benefits
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ryan Kwanten, 43; Jon Stewart, 57; Ed Harris, 69; Paul Shaffer, 70. Happy Birthday: Simplicity will help you keep things running smoothly. Instinctively know to curb unwarranted habits and not to make offers that are unreasonable or put you in a stressful position. This year is about maneuvering your way […]
Girlfriend learns the secret behind man’s cheap rent
DEAR ABBY: I moved in with my boyfriend, “Greg,” three years ago into the tiny but very economical house he rents. It’s cheaper than all other rentals in our area and allows us to save for a home of our own one day. However, after many months, I have discovered to my dismay that our […]
Salt substitute is a tricky replacement for potassium pills
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 91-year-old man with swollen legs. I take 20 mg of furosemide and 20 mEq of Klor-Con daily. I understand that the Klor-Con is to replace the potassium loss caused by the former. I also understand that I should reduce my salt intake to the lowest amount possible. Because of […]
Aquarius: Be a leader, not a follower
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Alison Pill, 34; Jaleel White, 43; Fisher Stevens, 56; Kathryn Bigelow, 68. Happy Birthday: Keep an open mind, but don’t believe everything you hear. Mull over what’s going on around you this year. Refuse to be pressured into something you aren’t ready to do. Be honest with yourself as well […]
Old flame is on man’s mind while marriage loses intimacy
DEAR ABBY: I am in a 14-year marriage, but there has always been another woman, “Emily,” I have thought about almost daily the whole time. My wife and I have just turned 40. We have no kids, but we have a dog. I always thought I would want kids, and we tried half-heartedly, but there […]
Cheek chewer reaches out for help preserving teeth
DEAR DR. ROACH: No one seems to understand a bad habit of mine, especially dentists! I bite off the loose skin on the inside of my cheeks. I remove little bits of cheek matter that is loose and sort of just hangs and is rough. It’s sort of like picking at a scab or a […]
Capricorn: Work on something that excites you
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Peter Facinelli, 46; Garcelle Beauvais, 53; Tina Turner, 80; Rich Little, 81. Happy Birthday: Sensitive issues should be dealt with, not brushed aside and allowed to fester. Facing facts and making lifestyle changes that will allow you the freedom to follow a path that will bring out the best in […]
Mom weighs when to tell her son how he came to be
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I very much wanted a child and used an egg donor to become parents. We are eternally grateful to the semi-anonymous donor (we have limited information on her) and love our 11-year-old son more than anything. We have told him that I needed help (for example, lots of shots) to […]