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ALLERGIES TO ANIMAL DANDER ARE NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT
DEAR ABBY: I'm writing in response to "Abby Fan," the motel guest who's allergic to animals. Guests should not have to assume there have been pets in a motel room and that there is still animal dander in the room. Just as most hotels have smoke-free rooms, perhaps a few rooms could be specifically set aside for people who travel with their pets, leaving the rest "dander-free."
As a flight attendant with a major airline, I know firsthand the difficulties we encounter with pets on board. Although FAA rules require that any animal traveling in the passenger cabin be confined to a carrier at all times, with the exception of sight or hearing-aid dogs, passengers often assume that their adored pet will be welcome to sit on the seat and that other passengers and the cabin crew will understand.
Abby, this is a safety issue, as well as a health issue for those with allergic reactions. An allergic reaction at 35,000 feet is very frightening, especially if we don't realize the cause was a cat or dog from a previous flight that was allowed to sit in that seat and left hair and dander behind.
Animal lovers, please understand that like smokers, you must respect other people's health. -- CONNIE MALTIN, HILLSBOROUGH, CALIF.
DEAR CONNIE: Anyone who wishes to sleep in a room free of the lingering smell of cigarette smoke, or who suffers from animal allergies and requires a dander-free environment, should not assume these criteria will be met unless they first notify the establishment ahead of time. However, as you have pointed out, it might not occur to many individuals that the passenger cabin of an airplane is not dander-free. Thank you for bringing a potential health risk to my attention and for providing pet owners an opportunity to understand why their traveling companions should remain in their carriers throughout the flight. Read on:
DEAR ABBY: I was on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles and experienced a severe allergic reaction. Finally, I asked the flight attendant if there was a cat on board the aircraft. Sure enough, someone had brought one on board. The upshot was that I spent the rest of the flight on oxygen.
Prior to that, I was unaware that airlines allowed that sort of thing. Animal allergies are fairly common, and animal dander should be kept out of the recirculated air of the airline cabin. Some people suffer from allergies to animals that could be life-threatening. -- ALLERGIC IN L.A.
DEAR ALLERGIC: You have raised an interesting point. A word to the wise: Since we live in an imperfect world, and travelers cannot be guaranteed an allergen-free environment, those who suffer from life-threatening allergies should be sure their allergy medication is within easy reach at all times.
DEAR READERS: A reader submitted the following:
"Some time ago, the mayor of North Platte, Neb., announced that if he could raise $5,000 for his re-election campaign, he would walk naked down the main street for all to see.
"The citizens of North Platte raised the $5,000 -- and the mayor walked his dog, named Naked, down the main street."
DEAR ABBY: I read your column every day, although it always makes me sad to hear the problems so many of your readers have with their mothers-in-law. My dear daughter-in-law, Lona Mills, sent me this poem last Mother's Day. It made me feel so good inside that I hope you will share it with your readers this Mother's Day. -- ROSALIE MILLS, KANKAKEE, ILL.
DEAR ROSALIE: What a lovely tribute. You are blessed with a daughter-in-law who considers you to be a treasure, and from the tone of your letter, it's obvious the feeling is mutual. I'm pleased to share this poem.
TO HIS MOTHER
"Mother-in-law" they say, and yet,
Somehow I simply can't forget
'Twas you who watched his baby ways,
Who taught him his first hymn of praise,
Who smiled on him with loving pride,
When he first toddled by your side.
"Mother-in-law" but oh, 'twas you
Who taught him to be kind and true;
When he was tired, almost asleep,
'Twas to your arms he used to creep.
And when he bruised his tiny knee,
'Twas you who kissed it tenderly.
"Mother-in-law" they say, and yet,
Somehow I never shall forget
How much I owe
To you, who taught him how to grow.
You trained your son to look above,
You made of him the man I love.
And so I think of that today
When with thankful heart I'll say,
"Our Mother."
-- ANONYMOUS
DEAR ABBY: For the second time, I have read the little verse in your column about singing to our little ones: "Richer than I you will never be, I had a mother who sang to me."� The verse makes me cry, but I am so happy that I was able to do that for my daughter. She was my only child, and I always sang to her while she was growing up.
She developed cancer in her 50s, and I was by her bedside for many months. She would ask me to sing to her when she was in pain and could not sleep. I would sing the beautiful old hymns, and when she was dying I was given the strength to sing softly to her.
The sadness will always be with me, but I have some great memories. -- MARY E. MATHEWS, ANTIOCH, TENN.
DEAR MARY: Please accept my sincere sympathy for the tragic loss of your daughter. Be assured the sound of her mother singing familiar melodies brought her great comfort during her last days.
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order "How to Have a Lovely Wedding." Send a business-sized, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, Ill. 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)
Woman's Friends Stood Ready to Expose Beau's Feet of Clay
DEAR ABBY: I am in my 50s and have been a widow for several years. Two years ago, I met a man at church (I'll call him Bob) with whom I fell in love. We were very close and enjoyed each other's company. After almost two years, Bob called it quits, saying the relationship wasn't going anywhere. He wanted marriage, but I was in no hurry. I was financially set after my husband's death, and I liked the freedom that came from not being married.
After the breakup, my friends and relatives came out of the woodwork. One of them knew him professionally and said he had a very poor reputation in the community and was not respected by his peers. She also said he was known to date only women with money. It seems everyone in the family knew this except me. I asked why no one had said anything before, and they said they thought I wouldn't believe them because I seemed so in love. However, they also said that if Bob and I had announced marriage plans, they would have stepped in.
I have mixed feelings about their knowing all this and discussing it behind my back, but I'm thankful they were ready to jump in to keep me from making a mistake.
I just want your readers to know that if they find themselves in a situation similar to mine, they should listen with an open mind to people who love them. It could save them from making a terrible mistake. -- LUCKY TO BE SO LOVED
DEAR LUCKY: Your friends and relatives managed the situation wisely. They were ready to unfurl the safety net if need be, but unless and until you were about to make a serious mistake, they didn't interfere. You are fortunate, indeed, to be so loved.
DEAR ABBY: This is in response to the man in Fort Lauderdale who sweeps his hair over his bald spot and embarrasses his wife with his foot-long "flag" of hair streaming in the breeze when they go boating.
I can't believe your answer about consulting a hair stylist or visiting a specialist about a hair transplant operation or getting a hairpiece.
Did it occur to either of you that the simple solution is to buy him a sporty yachting cap -- you know the kind, with the gold braid? It will work. Trust me. -- ROBERT DOYLE, LAS VEGAS, NEV.
DEAR ROBERT: Hats off to you -- and to other readers who suggested that the writer simply buy her husband a hat. However, the wife was not complaining only about her husband's hair on the boat. She was complaining because he insisted on living in a state of denial. Wearing a hat is a temporary solution at best because hats are not acceptable in all situations. Facing the problem head on and dealing with it is a better solution.
DEAR ABBY: I heard a good one recently that I thought you might like to pass along in the name of good clean fun:
A 6-year-old visited a retirement home with her Brownie troop and was recounting her adventure to her mother. "I saw a 103-year-old man with a cat, and a woman who was 104!" said the child. "I even talked to a woman who was 108!" Amazed, the mother asked her how she knew their ages. Her daughter replied, in a tone that made it clear the answer should have been obvious even to an adult, "Mommy, it was written on their doors." -- JACK THE JOKER
DEAR JACK: Thanks for the laugh. One nice thing about telling a clean joke is there's a good chance no one's heard it before!
What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS, and getting along with peers and parents is in "What Every Teen Should Know." To order, send a business-sized, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, Ill. 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)