DEAR ABBY: My older sister has just been diagnosed with cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine might have protected her from it, had it been available to our generation.
A few of us were out to lunch recently, and when I asked a younger sister if her granddaughter had received the vaccine, she went off on me like I had asked something terrible. Do you think I was wrong for asking? I have grandkids and would not be offended if someone asked me that question. -- CONCERNED SISTER
DEAR CONCERNED SISTER: If you and the younger sister are close, then I don't think your question was offensive. However, if you are not, because it was asked in front of friends, she may have interpreted it as an implication that her granddaughter -- who is, of course, pure as the driven snow -- is sexually active, which made her defensive.