Strangers are rude to husband after his stroke

Dear Abby: You always give great advice on how to respond to people. My husband had a stroke 2 1/2 years ago. We ventured out for the first time to a store. He was holding onto the cart and stopped to rest. A man behind us, who was obviously following too close, threw up his hands in disgust. Evidently we weren’t moving fast enough for him, so he made a snide remark; I replied that my husband is recovering from a stroke.

Unfortunately, a week ago he suffered another stroke. How can I respond to people who are rude to those who might be slow or disabled?

Patience in California

Dear Patience: I think you handled the situation beautifully. All you can do is hang on to your temper and try to calmly educate people like the impatient individual you encountered that day.

Dear Abby: My fiancee and I will be moving in together soon, and we’re looking forward to a petfilled life. The concern we both share is that my mother and hers are allergic to animals and will probably never be able to visit because of it. We love each other’s parents and would like to have them in our lives as much as possible. Are there rules of etiquette for pets and families with allergies?

Pet Lover in Georgia

Dear Pet Lover: If your parents are highly allergic, putting your pets in another room or outside won’t work because their hair and dander would be in your carpets and on your furniture. In a case like this, your parents should talk to their doctors and ask if they can get vaccinated to lessen or alleviate their allergies.