Sweaty hands curse she bears

Dear Annie: All my life, I’ve suffered from palmar hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating of the hands. My condition is quite severe, and it has affected all areas of my life. As a child, I had to endure nasty comments from other children, and nicknames such as “Sprinkler” and “Rain Man” really put a damper on my self-confidence. Throughout my high school years, I was so self-conscious, I refused to shake anyone’s hand. This made people think I was immature or a germaphobe, and I was taunted continuously.

I managed to get a waitressing job during my senior year. The job didn’t last long because I had some difficulty holding multiple plates, and often they slipped out of my grip. Also, some of the customers were bothered by my hands and didn’t want me near their food. After graduating, my condition continued to be an inconvenience that limited the number of tasks I could easily perform and made employment difficult. It also put a large strain on my social life.

At 23, I married “Dan” and thought he had come to accept my situation. However, after our first year of marriage, he grew distant. After another month, he admitted that he found my hands repulsive and left me. I feel I will never be accepted. What can I do? – Sweating in the Palms

Dear Sweating: We won’t minimize the pain this condition has caused you, although it does not help that you are so focused on it. It alters the way you approach people and how they perceive you. There are newer prescription medications available to help control excessive sweating, and if you have not seen a dermatologist recently, please make an appointment immediately. As a last resort, there also is a surgical option. For more information, contact the International Hyperhidrosis Society (sweathelp.org) at 520 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Dear Annie: My parents recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. One guest, who had been the flower girl in their wedding, put two hatboxes together and decorated them to look like a wedding cake. Inside was a wide assortment of edible goodies and other products reminiscent of the 1950s. The nostalgic goodies were widely enjoyed by the family, and the contents didn’t clutter up the house. I thought it was a very clever gift idea. – K.S.

Dear K.S.: We do, too. It was appropriate, fun, personal and inexpensive, and required both thought and care. The best of all worlds.