I dreamed my dad called and said he would have to lose either his arm or his leg: “It looks worse than they expected.” Then I woke up. What the — ?

— Nichole, Fort Wayne, IN

From Lauri: Do you have any concerns about your dad in real life? If not, then he is likely not playing himself but rather is a part of you. Most often our dads represent our ability to make money and manage money. Is there anything, lately, that is costing you “an arm and a leg,” so to speak? What other sort of loss has happened or needs to happen in your life? Often, dismemberment dreams can be connected to cutting someone or something out of your life.

Nichole replies: There’s been a lot of guilt lately about being a working mom and missing my kids’ milestones. They are growing up faster than I expected.