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8A – Daily News – Saturday, December 11, 2010 FEATURES Freeloading family fazes female Surgery for teen with Crohn’s Dear Annie: I have been married to ‘‘Kirk’’ for 23 years. The prob- lem is my in-laws. They always come to us when they are in need, and this occurs on a routine basis. I’m talking loans from $20 to $1,000 and borrowing cars, pressure washers, a carpet cleaner (that was returned broken) and everything in between. Don’t get me wrong, I do not dislike them. But I resent the way they expect us to bail them out every time they can’t pay their water bill. They rarely pay us back. Kirk’s siblings treat us the same way. Kirk says if we have it, we should be generous and we will receive a blessing for it. I am all for helping those in need, and I could certainly use the blessings, but I believe in helping those who help themselves. Only three out of 10 members of this family earn a living. The rest come to us or stay afloat through govern- ment assistance. Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar it encourages them to be irre- sponsible. If you cannot convince him of this, ask him to put a por- tion of his pay- check in a sepa- rate account that will be used solely for your family, and let him do what he wants with the rest. It is not worth destroy- ing your marriage over this. This is straining our marriage. Our biggest arguments are about his family. I would like Kirk to say ‘‘no’’ on occasion, letting them accept that he has a responsibility to our son and me, and as much as he would like to help, he simply cannot. Am I being unreasonable? — Exhausted in Ky. Dear Exhausted: No, but try to understand that your husband doesn’t seem inclined to close the family bank. His generos- ity may be a blessing for him, but it’s a curse for his family members because Dear Annie:A woman in our subdivision is a hoarder. Her house is shuttered, but there is a crack in one window through which everyone can see the stacks of newspapers that reach the ceiling. The back seat of her car is crammed with debris, and there is proba- bly clutter underneath the pedals. A neighbor con- tacted the police about it, but they said they had to catch her driving. The one time they did, she claimed she was having a garage sale and they let her go with a warning. Not only is this woman a danger on the road, but she is missing out on so much. How can we help her? We’ve tried calling various local government agencies, but hoarding does not seem to fall into anyone’s area. — Jack- sonville, Fla. Dear Jacksonville: Hoarding is a mental health issue, possibly con- nected to obsessive-com- pulsive disorder. Does your neighbor have any family? If so, contact them and suggest they talk to the woman’s doctor. Also try local church and community groups, and contact the International OCD Foundation (ocfoundation.org). And if you have reason to believe your neighbor’s home is a health hazard, report it to your local pub- lic health officials and let them investigate. Dear Annie: I want to affirm the comments from ‘‘Sevierville, Texas,’’ who said he and his wife have decided to leave their bod- ies to a medical school. My sister attended medical school a few years ago. They were all assigned a cadaver to work on to learn anatomy. At the end of the semester, the body was returned to the family for a closed casket memorial service. Every student who worked on a particular cadaver was required to attend the memorial ser- vice to see who this per- son was in life. It helped remind them that they are working on real people who should be treated with respect. I’d like to thank all those who donate their bodies to sci- ence for their generosity. — Doc’s Sister Dear Readers: Tomor- row is the Worldwide Candle Lighting. Please light a candle at 7 p.m. local time in remem- brance of all the children who have died. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.n et, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. DEAR DR. GOTT: My 19-year- old grandson was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease two years ago. At that time, he was a 234-pound line- backer entering his senior year of high school. Now he is a 174-pound 19-year-old struggling with life in general and would easily pass for 40. He has practically missed two years of his life due to extreme pain, which resulted in hospital trips and every- thing else associated with this condi- tion. Dr. Peter Gott He has taken every medication I can imagine, including Humira injections into his stomach. At present, he is taking hyoscyamine and Apriso plus pain medica- tion when it gets too severe. He has a colonoscopy every year. When he has one of these “attacks,” the pain is so severe that he gets in a fetal position and can barely walk. He has been to the hospital at least 15 times in the past two years. He recently went twice in one week and before that, in just a three- month span, he went seven times. He is unable to work because he is sick or too weak to function at least five days a week. He has never used drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Surgery has been suggested, but we are trying to avoid that if possible. He has seen at least six different doctors, and we are now hoping that you can help us. Please. DEAR READER: Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It can be debilitating and may lead to life- threatening complications, so it should be taken seriously by the sufferer and the treat- ing physician(s). While there is no cure, there is good news. Today’s treatments can greatly reduce symptoms and may even lead to long-term remission. The most common symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, reduced appetite, weight loss, ulcers and blood in the stool. Others, especially those with severe Crohn’s, may also experience inflammation of the liver or bile ducts, arthritis, fever, fatigue, skin disorders and eye inflammation. Children may experience delayed growth or sexual development. Complications include bowel obstruc- tion, malnutrition, anal fissures, ulcers, fistu- las (an abnormal connection between differ- ent parts of the intestine) and more. There is also an increased risk of colon cancer; how- ever, the vast majority (more than 90 per- cent) of sufferers never develop it. There are several types of treatment available. The first type is anti-inflammato- ry drugs, such as the Apriso (mesalamine) that your grandson is on, as well as azulfidine and corticosteroids. Immune-system suppressors are also used. Your grandson was placed on at least one of these, Humira (adalimumab). There are several others in this category. Antibiotics, which may be helpful in treating some of the complica- tions, such as ulcers, abscesses and fistulas, may also be beneficial for those without complications, as many researchers believe that antibiotics will reduce levels of harmful bac- teria within the intestine, as well as suppress its immune system. Commonly used medications include pain relievers, antidiarrheals, iron supple- ments, laxatives, vitamin B12 injections, calcium and vitamin D, and/or special diets, such as nutrients introduced directly into the veins, which can bypass the stomach and intestine, thus reversing malnutrition. Finally, surgery. If diet, lifestyle changes, medication and other treatment fail to relieve symptoms, surgery to remove a dam- aged portion, close fistulas or remove scar tissue may be recommended. Unfortunately, at best, surgery can provide years of remis- sion, but it will be temporary. Nearly three- quarters of patients who undergo surgery will experience recurrence, with approxi- mately half of them requiring a second pro- cedure or more. Even if signs and symptoms improve, medication is often prescribed fol- lowing surgery in an attempt to reduce the risk of recurrence. I suggest your grandson try some of the following lifestyle and home remedies and at least meet with a surgeon to discuss his situation. He is clearly suffering, and if med- ications have not worked for him thus far, surgery may be his best option. There is no evidence that diet can cause IBD, but certain foods and drinks may aggravate symptoms. He should limit his dairy intake; eat smaller meals; drink plenty of fluids; eat foods lower in fat, especially if the Crohn’s is affecting his small intestine; consider taking multivitamins to supple- ment lost nutrients; avoid foods that worsen symptoms; experiment with fiber to find the foods that cause the least upset but help reduce diarrhea; and finally, consider con- sulting a dietician familiar with the disorder to get further suggestions. He should also try to keep his stress levels down by exercising within his limits, practicing relaxation and breathing techniques and, perhaps, even learning biofeedback. Christmas Sale BUNKBED $ 1299 OTHER BUNKBEDS FROM $199 Major Frank Severs • UNA Jordan / Advisory Board • Larry Mikkelson, • Santa Claus RECLINERS STARTING AT $ 299 QUEEN MATTRESS SETS $ BEAUTYREST 499 SIMMONS ALL SETS $499 UP FREE MATTRESS PROTECTOR VALUED ATUPTO $ 99 Furniture DEPOT 235 S Main St., Red Bluff • 527-1657 www.thefurnituredepot.net HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 9:00-6:00 SATURDAY 9:00-5:00 • SUNDAY 11:00-5:00 GLIDER ROCKER & OTTOMAN COMBO’S A Special Thank You to Larry Mikkelson, President of “The Bikers of Northern California.” The bikers toy run brought dozens of toys to The Salvation Army on December 5, 2010. Also, a Special Thank You to Cindy Brown, staff and Rabobank in both Red Bluff & in Corning for making our “Stuff The Bus” toy run a success. With community support we hope to provide about 600 children w/new toys. So far, we have toys for about 115. We especially need toys for children 10-12 years old: sports, balls, CD player, MP3 players & scooters are good for this age group. We have Angel Trees, at: Wal-Mart, Raleys, and Kremer’s Chiropractic. Buy a toy for a child and put it in the barrel by the Angel Tree. Or, drop the toy off at our office at 940 Walnut Street. Contributions may be sent to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 935, Red Bluff, CA. 96080 www.redbluffsalarmy.org FORT THANK YOU FOR TOYS!