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4B Daily News – Tuesday, January 8, 2013 FEATURES Reader wants to meet her half-siblings Curved private part perspective. She believes Dear Annie: I am a 50knowing that she had a child year-old adoptee. About 10 before she married the chilyears ago, I was finally able dren's father would devasto locate my biological tate them and change how mother. It took me months they feel about her. Instead to work up the nerve to of pressuring her, help her phone her, and the call was see that her children might a nightmare. be surprised, but not necesHer first words were, ''How did you find me? I Annie's sarily upset. And they may be angry if she withholds was told nobody would ever this information and they know.'' That was followed by, "What do you want by Kathy Mitchell find out later. Encourage her from me?'' I explained that and Marcy Sugar to see contact between you in a more positive light. the laws in Kansas had Dear Annie: My son is a dedichanged, and they released the information. I told her I didn't want cated anesthesiologist. He took a anything except family medical his- job at a small hospital in a small tory and some knowledge of where town, hoping to enjoy a reasonable I came from. I told her I understood life. The pay isn't as good as that of those were different times and I a large hospital in a big city, but he hold no ill will because I've had a was willing to take a cut in order to wonderful life with adoptive parents work there. I realize that the hours are never who love me. I cried for three days after that good for his type of specialty, but I call. I was completely crushed. Four am so upset that the people at this days later, she called back, quite hospital expect him to put in 24apologetic, and we talked for more hour days with little sleep. I thought than an hour. Obviously, she needed the lack of sleep for doctors was studied and determined to be unactime to get past the shock. Here's the problem. She has ceptable and harmful to patients. three other children who are all What on earth are these people adults now, and she doesn't want thinking? I would be very concerned about them to know about me. She told her late husband, but she spent years stretching a doctor's exhaustion to fearing I would contact her. I do not the brink of something serious hapagree with her position. I feel the pening. What can I do? — Worried kids have a right to know they have Mom Dear Worried: In order to prea half-sister. Your thoughts? — vent fatigue-related medical errors, Conflicted Adoptee from Kansas Dear Conflicted: We agree, but rules were put into effect limiting try to see this from your bio mom's residents' work hours. Last year, the Mailbox Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education updated those rules. At the moment, first-year residents cannot work longer than 16 hours straight. But more advanced residents can work up to 24 hours straight. If your son is past his firstyear residency, his hospital is doing nothing unusual. We know you don't want your son to be overextended, but you need to let him handle this however he sees fit. Dear Annie: ''Sickened on the East Coast'' was in a dispute with her child's middle school over their summer reading list. I was in a similar situation several years ago with my son's high school. I read the recommended book along with my son so we could discuss it. I felt the book was inappropriate for a number of reasons. At the beginning of the school year, I requested a meeting with the head of the English department. I explained my objections and also provided alternate titles for future summer reading assignments, pointing out life lessons that could be taught with my suggested titles. I think most people are willing to listen to our complaints when we also provide a solution. — A Mom Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Lake Shasta Caverns national landmark The National Park Service designated Lake Shasta Caverns as a Natural National Landmark and a designation plaque was unveiled on Friday, Aug. 3, at Shasta Lake. Long known to the Wintu Indians, Lake Shasta Caverns was discovered by the European in the 1870's. It wasn't widely explored by anyone, except for a handful of spelunkers, until 1964 when it was open to the public. Lake Shasta Caverns are a network of caves located near the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake and scientists believe that the system dates back at least 200 million years, formed by flowing water. Now the National Park Service has designated it as a Natural National Landmark. It is one of 36 in California and 593 in the United States. "This is not just a badge of honor for Lake Shasta Caverns and the management here, but, this is for the locals too," Caverns General Manager Matthew Doyle said following a brief ceremony. "We're encouraging everyone to get up here". It took 38 year for Lake Shasta Caverns to achieve this status. National Natural Landmark Coordinator with the U.S. Forest Service Steve Gibbons said, because of the features of the caves, the wait was well worth it. "The designation basically heightens the awareness resources here at Lake Shasta Caverns," Gibbons said. "It also brings into focus other contributing factors like providing education for the public." Education like topflight underground classroom program, in which school-aged children from elementary through high school receive a special tour supported by education materials designed to focus their observations around issues of cave development and cave conservation. Redding Mayor Dick Dickerson sites the added tourism dollar the destination will bring to the northstate, but more than that he says that he is proud to have the added attraction in his own backyard. "This is special because it is a National Recognition for an area the site here in Shasta County that for those of us hat have lived here for a number of years really love it and appreciate and just nice to got a National Recognition for it," Dickerson said. Lake Shasta Caverns expects an increase in guest attendance from out of the area and from our local area due to this recognition. not likely to go away for cases that DEAR DOCcause pain and TOR K: A few interfere with sexmonths ago, I ual function. The noticed that my best results have penis had develcome from oral oped a bend in it. It pentoxifylline and hurts when I have injections into the sex, and it's embarscar tissue with rassing. Is there a one of three drugs: treatment? Dr. K verapamil, interDEAR READby Anthony L. alpha-2b ER: What you Komaroff, M.D. feron and collagenase. describe sounds to Pentoxifylline acts on me like Peyronie's disease. This condition causes a cur- the immune system to vature of the penis. It can quiet inflammation and also cause pain with erec- the associated formation tion, and it may interfere of scar tissue. Other with sexual function. The options include carnitine pain often is more of a and vitamin E (sometimes problem at the beginning of with colchicine), taken by the condition than later. mouth. But these therapies Even if the bend in the are not usually effective in penis remains, the pain men with moderate to severe curvature. often resolves. High-intensity ultraIn Peyronie's disease, inflammation and scar tis- sound and radiation therasue form along the shaft of py have been tried, but the penis. No one is certain there is no strong evidence why this occurs. It may be of their effectiveness. Corrective surgery may triggered by repeated mild trauma during sexual inter- be an option if your sympcourse. In some men it goes toms are very bothersome away, but in most it doesn't. or disfiguring and persist However, when it remains, for more than one year. In it doesn't always interfere a typical procedure, the with sex or cause other inflamed or scarred porsymptoms. It just looks tion of tissue is removed from the penis and funny. People with Peyronie's replaced with a graft taken disease may have genes from another part of the that cause them to form body. This surgery often scar tissue more readily. They are more likely than works well. However, mild other people to also suffer curvature of the penis may from a condition called remain. In addition, sexual Dupuytren's contracture, in function or shortening of which scar tissue builds up the penis may not improve in the palms of the hands following surgery. For this reason, surand soles of the feet. You may feel the geons sometimes implant inflammation and scar tis- a penile prosthesis during sue as a painful lump or surgery. In some men, a area of unusual firmness. prosthesis alone is enough In many men, the scar tis- to straighten the curvature sue is not evenly distrib- and improve sexual funcuted throughout the shaft tion. If you decide to conof the penis. If it is more sider surgery, be sure to on one side, as it usually discuss all options with is, the scar tugs on the your doctor. shaft, causing the penis to Dr. Komaroff is a bend or shorten. This is because it prevents the physician and professor at penis from expanding nor- Harvard Medical School. mally. Men with Pey- To send questions, go to ronie's often have difficul- AskDoctorK.com, or write: ty achieving a firm erec- Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston, tion. Treatment is available MA 02115. AARP Drivers Expert answers to common DMV questions Safety Class in Red Bluff An AARP Driver Safety Program class has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, at 220 Sycamore St., in Red Bluff. The class is for returning students only. The AARP Driver Safety Program is designed for drivers 50 and over. It is an informal, easygoing atmosphere to learn about new laws, how to avoid driving hazards, tips for freeway driving and more. Upon completion of the course, you may qualify for an auto insurance discount. Check with your insurer to see if you qualify and the amount of the discount. Cost for the class is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members. Class size is limited. To register call 528-1728. Let Us Handle Do you have questions about general driving related requirements like registration and insurance? Are you unclear about laws and restrictions related to driving? The California Department of Motor Vehicles has answers. Save Time. Go Online at www.DMV.ca.gov. Q: I want to apply for a Hazardous Materials endorsement and I know I will need a background check. Where should I start first? A: When applying for a Hazardous Materials (HazMat) endorsement, it is highly recommended that you start with the DMV. This will help expedite the procedure and ensure that the process runs smoothly. For more information, visit our web site at www.DMV.ca.gov or visit your local field office and you will be provided with a brochure specifically outlining the requirements for obtaining this endorsement. Q: My daughter registered my car in another state. However I recently received a renewal notice and notice of delinquent registration. How do I notify DMV that the vehicle is registered in another state? A: You may return the renewal notice to DMV with a letter stating that the vehicle is now registered in another state. Be sure to indi- Your Construction Needs All phases of • Concrete • Grading • Paving • Underground Construction Robert Douglas Construction Cell: 530-510-0831 rdc716@yahoo.com cate when the vehicle left California and the state where the vehicle is now registered. The fees remain due if the vehicle was registered elsewhere after the registration expiration date. If the vehicle's ownership was also changed, you may wish to file a Notice of Release of Liability online at www.DMV.ca.gov, to ensure DMV records are aware of the new information. DMV will update its records and stop further attempts to collect past due registration. Q: I know that I cannot pass a school bus when it is at a stop to load or unload passengers. Does this rule also apply to city buses? A: While it is true that you must stop behind school buses when they have lights flashing and children are present, this rule does not apply to other Respecting People. 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