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Thursday, May 20, 2010 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Growing pains Husband sleeping with men DEAR DR. GOTT: My 5-year- old grandson some- times awakens in the night with pain in his legs, ankles or wrists. My daughter says he has growing pains. Is this true? DEAR READER: Yes, it is, sort of. Up to 40 percent of chil- dren experience “growing pains” during two periods — from the ages of 3 to 5 and 8 to 12. There is no evidence to substantiate that bone growth causes pain. What is experienced is likely caused by activi- ties such as running, jumping, climbing on a jungle gym, and being extremely active during the day. Most of the pain is concentrated in mus- cles behind the knees, in the calves and on the front portion of the thighs. It is often severe enough to awaken a child in the middle of the night, leaving a par- ent unsure of what to do. When any unusual symptom such as fever, fatigue, rash, loss of appetite or weakness occurs, a pediatrician should be involved. There may be something going on that truly needs to be addressed. In the case of a serious medical condition, a child will prefer not to be touched, because movement com- monly increases pain; however, if the child has growing pains, massage, stretching, the use of a heating pad and general comforting techniques will be welcomed. Keep in mind that your grandson can awak- en refreshed and free of pain. This does not imply he is seeking attention or faking an ill- ness. It’s simply the way the condition presents. DEAR DR. GOTT: I had a bout with plantar fasciitis several years ago. The treatment at that time was cortisone shots in my feet to help ease the pain until it went away. I have devel- oped another case, but this time my doctor will not do the shots. He has given me exercises to do and pain medication to ease the pain. However, it is not working, and I do not understand why he cannot give me the shots, which were like a miracle last time. I am on my feet on concrete most of the day. Do you know of any other remedies to help Dr. Peter Gott with this so I don’t have to miss work? DEAR READER: Plantar fasci- itis is a painful foot condition marked by inflammation of the band of tissue running from the heel along the arch of the foot. It is seen in middle-aged men and women and is com- mon in athletes and run- ners. Symptoms are typ- ically worse early in the morning, when first awakening, but once a person is walking and the foot is stretched and the ligaments loose, the pain generally subsides. The pain can be worse with prolonged periods of walking or standing. Your physician is appropriately declining more cortisone injec- tions, because there are potentially serious prob- lems injecting the heel area with cortisone. Fat- pad atrophy and plantar- fascial rupture can occur. The possibility of either occurrence is small but could result in a worsening of symp- toms. Recommendations for care include ice packs, stretching exercises, over-the-counter anti- inflammatory medica- tions, shoe inserts, prop- erly fitting shoes and rest. A new treatment known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy is being investigated. This uses pulses of energy to induce micro-trauma to the tissue of the plantar fascia. The treatment is believed to encourage repair of the tissue and is recommended for patients who fail to get relief from other meth- ods, despite reports of conflicting results. Then there is tarsal-tunnel release, which is about 80 percent effective in relieving pain in patients who don’t experience relief with conservative measures. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com Gayle’s Anniversary Special: FREE Regular or N.G. glass with all custom frames during May. Must persent this ad. Offer Expries 5/31/10. Oversize glass not included 857 Washington St. red bluff 530-527-3369 100% Cotton Summer Sleep Wear at 649 Main Street Downtown Red Bluff Dear Annie: My husband and I are in our late 40s and have been married 20 years. We have four kids. We are both well-educated professionals. A few years ago, I learned my hus- band was having one-night stands with other men. We went for counseling, and he promised to stop. Last summer, I found evidence that he’s up to the same thing. Again, we had counseling. Again, he made promises to stop. But last night, same old, same old. My husband claims he’s bisexual and I’m the one he loves. He has always been sexually demanding, needing sex two or three times a day, and he is great in bed. But I can no longer stand being married to a cheater. If I’m not his cup of tea, so be it. But what do we tell the kids? — In the Middle of Nowhere Dear Middle: If you have decided the marriage is over, the children should be told what any child of divorce needs to know — that although the parents are no longer able to be together, the children are still loved and cherished. Then do your very best to be civil toward each other so that the kids don’t suffer more than necessary. There is absolutely no reason to mention Dad’s sex life. Please go back to your counselor — with your husband — and learn how best to minimize the damage. Dear Annie: My brother and his LOS ANGELES (AP) — One more week until a new ‘‘Dancing’’ champ is crowned. Who will it be? The final slate is set, with singer Nicole Scherzinger, Olympic figure skater Evan Lysacek and sportscaster Erin Andrews competing for the mirrorball trophy. Lysacek and Scherzinger have topped the judges’ leaderboard throughout the spring season, and finished with identical, one-point- from-perfect scores after their semifinal perfor- mances. Andrews, whose professional partner is fan favorite Maksim Chmerkovskiy, landed three points behind her fellow finalists. All said nerves were run- ning high during the semifi- nals, and they expect it to be worse next week. ‘‘I don’t even want to think about it,’’ Andrews said, nervously picking at the sequins on her costume. Lysacek and his profes- sional partner, Anna Tre- bunskaya, are already preparing for the final show- down. Timing — on the cal- endar, not the dance floor — remains their toughest hur- dle. ‘‘Our biggest challenge going forward is still his schedule, because he has to skate every night, so ... we Jack the Ribber Come by for the Best Lunch in town • Ribs •Tri-Tip • Pulled Pork • Specials Mon.-Fri. 11am-8pm Sat. 4-9pm 1150 Monroe St. 527-6108 COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2995 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. Now Available Organic & Heirloom Spring Vegetable Plants 1 1/2 miles South of Red Bluff 12645 Hwy 99E (530) 529-2546 Mon.-Fri. 10:30 to 5:30 Sat. 11-3 40 Crafters in 1 Shop! Or Rent a Space to Sell Your Crafts Gifts for family & friends Wrapping available$1.00 650 Main St., Red Bluff 530 528-2723 Come & Shop Crafter’s Boutique Annie’s wife never host a holiday dinner gath- ering. Either my mother or I do it. I feel taken advantage of, but when I suggested it was their turn, they became quite defensive. My mother’s birthday is coming up, and my brother and sister- in-law decided to have a din- ner and are excluding me. Every year in the past, I have hosted a dinner for my moth- er’s birthday and have always invited them. How do I handle this situation? — Left Out in the Cold Dear Left Out:You struck Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar a nerve with your brother and his wife, and now they are punishing you because you made them feel guilty. You can do nothing about their petti- ness, although your mother should lodge a complaint and insist that you be included. Either way, the best response is to be gracious and forgiv- ing. Perhaps drop by with a gift for your mother, smile sweetly, tell them to have a lovely dinner and then wave goodbye. If you can pull that off with sincerity, you’ll look like a saint. Dear Annie: Last year around this time, you printed a letter from ‘‘Des- perate Alcoholic,’’ the 48-year-old woman who could not stay sober. You then printed a response from a woman who had the same problem. When her husband died, she finally went for treatment and asked the counselor whether she was too old to get well. have to be very efficient,’’ she said. ‘‘Every single finalist is going to have to prepare four dances, we have two on Monday and two on Tuesday, so that’s definitely going to add extra pressure and stress. But we’re just going to go into it and enjoy it.’’ Scherzinger said she’s focusing on fun rather than worrying about the competi- tion. ‘‘I made it this far and now you’ve got to just release and have fun with it,’’ she said. Her professional partner, Derek Hough, said the key is to keep challenging them- The counselor replied, ‘‘Is your heart still beating?’’ Somehow that resonated with me in a way nothing else has. At the time I read that letter, I was 68 and so unhappy. I was depressed, severely overweight, feeling helpless and smoking two packs a day. I have taken that phrase as my mantra. Sometimes I have to say it 20 times a day, and other times, only once in the morning. Since I started using that as my guide a year ago, I have lost 45 pounds and my smoking is down to three cigarettes a day. I am active in the life of my 5-year-old grandson. I had been reading your column for entertainment, but instead found a way to get my life back. I am still far from where I want to be, but I am no longer where I was and wanted you to know. Thank you. — Elaine from Cal- ifornia Dear Elaine: We are thrilled that letter helped you, and we bless that counselor for those wise words. Many people read our column for entertain- ment, and then one day, a particular letter will hit home and we hear from a reader saying, ‘‘That letter could have been written by me.’’ 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.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Who will be the new ‘Dancing with Stars” champ? selves. ‘‘As long as you keep pushing yourself and com- peting with yourself, you’ll always come up with the best things,’’ he said. ‘‘Once you start focusing on other people, that’s where you go wrong, because you start playing to their strengths and not yours.’’ The history of the hit ABC show, now in its 10th season, offers a few clues as to who could win. Gender-wise, it’s pretty fairly split, with five men and four women capturing the crown during past sea- sons. Three Olympians — speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and gymnast Shawn Johnson — have taken the ‘‘Dancing’’ title. ‘‘Whenever there’s been an Olympian in the final, they win,’’ Hough said. Popularity counts, too. Last season, singer Mya earned higher marks than fellow finalist Donny Osmond, but he became the ‘‘Dancing’’ champ. Las Vegas oddsmakers rank Lysacek as the likely win- ner, with Scherzinger a close second. Andrews’ odds are 10 to 1. Fans will have their say on Monday, when the three remaining competitors show off their final dances.