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2B Daily News – Saturday, October 19, 2013 FEATURES Length of PCL rehab depends on strain Treatment of DEAR DOCall PCL sprains TOR K: I injured should begin with my PCL playing RICE: football. How long — Rest the will my recovery joint. take? — Ice the DEAR READinjured area to ER: Let's start reduce swelling. with some knee — Compress anatomy. The posDr. K the swelling with terior cruciate ligby Anthony L. ament (PCL) and Komaroff, M.D. an elastic bandage. the anterior cruci— Elevate the injured ate ligament (ACL) are two tough bands of area. Your doctor may also fibrous tissue. The ACL is injured more often than recommend a nonsteroidal the PCL, which is why anti-inflammatory drug many people have heard (NSAID), such as ibuproof the ACL but not the fen, to relieve mild pain or swelling. PCL. Further treatment The ACL and PCL connect the thighbone depends on the severity of (femur) and the large bone your injury. If you have a of the lower leg (tibia) at Grade I or Grade II sprain, the knee joint. The ACL your knee may be splinted and PCL form an "X" pat- in a straight-leg position, tern that stabilizes the and you'll begin an knee against front-to-back intense rehabilitation proand back-to-front forces. gram. Rehab gradually (I've put a detailed illus- strengthens the muscles tration of the knee joint on around the knee, supports my website, AskDoc- the knee joint and helps protect the knee from retorK.com.) A PCL injury is a injury. If you have a Grade III sprain — a stretch or tear of the ligament. PCL sprain and the PCL has sprains are classified as been pulled away from the bone, it may have to be follows. — Grade I: a mild surgically reattached with injury that causes only a screw. If your PCL has microscopic tears in the torn completely, it can be surgically reconstructed. ligament. — Grade II (moderate): After surgery, you'll wear The PCL is partially torn, a long-leg knee brace and and the knee periodically gradually begin rehabilitagives out when you stand tion. Full recovery can take or walk. — Grade III (severe): from four months to a The PCL is either com- year. How long your spepletely torn or is separated cific injury lasts will from the bone that it depend on the severity of anchors. The knee is more your PCL injury and your rehabilitation program. unstable. People get PCL Probably the most imporinjuries when their knee is tant thing you can do are flexed (like when you are exercises to strengthen seated) and the large bone your quadriceps muscles of the lower leg is hit hard. — the muscles in the front For example, a person of your thigh. The chances might be seated in the are good you will return to front seat of a car. If the your pre-injury level of car is in an accident and function. the person's lower leg Dr. Komaroff is a smashes into the dashphysician and professor board, that could cause the at Harvard Medical injury. To send Usually, people with a School. go to sudden new PCL injury questions, or notice less of a problem AskDoctorK.com, with the knee than people write: Ask Doctor K, 10 with a new ACL injury, at Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston, MA 02115. least at first. Oh Snap! The Daily News wants your photos: Cute kids, Adorable pets, Inspirational sights, Any shot you think readers would enjoy You might just see it in the Daily News Send pictures to editor@redbluffdailynews.com or drop off at 545 Diamond Ave. in Red Bluff. Include a caption. Relationship ruined by slacker children worthy, as well. Dear Annie: I dated Yes, they will have diffi''Carol'' for more than culty when she can no eight years. I loved her and longer provide for them, but wanted to marry her. The we worry about what could problem was her children happen to Carol should she (now aged 37 and 42), who become ill or infirm. Those have not grown up to be kids are unlikely to put their mature adults. Carol knew mother's welfare above their from the beginning that if we ever broke up, it would Annie's own interests. We recommend you give her the numbe because of them. ber for Adult Protective SerI spent every weekend in your state with her. The kids had a by Kathy Mitchell vices tendency to go through my and Marcy Sugar (neac.aoa.gov or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800personal belongings when we were on a date and when we 677-1116). She may need it someslept. I had to hide my checkbook, day. Dear Annie: My husband and I wallet, truck and house keys. Her kids still live there and put are very social and have several forth zero effort to make it on their groups of friends. Lately, one of own. They have no interest in facing these friends has started to make the realities of life and simply every get-together a potluck. Even sponge off their mother. They don't for special occasions such as birthrealize that when Mom passes away days, the hostess asks each guest to (one of these days), they will have bring a food item. Many times, she to face what they've been avoiding actually assigns dishes. I'm starting to dread these invitafor years. Her kids are nothing more than tions. What happened to throwing a liars and thieves. I loved Carol very party and providing refreshments much, and they destroyed our rela- for your guests? Or at least waiting tionship. I am hoping she will see for your guest to offer? Most of these friends are in their 50s and my letter. — Anonymous Dear Anonymous: We hope you 60s, and most live quite comfortrealize that it is Carol who bears ably, so it's not as if they cannot most of the responsibility for per- afford to host. I know I have the mitting this behavior from her chil- option of not accepting the invitadren. If she truly wanted them out tions, but we enjoy the company, of the house, they would be out. and I hate to miss the social activity. Parents do a grave disservice to Am I being a scrooge, or is this their children when they encourage trend rather tacky? — Fed Up with such dependence. It is both selfish Potluck Dear Fed Up: Yes, it is tacky to and lazy parenting. And Carol's children seem particularly untrust- ''host'' a party and expect others to Mailbox provide the refreshments, unless this is agreed upon in advance. However, your friends' financial situation may be less rosy than you think, and one way to hide this while still entertaining friends is to make everything potluck. If you enjoy these get-togethers, you may as well play along, although you might offer a dish you actually want to bring. Dear Annie: I'd like to say one more word in favor of adult children calling their parents daily. One size does not fit all. Three years ago, I found out I have terminal cancer, and at about the same time, my husband left me after 31 years of marriage. After my husband left, my father, for whom I'd been caregiver for four years, passed away. My adult daughter lives in the same city, and we speak daily. My married adult son lives about 1,000 miles away, and we speak, text or email every few days. My daughter's daily calls became my saving grace. Without our conversations and constant closeness, I may not have had the drive to battle my disease and continue on as I have. — Jacksonville, Fla. 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. Time to review your medicare coverage Medicare's annual open enrollment period has begun, and I want to encourage everyone with Medicare to review their current health and prescription drug coverage. Open enrollment runs through Dec. 7. If you want to change your Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan, this is the time of year to do it. Any new coverage you select will kick in on Jan. 1, 2014. If you have Original Medicare and you're satisfied with it, you don't need to do anything during open enrollment. Also, Medicare's open enrollment has nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act's new Health Insurance Marketplace. If you have Medicare, you don't need to worry about Marketplace plans. My agency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, announced recently that the average Medicare Advantage premium for 2014 is projected to be $32.60. CMS estimated that the average basic Part D drug premium in 2014 would be $31 per month, holding steady for four years in a row. Since the Affordable Care Act was passed, average Medicare Advantage premiums are down by 9.8 percent. The deductible for standard Part D drug plans in 2014 will be $310, a $15 decline. Meanwhile, the quality of Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans continues to improve, with more than one-third of Medicare Advantage plans receiving four or more stars (out of a possible five stars) in 2014 -a 28 percent increase over last year. Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans with five stars are allowed to enroll beneficiaries gram (SHIP). Local SHIP contact at any time during the year. Medicare plans' coverage information can be found: • At medicare.gov/contacts/orgaoptions and costs can change each year, and Medicare beneficiaries nization-search-criteria.aspx or; • On the back of the 2014 should evaluate their current coverage and choices and select the Medicare & You handbook or; • By calling Medicare (contact plan that best meets their needs. If you think your current cover- information above). People with Medicare who age will meet your needs for have limited income 2014, you don't need to and resources may change anything. qualify for Extra Help For more information paying for their Part D on Medicare open enrolldrug plans. There's no ment and to compare bencost or obligation to efits and prices of 2014 apply for Extra Help, Medicare Advantage and also called the lowPart D drug plans, please income subsidy. visit: www.cms.gov/CenMedicare beneficiaries, ter/Special-Topic/Openfamily members, or Enrollment-Center.html. caregivers can apply A variety of resources online at socialsecuriare available to help peoty.gov/prescriptionhelp ple with Medicare, their David or call Social Security families, and caregivers at 1-800-772-1213 compare current coverage (TTY users should call with new plan offerings 1-800-325-0778) to for 2014. You can: • Visit medicare.gov to see find out more. Please watch out for scammers plan coverage and costs available in your area, and enroll in a new during Medicare open enrollment plan if you decide to make a season. Don't give personal inforchange. Open enrollment infor- mation to anyone who shows up at your home uninvited or makes mation is available in Spanish. • Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1- an unsolicited phone call to sell 800-633-4227) for around-the- you Medicare-related products or clock assistance to find out more services. If you believe you're a about your coverage options. victim of fraud or identity theft, contact 1-800TTY users should call 1-877-486- please 2048. Counseling is available in a MEDICARE. More information is available at stopmedicarewide variety of languages. • Review the 2014 Medicare & fraud.gov. You handbook. This handbook David Sayen is Medicare's has been mailed to the homes of people with Medicare and it's regional administrator for Arizona, also online at: California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/100 Pacific Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare 50.pdf. • Get one-on-one counseling questions by calling 1-800assistance from your local State MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Health Insurance Assistance Pro- Sayen Community Clip? e-mail: clerk@redbluffdailynews.com or Fax: 527-9251 A part of: