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Saturday, November 20, 2010 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Patient with AAAneeds answers Bantam bothers beget bitter bride Dear Annie: I vent prayer that this letter reaches your hand. One cannot imagine the plethora of mail you receive daily. Therefore, I have attempted to keep my letter as short as possible. Three words — abdominal aor- tic aneurysm — spoken to a patient conjures up one word: fear. Please address AAA in your daily column for the sake and benefit of the mul- titude of those aware and unaware of potential ramifications of this nefarious disease. I have read that 1,500 Americans lose their lives to this condition every year. DEAR DR. GOTT: It is my fer- Dr. Peter Gott Our doctor has failed to satisfactorily address my questions about my husband’s condition during the past four years. The only medication he takes is Lovostatin daily for slightly elevated cholesterol. What caus- es AAA? What causes fat in the liver? We look forward with great anticipation reading your learned knowledge of the dis- ease, treatment options and advice. DEAR READER: I’m not sure I can begin to measure up to your perceived inflated interpretation of my knowledge, but perhaps I can shed some light on your unan- swered questions. An AAA occurs when a portion of the aorta, the large blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the abdomen, pelvis and legs becomes abnormally large or bulges outward. The aorta runs from the heart through the chest and abdomen. An aneurysm can develop anywhere along the aorta. When they occur in the upper portion of the aorta, they are known as thoracic aor- tic aneurysms. Similarly, when they occur in the lower portion of the aorta, they are called abdominal aortic aneurysms. While an unusual occurrence, when one develops between the upper and lower portion, they are known as thoracoabdominal aneurysms. Most small and slow-growing aneurysms will not rupture, and there will be few, if any, symptoms. The larger the aneurysm, the more likely it will rupture. Anyone can develop an aneurysm, but they are most commonly seen in males over the age of 60 who have at least one risk factor, such as high blood pressure, obesity, high choles- terol levels, a history of smoking, athero- sclerosis, or specific genetic factors such as Marfan Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Syn- drome, heart-valve problems, and injury. Symptoms of a rupturing AAA can include nausea, vomiting, low blood pres- sure, loss of consciousness, abdominal or back pain that presents rather suddenly but persistently, clammy skin and a rapid heart rate. Examination by a physician might reveal a rigid abdomen, a pulsating sensa- tion near the navel or a mass. While a physi- cian might be able to palpate a mass, he or she may choose to do nothing for a nonrup- Local Established Business For Sale OR Partnership Opportunities 623 Main St. 527-5180 turing one but monitor its size to determine whether it enlarges. If it is extremely slow growing, the aneurysm may not require any intervention other than monitoring; however, should blood from the aneurysm leak into the abdominal cavity or if it grows rapidly, surgical repair will likely be necessary unless the risks outweigh the bene- fits. temporarily, he or she may prescribe a beta blocker to slow the rate of growth of the aneurysm. In your husband’s case, he was prescribed medication to lower his choles- terol level. High levels are associated with plaque, fat deposits (from dietary choices or genetics) and a buildup of atherosclerosis and pressure on arteries. If surgery is agreed upon, there are two possibilities for repair. The first and most common is grafting the abnormal vessel with manmade material, such as Dacron. This procedure requires that a large incision be made into the abdomen. The second, known as endovas- cular stent grafting, doesn’t require the large incision of open repair. It has fewer risks than grafting. It is accomplished by insert- ing a needle in the area of the groin and advancing a catheter to the site of the aneurysm. Dye is then injected to help guide the placement of a stent graft device. Once in place, the device prevents blood flow through the aneurysm, greatly reducing the risk of rupture. Because long-term effects of this latter procedure haven’t been fully investigated, stent grafts are generally per- formed in patients thought to be at too high a risk for conventional repair. The prognosis is quite good for either procedure as long as the aneurysm is repaired prior to rupture. Without complications, patients are general- ly discharged home in four to seven days following the procedure and can resume normal activity within a month. Prevention of an aneurysm can be accomplished through exercise, eating a healthful, low-cholesterol diet, avoiding stress and treating hypertension. Most people diagnosed with an AAA live symptom-free, healthy lives. Guidelines for surgery are dependent on medical histo- ry, the size of an aneurysm and the rate at which it enlarges. The decision is best left to your husband’s physician. To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “An Informed Approach to Surgery.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order payable to Newsletter and forwarded to PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to men- tion the title or print out an order form from my website www.AskDrGottMD.com. K W I K K U T S Family Hair Salon 1064 South Main St., Red Bluff • 529-3540 with coupon $300 REGULAR HAIRCUT off Not good with other offers Reg. $13.95 Expires 11/30/10 Thank You For Keeping Our Food Pantry Filled w/Food!! “Tehama Country” Christmas Album Deadline for Public Submissions: Wednesday, December 1 To be published as a magazine supplement to the Daily News on Saturday, December 11 • Share an original story of “Christmas Past” • Write a Christmas Poem • Send a family Christmas Recipe • Submit original Christmas photos or artwork $100 Award first place per category (story, poem, recipe, photo or artwork) $50 runner up per category Weight-Watchers leader Kandie is shown here with Fran Fazio community volunteer coordinator for The Salvation Army. All of the other volunteers shown here are in Weight-Watchers. In 7 weeks they collected 381 lbs. of food and they lost 561 lbs. in the same 7 week period. A special thank you for all of the families that brought food in to re-stock our food pantry. On the week of November 15th we will need Thanksgiving donations like: turkeys, hams, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Thank you for your support!! Contributions may be sent to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 935, Red Bluff, CA. 96080 www.redbluffsalarmy.org * Before submitting, read full submission and contest instructions published in Announcements in the Daily News Classifieds Be part of a new “Tehama Country” Christmas Tradition! D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY Send via email: clerk@redbluffdailynews.com Or mail or deliver to the Daily News 454 Diamond Ave., PO Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Remember – Deadline for our receipt of submissions is Wednesday, December 1 If a physician determines surgery can be avoided, at least have been mar- ried to ‘‘Lori,’’ a w onderful woman, for six months. I’ve never been happi- er and wouldn’t change my life for the world. The problem is, Lori allows every little thing to get to her, and I get hit with the backlash. The list of things that can send her over the edge is endless — one of her kids gets in trouble, her mother annoys her, she’s feeling a little under the weather. Once Lori gets into one of her moods, she becomes callous and mean. Nothing I say or do makes her feel better. If I mention how her mood affects me, her feelings are hurt and the problem gets worse. Lately, I’ve discovered the best thing is just to ride out the storm. Is there any way to help my wife stop sweating the small stuff? — Running Out of Ideas Dear Running: The fact that Lori gets callous and mean when little things annoy her is a bad sign. Has she been evalu- ated for bipolar disease? Does she suffer from extreme hormonal fluctu- ations? Is she taking any kind of medication that might affect her mood? Suggest she see her doc- tor for a complete check- up, and ask specifically that these questions be addressed. She (and you) could be suffering need- lessly. Dear Annie: My 61- year-old brother recently walked out of his 40-year marriage and hooked up with a 25-year-old girl from another country. I am still very close to his previ- ous wife and their three grown chil- dren. Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar The holidays are just around the corner, and it is my turn to host. How do I handle inviting the ex- wife (whom I adore), as well as my brother and his very young girlfriend of whom most of the family disap- proves? Their children will be there with their families. I don’t know what to do. — Baffled Dear Baffled: Unless the rest of the family wishes to estrange your brother, you are stuck with him. So invite everyone, and let them know. Tell your ex-sister- in-law that you under- stand this will be difficult for her, but you would love to have her and will always consider her part of the family. If she chooses not to come, no one can blame her. But if she can find a way to tol- erate the situation for the sake of her children, it could pave the way for less hostile family get- togethers in the future. Dear Annie: I was saddened to read the let- ter from ‘‘Concerned Mom in Pennsylvania,’’ who was unable to get support in finding employment for her blind 18-year-old son. I am an occupational therapist in Michigan who has worked with special needs children for 30 years. Our state pro- vides services through the age of 26. I recom- mend ‘‘Concerned’’ con- tact the school district that is servicing her son and sit down to discuss these specific concerns. Every child with special needs who attends school is required to have an annual individual educa- tional plan (IEP). Schools are also respon- sible for helping students transition into the com- munity, assisting with transportation to pro- grams, etc. Mom should also ask whether the school has a parent advo- cate program. It sounds like she could use some support. — Michigan Dear Michigan: We were heartened by the letters of support sent in by our readers. Here’s one more: Dear Annie: I would like to add to your list of organizations. It will be much easier for him to get a job if he is trained in something. Recording for the Blind and Dyslex- ic (rfbd.org) is a national nonprofit organization helping individuals pur- sue their educational and professional goals. We have the largest digital textbook library of accessible educational materials with more than 60,000 titles available at no cost to the subscriber. One of the organizations you mentioned could help him purchase the equipment he would need to access the mate- rials and advise him on an appropriate course of study. — Volunteer at RFB&D, Ontario, Calif. 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. Premier Edition YOU and your Family can be represented in the Of the