Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/26777
Wednesday, March 9, 2011 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Asbestos exposure has devastating results DEAR DR. GOTT: I saw a commentary on television recently about mesothe- lioma. This sounds simply awful and would like to know more about the topic. Can you fill in the blanks? DEAR READ- ER: Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that lines a person’s organs and is the result of lead paint and asbestos expo- sure and, rarely, radiation exposure. There are three forms — plural, pericar- dial and peritoneal. The pleural form affects the chest cavity and makes up more than 70 percent of all reported cases. The peri- toneal form affects the stomach cavity, and the pericardial form occurs in the outside linings of the heart. W.R. Grace Company in Libby, Mont., processed vermiculite from a mine that contained tremolite, a form of asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency initiated a major cleanup in 1999 because of contamination of soil and areas outside homes and buildings. They are now concentrating on smaller sources of the con- taminant and are measur- ing the effectiveness of that cleanup. In 2005, seven W.R. Grace execu- tives and managers were indicted on 10 federal criminal counts of know- ingly endangering the resi- dents of the town and con- cealing information regarding the health effects of the company’s mining operations. Fur- thermore, the defendants are also accused of wire fraud and obstructing the government’s cleanup efforts. Asbestos exposure is not a new topic. By World War II, the shipbuilding industry commonly used asbestos to insulate pipes and boilers. There were issues then. Since that time, asbestos has been utilized in countless prod- ucts. In the mid-1920s, the asbestos industry settled its first claim. In the 40 years that followed, the industry attempted to con- ceal the dangers of asbestos from the public and from the very people who worked in their facili- ties. It is reported the industry didn’t fight any further claims in court (likely because of media exposure). Instead, they chose to pay asbestos- related settlements under worker’s-compensation claims. By 1930, the industry was completely aware their product was literally killing a number of employees. Typical of big industry, asbestos products continued to be sold. There was good money to be made, and those worker’s-compensa- Webinar available The Shasta Regional Community Foundation will be hosting a webinar with program staff for nonprofit organizations in Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tehama and Modoc coun- ties at 10:30 a.m. on Fri- day March 11. The webinar will dis- cuss what is new or upcoming at the Commu- nity Foundation and offer all participants a chance to ask questions or talk about projects for which they’re seeking funding. This is an opportunity for potential applicants to hear questions and ideas of other potential appli- cants as well as for us to respond to specific ques- tions. To reserve your spot visit www.shastarcf.org. tion claims had to be paid. Still, no one in the busi- ness admitted to wrongdoing. Dr. Peter Gott It took until 1966, nearly 40 years later, for an asbestos lawsuit to be filed on behalf of a client. This was followed in 1974 by detailed information on how asbestos manufacturers formed a conspiracy to devise methods to deal with the hazards and keep- ing the information secret from their employees and the general public. This newfound information became the foundation upon which future cases were built. When a person breathes in asbestos, the fibers set- tle in the lungs. The lungs are unable to rid them- selves of the offending minerals. While there are low levels in the air we breathe, the levels are insignificant and do not cause problems; however, people working in indus- tries such as shipbuilding, automobile manufactur- ing, firefighting, asbestos removal and others are at extremely high risk. The condition can cause chest pain, cough, hemoptysis, shortness of breath, weight loss, ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen), bowel obstruc- tion, anemia, fever, abdominal masses, severe bleeding in body organs, jaundice, pleural effusion, arterial blood clots in the lungs, pleural tumors on one side of the lungs and more. Testing with CT scans, MRIs or lung biopsy can determine the extent of any lung damage. Readers who are inter- ested in learning more about pulmonary abnor- malities can order my Health Report “Pulmonary Disorders” by sending a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order made payable to Newslet- ter and mailed to Newslet- ter, P.O. Box 167, Wick- liffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form by log- ging on to my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com. 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. Mother’s molester misgivings misguided Dear Annie: Are there any signs to look for to determine whether some- one is a sexual predator? I have always heard that when it comes to young children being sexually abused, it is usually a close relative or friend. I have a 6-month-old daughter who has five uncles. I am scared to leave her with any man other than her father, so I refuse to allow any male to baby-sit her. Is this irrational? I feel bad, but whenever guys are around her, I am always watching with a close eye. I’d rather be safe than sorry. How do I explain this politely to my brothers and brothers-in-law when they ask about baby-sitting her? — Protective Mom Dear Mom: We understand your fears, but most men are perfectly responsible with children. There is no specific profile of a pedophile. In fact, many of the same qualities that would make a man an excellent father also describe pedophiles — those who are terrific with children and engage them in fun activities. Pedophiles are usually friendly and charming. They tend to gravi- tate toward areas that put them in close contact with children (family, school, church, sports, etc.). Chil- dren of single mothers are particu- larly vulnerable because pedophiles often cozy up to Mom in order to get close to children who need a father figure. You can get out of baby-sitting Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar offers by saying, ‘‘That’s sweet of you, but it’s too soon. Maybe when she’s a little older.’’The best way to protect your children is to keep a close eye on them, and when they are old enough, help them protect themselves. Teach them that they can talk to you about anything, to come to you when something doesn’t seem right, and that no adult with good intentions would ask them to keep secrets from their parents. Dear Annie: My wife and I were married last summer. Because her family lives in Eastern Europe, we chose to have the ceremony there. Only my immediate family attend- ed. Despite the fact that her family has next to nothing, all of her rela- tives gave us generous cash gifts, for which we are grateful. My extended family is relatively well off. Although none of them was able to attend the wedding, they were all aware of the ceremony. By Christmas, we had only received one gift from any of them. We thought they may have forgot- ten, so our Christmas cards includ- ed several photographs of the wed- ding along with our regrets that they could not attend. But we have received nothing else. Annie, I have attended several of my cousins’ weddings and know this is not typical. Not only would wedding gifts be extremely helpful to us, but their absence has con- vinced my wife that my family is full of selfish misers who dislike her. I know this is not the case. Is there anything I can do to avoid a permanent chasm between my wife and my extended family? — Tom in Trenton Dear Tom: Were these relatives sent invitations to the wedding? If not, they may feel no obligation to give a gift, and it is poor manners to demand one. If you think something else is going on, ask one of your parents to contact the relatives and find out. Dear Annie: You printed a letter from ‘‘Anonymous or I’d Be in Big Trouble,’’ who didn’t know how to talk to his wife about her excess facial hair. I would bet she has no idea. Last year, my hairdresser asked whether I wanted her to wax my eyebrows. I thought my eyebrows were fine. Tell him to spend $50 on a good, lighted, magnified makeup mirror. I was shocked at not only my eyebrows, but at my mustache, chin and sideburns. I’m 50, and the eyes are the first to go. — Hairless and Happy 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. Welcome to Medicare workshop Passages Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP) is presenting its Welcome to Medicare workshop 2-4 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at the Red Bluff Communi- ty and Senior Center, 1500 S. Jackson St., Red Bluff. Registration is required by calling 898- 6716. This free work- shop is designed for people who are new to Medicare and who want to understand how their Medicare benefits work. Family members or caregivers are also wel- come to attend. Important questions that will be answered include: • What is Medicare? • Do I really need a Medicare Part D pre- scription plan? • What is a Medi-Gap policy? • Are there programs available to lower my Medicare health and prescription costs? • What happens if I miss my initial Medicare enrollment period? • How will Health- care Reform affect my new Medicare Benefits in 2011? People who are new to Medicare will be del- uged with information from different insurance companies marketing their products. Tatiana Fassieux, program man- ager for Passages Free workshop on caring for the elderly Patrick Arbore, Ed.D. from the Institute on Aging in San Francisco, will provide a free work- shop March 16 at the Masonic Family Center in Chico. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the work- shop is 9 a.m. to noon. Subject will be “Looking at GLBT Issues: Bias and Prejudices and the Elderly Community.” CEUs available for LCSW, LMFT, RN and LVN. For more information call 898-4307. HICAP warns signing up with the wrong plan, or not doing anything, may cost new Medicare recipients thousands of dollars, and they may not be able to make changes if enrollment deadlines are missed. For more informa- tion, call HICAP at Pas- sages at 1-800-434- 0222. If your group or agency would like a workshop, contact Natasha Coulter- LaTorre, Community Outreach Specialist at 898-6715. And remem- ber, HICAP does not sell or endorse any insurance products. Passages helps older adults and family care- givers with important services to empower them to remain confi- dent in their ability to sustain and enjoy inde- pendent lives. For more information about Passages services go to www.passagescen- ter.org Saturday, March 26 County-wide Customer Appreciation Days Start And more … from Tehama County’s most customer- minded local businesses … Special section of sales, discounts, bargains Exclusively in the D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY On Saturday, March 26 It’s the way these local businesses say “Thank You” for remembering to “shop local,” supporting the tax base that provides local services, protecting local jobs and much more. Don’t Miss It! Look for posters around town the week of March 21 In the windows of participating stores and businesses. www.rollinghillscasino.com BUSINESSES: To participate contact your Daily News advertising representative (530) 527-2151