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Friday, March 18, 2011 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Lonely lady lacks leeriness, lures lecher Dear Annie: My neigh- bor ‘‘Linda’’ has been sin- gle and lonely for years. A few months ago, she told me that she was communi- cating with a man she met on a personals website. I was initially happy to hear this, but quickly changed my mind. Over the past few weeks, Linda has told me they have lengthy phone conversa- tions every day, although they haven’t met. He origi- nally told her he lived nearby but travels a lot on business. Now she says they will meet as soon as he gets home, but that keeps getting delayed. I am positive this guy is a con man, but nothing I say convinces her. I don’t know if Linda has already given him money, because every time I bring it up, she gets angry. Will you please share with your readers the dangers of these romance scams? — Concerned Friend Dear Concerned: We don’t know if this guy is taking money from Linda or if he’s simply a mar- ried man, but we agree that some- thing doesn’t seem right. A legit romance allows you not only to meet each other in a public place, but to be introduced to family and friends. A man who finds excuses to avoid meeting you is hiding some- thing. One who never lets you meet his friends or relatives is probably married. And asking for a loan is completely off limits until a gen- Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar uine commitment is in place. You cannot protect Linda from her own risky impuls- es, but you can warn her that not all such relationships are honest and tell her you hope she will be careful. Dear Annie: Two of my daughter’s friends are join- ing us in planning a party for her 30th birthday. The invi- tation they printed states: ‘‘Please bring $37 cash per person for the meal. Alco- holic beverages will be an addition- al cost. Following dinner there will be a party at one of the local bars which will require more money for drinks.’’ I have always been under the impression that the hosts pay for the party. I told the other two hosts that if I ever received an invitation like that, I would not attend. Am I just old-fashioned? Is this the way things are done now? — Confused Mother Dear Confused: The hosts should pay for the party. Otherwise, they are setting a price for the oth- ers without consulting them, which is both rude and inconsiderate. Unfortunately, many young people are unaware of this custom and see no reason to follow it. We recom- mend you bow out of this particular responsibility and let your daugh- ter’s friends throw whatever party they choose. You can attend and be billed like all the others. Dear Annie: I strongly disagree with your response to ‘‘Thrown for a Loop,’’ whose husband is meeting ‘‘Mary,’’ a former co-worker, for occasional lunches. Now the wife is moving out. You said she is overre- acting. I think that devalues her fears. Possibly, he does miss his job and wants to keep up with office gossip. But if it’s so innocent, why did he keep it a secret from his wife? How humiliating to have found out about the lunches from friends. He doesn’t have to be having sex with this woman for it to be hurtful and devastating to his marriage. And, if Mary is signing her e-mails, ‘‘Love, Mary,’’ it’s obvious she is hoping for more than lunch. I think Bill enjoys the attention from his former co-worker and the thrill of meeting her without his wife’s knowledge. — Hope You Rethink Your Answer Dear Hope: You are right that the husband should not be hiding these lunches from his wife, and we said so. But it seems an overreac- tion for the wife to simply walk out on her marriage instead of seeking counseling or working on other ways to remedy the situation. And we will stand by that. 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. Sutter Buttes valley view hike Experience a rare oppor- tunity to enter a land “seen by all, but visited by few” on Sacramento River Preservation Trust’s twice a year hike into the Sutter Buttes on starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 9. On this six-hour, slowly paced outing we circum- navigate Cat Rock, a vol- canic dome split in half, ris- ing 500 feet above Peace Valley, an interior basin on the Buttes’ northern perime- ter. The leader is Daniel Barth from the Yuba Histor- ical Society, who will start the tour with a visit to a 1,500-year old Native American encampment and then to a refreshing water- fall tucked away in a bay tree grove. From there our group hikes up to a prominent rock outcrop for a brief geology talk. Next we hike upwards to Cat Rock’s shoulder to take in Peace Valley below while observ- ing turkey vultures circling overhead and swallows busily constructing mud Patient opposes surgeon’s recommendation DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m a 57- year-old man hap- pily living with my wife of 34 years. Although I watched my diet, exercised, and have no family history of cardio- vascular disease, I had a 90 percent cardiac blockage in 2009 and ended up hav- ing a heart-catheterization procedure and stent inser- tion. I saw the signs early and now take 40 mil- ligrams of simvastatin. Because I had paid my deductible and co-insur- ance, I saw a back surgeon about my back, which had been giving me problems for years. After X-rays, a CT and MRI, he deter- mined that I have a verti- cally herniated disc between my fourth and fifth vertebrae. He said I need a spinal fusion, which would involve going through my abdomen. He gave me prescriptions for pain but didn’t prescribe physical therapy or other alterna- tives. I’m hoping I can avoid surgery by exercising and watching what I do. I gave up golf and began exercis- ing at a health club, swim- ming, lifting weights, and walking on an incline treadmill. I limit activities that aggravate the pain. Recently, I met a man who had spinal fusion in the same area. I asked him what caused him to go ahead with the surgery, and he replied it was because of a drop foot on his left side. My question is, can I live with a herni- ated disc and not have surgery? Is there another type of doctor I can see who would have an alter- native? nests on Cat Rock’s sheer walls. After this we will ascend for a view high above the Sacramento Val- ley where we will take in an expansive panorama of Mount Shasta & Lassen Peak, Bald Rock and Oroville Dam and the Yuba River country. With the wet spring expect to see impressive displays of various wild- flowers including Larkspur, Paint Brush, Clarkia, Dutchman Pipe and more. This hike is about three- miles in length with 700- foot elevation gain. Be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes, bring hat, water and lunch and other clothing appropri- ate to the weather condition. Price is $30 for Trust mem- bers, $40 non-members. For those 17 years of age or younger: $10 members and $15 non-members. For reservations and hike details please contact Liz Gardner liz@sacrivertrust.org or 530-345-1865. Mendocino National Forest OHV program The State of California Department of Parks and Recreation and the Mendocino National Forest have maintained a successful partnership for over 25 years. This partnership has provided funding assistance for the management of off-highway vehicle (OHV) recre- ation on National Forest system lands through the Cal- ifornia State OHV Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program. Current regulations mandated by the State of California require annual public participation in this fund allocation process. The purpose of this notice is to share information and to solicit public input specific to the Mendocino National Forest’s upcoming grant application for the 2010 – 2011 Grants and Cooperative Agreements Pro- gram with the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. The agreements support OHV management activities, with categories including Ground Operations (trail maintenance and facility operation and mainte- nance), Restoration and Law Enforcement. "The Mendocino National Forest offers over 200 miles of designated OHV trails providing exciting rid- ing opportunities for a wide range of ability levels and vehicle types. In addition, over 1,300 miles of roughly graded roads are available for use by Off-Highway Vehicle enthusiasts," said Tricia Christofferson, Men- docino National Forest Recreation Officer. "We appre- ciate your support and comments on our grant request. Your comments will help the State determine the level of funding to provide the Mendocino National Forest for on-going trail maintenance, facility maintenance, law enforcement, and restoration projects." Preliminary applications will be available for review WE STAND BEHIND YOUR RETURN. GUARANTEED. via a link on the State of California website at www.ohv.parks.ca.gov . Comments may be provided between March 8 and April 4. Instructions for provid- ing comments will be provided on the State of Califor- nia website. $37.00 in Discount Coupons were published last week in the D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY … And that does not Count all the ads offering percentage discounts, two-for-ones and Free-with-Purchase offers! Don’t miss a Day of it! Subscribe Today 527-2151 It pays for itself. Dr. Andrew PomazalD.O. Physician & Surgeon General Medicine Saturday Appointments Available ©2010 HRB Tax Group, Inc. 1315 Solano St, Corning, CA 96021 530-824-7999 120 Bell Mill Road, Red Bluff, CA 96080 530-527-7515 Mon-Fri 9 am to 7 pm • High Blood Pressure • Diabetes • Joint & Muscle Pain • Lung Problems We offer Osteopathic Manipulation 530 528-2066 2050 Main St, Red Bluff Accepting New Patients DEAR READER: Spinal fusion is the per- manent connection of two or more vertebrae in the spine that eliminates any motion between them. This is accomplished with screws, rods or plates to hold the vertebrae in place and promote healing. Fusion is performed in a small portion of those people with recurrent her- niated discs or such severe herniation of the disc that it pushes on the nerves, causing problems. The specific technique used is largely dependent on the surgeon’s experience and comfort level with a spe- cific approach. Unfortu- nately, as I have said countless times, nothing is without risk. In this case, infection, bleeding, blood clots, blood-vessel injury Dr. Peter Gott around the site and pain at the site where the bone graft was taken can occur. Beyond this, once fusion is accomplished, stresses of the spine are shifted to adjacent areas, which can accel- erate wear and tear in those joints on either side of the fusion. This, too, could result in chronic pain. There are methods of making several smaller surgical incisions as opposed to open surgery through one large inci- sion. This procedure is rather complex, requires great skill, and is not available at all hospitals. Despite the procedure, you may have less pain following surgery, but it’s unlikely all your pain will disappear. If you don’t want surgery, speak with your orthopedic specialist. Take your films, and get a second opinion from a highly qualified physi- cian. Check in with a naturopath. If your origi- nal specialist has already recommended fusion, it may be that you will not experience relief without a radical procedure; how- ever, if there are options to delay what might be inevitable, ask for recom- mendations for physical therapy, acupuncture, chi- ropractic manipulation, a pain-management clinic and/or massage therapy. Even without interven- tion, your condition likely will not lead to neurologi- cal deficits or result in a progressive worsening condition; however, it is a possibility. If and when you feel your quality of life has been sufficiently compromised, consider the procedure once again. Who knows, perhaps in a year or two, less invasive and more advanced tech- niques might be available. Research is always ongo- ing. Readers who would like additional informa- tion can order my Health Reports “An Informed Approach to Surgery” and “Managing Chronic Pain” by sending a self- addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order for each report made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092- 0167. Be sure to mention the title(s) or print an order form off my web- site’s direct link at www.AskDrGottMD.com /order_form.pdf.