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Friday, July 15, 2011 – Daily News 5A FEATURES RSD sufferers find solace in support groups DEAR DR. GOTT: I have had Reflex Sympa- thetic Dystrophy (RSD) for going on 30 years. Maybe if it had been diagnosed at the onset of my symptoms, I would not have full-body RSD today, but years ago not many doctors knew about this condition. Back then my orthopedic doctor suggested I go to a hospital where I was final- ly diagnosed. The doctors there tried blocks and various other treatments, including an electrical stimulation unit, but nothing worked so I used conventional med- ications to help my pain. The best therapy was water therapy, which I still do. Twelve years ago I was asked if I wanted to try a Medtronic pump, which has morphine in it (some have several different meds in them). It worked, and while I do still have to take breakthrough meds, I am able to function nor- mally. I started a support group at my local hospital for RSD patients. The turnout was wonderful. After meeting a new pain doctor, he suggested I start a second group at a nearby hospital. Turnout for this group was also wonderful. Although there may only be six people at either meeting, the fact that we can help others with the condition is very reward- ing. Over the years we not only had adults come to our meetings but also par- ents with their daughters, so in June 2010 we decid- ed to start a third RSD support group for chil- dren. (It seems to affect females more than males; we have only four men in one group and two in the other.) It is heartbreaking to see and hear the stories of these children and what they go through. Many of them have lost their friends because they did- n’t want to be with some- one who has a chronic pain condition and who can’t do many of the nor- mal things kids do. Thankfully, most have adjusted and made new friends. There is hope. Finding the right doctor and hav- ing a system of family, friends and a support group are very important. Many marriages and friendships have fallen apart because the partner or friend doesn’t want or know how to deal with someone with chronic pain. RSD sufferers, once you’re diagnosed, ask your doctor about local support groups or search online for them. Make Dr. Peter Gott contact, talk to others with the condition and share your story. Dr. Gott, thank you for letting me “talk.” I hope this helps others with RSD/CRPS. DEAR READ- ER: Reflex Sym- pathetic Dystro- phy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a chronic pain condi- tion. I have written about it in the past (you can find the articles on my website by clicking “Browse by Topic”). Hydrotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy have been found to be beneficial in the few emails I have received regarding treatment. Some were letters of thanks from sufferers for simply writing about RSD/CRPS. Support groups for any condition are incredibly valuable to sufferers, especially those for chron- ic pain, which can often leave patients feeling iso- lated and depressed. Sim- ply knowing that one isn’t alone can be a great com- fort, and being able to share experiences, discuss therapies, find further medical help and under- standing physicians, clin- ics and/or hospitals can make the difference between giving up and fighting. Those interested in learning more, including finding support groups (by state), can do so at the Reflex Sympathetic Dys- trophy Syndrome Associ- ation’s website, www.RSDS.org. Readers can also order my Health Report “Man- aging Chronic Pain” by sending a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 U.S. check or money order payable to Dr. Peter Gott, P.O. Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039-0433. Be sure to mention the title when writing, or print an order form from my website’s direct link: www.AskDr- GottMD.com/order_form. pdf. 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 If readers want to contact Dr. Gott, they may write to him at his website, or send their mail directly to Dr. Gott, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106. However, if readers want to request a newsletter, they should write to the Connecticut address listed above. 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. is a serious crime we all pay for. Fraud Examples of IHSS fraud: falsifying timecards, forging signatures, misrepresenting the need or simply not doing the work. In-Home Supportive Services or IHSS, provides a variety of services to the elderly or disabled allowing them to live safely in their own homes. Funding for IHSS has suffered serious cuts. Report fraud to TC Dept. of Social Services 527-1911 or call the hotline at 1-800-822-6222. Water Gardening 101 Saturday, July 23 @ 10am Please call to reserve a seat Garden Center Red Bluff 766 Antelope Blvd. (Next to the Fairground) 527-0886 Prior procedure provokes prodigious pain Dear Annie: I need advice on what to do about my niece. She is 39 and has no relationship with her mother (my sister). About 20 years ago, this niece confided to me that she had had an abortion. I respected her confidentiali- ty and kept the information private. I never again dis- cussed this incident with my niece, until the other day when I mentioned it to her. She immediately denied that she had ever said such a thing. I told her I remember the conversa- tion vividly. She claims I must be confused. But I have never mixed up conversations and recol- lections in my entire life. Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar abortion, it must have been enor- mously difficult for her, and her current beliefs would undoubtedly make it a shameful part of her life. We cannot imagine what prompted you to bring up the subject, or why you felt it necessary that she admit something that obviously made her uncomfortable. This was a painful and very private experience that does not concern you. Please let her deal with her past in her own way. In attempting to get her to open up again, I proceeded to tell her that I had had an abortion, as well. My niece has recently become a born- again Christian, so I thought that might be why she is denying this unfortunate experience. The prob- lem is, I feel my relationship with her has changed. I now view her as a liar. I am contemplating ending contact and telling her I am doing so because I believe she had an abortion and is lying to me. What should I do? — Unhappy Aunt Dear Unhappy: There are many possibilities to explain your niece’s reaction — she may have lied about having the abortion when she was 19, you may have misunderstood the original conversation, or, more likely, she wants the entire experi- ence to disappear. If she had an Dear Annie: I’m in junior high, and I have a serious problem. I’m terrified of the future. I’m always worrying about what high school will be like and which college I’ll attend. Lately, I have been going nuts about paying for some future mortgage for a home I don’t even have yet. The worst part is, I can’t stay focused in school. I miss hearing directions because I’m too busy worrying about something else. What can I do to take my mind off these things until I really need to think about them? — Worried Wanda Dear Wanda: It is not unusual to daydream about your future choic- es, but you seem to focus on the negative aspects and get stuck there. Try developing some relaxation techniques to de-stress. Make sure to get sufficient nutrition and exer- cise during the day. Talk to your friends about what worries you. When school starts in the fall, if you are still having difficulty concen- trating, discuss this with your par- ents, and make an appointment with your school counselor. Dear Annie: I read the letter from ‘‘Going Crazy,’’ whose broth- er ‘‘Kyle’’ is bipolar and schizo- phrenic and still living at home with their father. I was disappointed that she felt it necessary to say that Kyle was adopted as an infant. Being adopted has nothing to do with Kyle’s mental health diagnoses, and the mention of it only serves to rein- force in many folks’ minds that adoption is for ‘‘damaged’’ kids. As an adoptee and future adop- tive parent, I have heard such com- ments from people my entire life. Please don’t allow your readers to perpetuate such stereotypes. — Jamestown, N.C. Dear Jamestown: The fact that Kyle was adopted has nothing to do with his mental health issues, and we certainly would not want to give the impression that it did. We included it because it seemed to mean something to the writer and underscored the gulf between them 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. Move over slow down campaign The California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Transporta- tion want to get a message out: Move over and slow down. Since the inception of Caltrans and the CHP, over 250 members of both departments have died in traffic related incidents. Many of these incidents have been the result of a brief moment of inattention on the part of a passing motorist. Unfortunately, this brief moment of inattention can have lifelong and heart- breaking consequences. As a tragic example, this year from May 4 to June 20, three Caltrans workers were killed on California road- ways. Section 21809 of the California Vehicle Code, effective Jan. 1, 2007, requires motorists on a free- way to move over to a lane not immediately adjacent to a stationary emergency vehicle, Caltrans vehicle or tow truck displaying either flashing emergency lights, or amber warning lights. The Tehama-Glenn Unit of the California Depart- ment of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) is team- ing up with the Nature Conservancy on Wednesday, July 20. In an effort to control invasive weeds like medusa head and star thistle, weather permitting, a 523 acre burn of grass on the Nature Conservancy’s Vina Plains Preserve will be conducted. The burn will take place off Lassen Rd and Hwy 99E in the Vina area, starting about 9 a.m. and should be completed by 3 p.m. CalFire conducts burns with cooperating land man- agers under the Vegetation Management Program (VMP), a state sponsored cost sharing program to encourage prescribed fires on private property. The pur- Library book club to meet The Red Bluff Library Book Club will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, at the Red Bluff Branch of the Tehama County Library, 645 Madison St. The book is “Dear Mad’m” by Stella Walthall Pat- terson. CARE TO COMMENT? At redbluffdailynews.com, scroll to the end of any story, click the link and type away. Preserving the Harvest Saturday, July 16 @ 10am August 2nd This event sponsored by the Job Training Center, Tehama EDC, Red Bluff Daily News, Rolling Hills Casino, the Tehama County Branding Project, and the Red Bluff/Tehama County Chamber of Commerce This is your opportunity to be part of creating the future of Tehama County. Thanks to your support and generosity, Roger Brooks returns August 2nd Rolling Hills Casino 8am to Noon (Breakfast Provided) Pre-registration required Cost: $25 per person Visit www.destinationtehama.wordpress.com Upcoming Fundraising Events September 2nd August 5th & Rolling Hills Comedy Night Doors open at 7:30pm Show starts at 8:30pm All proceeds to benefit the branding effort! If a lane change cannot be safely made; motorists must slow down while pass- ing the emergency vehicle. The Move Over, Slow Down law can make the dif- ference between life and death for highway workers and emergency personnel by giving them the space needed to do their jobs. Fine amounts in Tehama County for failure to obey the Move Over, Slow Down law start at $154 dollars. Since the inception of the law, CHP has issued more than 2,200 citations for violations of Vehicle Code Section 218 09 (a). California is not the only state to recognize the gravi- ty of this problem, Forty- five other states have enact- ed similar laws requiring motorists to move over or slow down. Wherever your travels may take you, it is just a good idea to move over and slow down when approach- ing emergency vehicles or highway workers. It only takes a split sec- ond of inattention to destroy the lives of so many people. CalFire and Nature Conservancy plan rangeland burn pose of the burn is to improve rangeland and reduce noxious grass species for better cattle grazing. Support the Tehama County Branding Project