Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/40672
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 – Daily News 3B FEATURES Worker wrestles with waived wages Dear Annie: I work in a small office with two other people. The office was understaffed to begin with, and my boss is now undergoing chemotherapy and is out two weeks of every month. Then my co- worker decided to retire. As a result, I had to work a fair amount of overtime in our busiest season. Right now, the office consists of a part- Dear Workplace: You are being treated unfairly. How- time worker and me. Even though our busy season has passed, I still often end up with an hour of overtime each week. My boss's boss has decided that since my peak-season overtime wasn't ''pre- approved,'' she isn't going to pay it. Fur- thermore, she had my time clock hard coded so that no mat- ter what time I log in or out, I only get credit for a standard workday. Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar ever, in a small, privately owned business, there are likely no higher-ups to complain to. And although we agree that you should be compensated for the overtime, one extra hour a week is, frankly, not that much. What many employers fail to realize is that employees need to feel valued. You put in a lot of hard work during a busy season when you were effectively flying solo. The boss could alleviate much of this ill will (and the possibility of losing a loyal employee) sim- ply by letting you know how much she appreciates you. We hope she sees this. Dear Annie: I am 50 years old and have been widowed I'm the only full-time, fully compensated employee, and I have significant responsibilities. If I don't stay late and do whatever needs to be finished, I get in trouble. If I do stay late, I don't get paid. I guess in this labor market, the boss wins. Needless to say, I am looking for another job. In the meantime, what do I do about this no-win situation? — Workplace Dilemma for a year. I recently met a nice man, and we went on a cou- ple of dates. But I had mixed feelings. I still felt ''married,'' and it was causing me great turmoil, so I told this wonder- ful guy that it was too soon for me to date. He said he respected my feelings and to give him a call when I am ready. Now I'm regretting my decision. He's a great guy, and we share similar interests. I don't know how to sort this out. My family still mourns the loss of my husband, who was an exceptional man. I don't know how they will react to my dating so soon, and I'm afraid to ask for fear of upsetting them. What should I do? — Widowed and Confused Dear Widowed: Dating is such a personal decision. Some people are ready in a month, while others never feel comfortable. Most folks would agree, however, that a year is a respectable amount of time to wait. You should feel free to date if you want to, but we also recommend you discuss this with your children. Let them know their father will never be forgotten, but you want to feel that happiness again someday and hope they will want that for you, too. Dear Annie: I'd like to comment on the letter from ''Wedding Gift Nightmare,'' who gave her niece some antique china as a wedding gift. My husband and I had been married less than five years when we took a vacation to meet his Aunt Susie. She served us a delicious lunch. As we cleared the table and washed dishes, she asked if I liked a particular serving bowl. I said I did. She replied, ''Great. It's your wedding present.'' It seems it was a family heirloom and came with a neat story. After 40 years of marriage, I still have the bowl and a story I never hesitate to tell. Treasure those old gifts. They can be quite special in years to come. — Lucky Niece To all our Muslim readers: Happy Eid. 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. Reader asks: what is an insulinoma? DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 59-year-old male. For the last couple of years I have had bouts of lightheadedness that have become pro- gressively worse. I tried eating more often, as that seemed to help a little. My doctor ordered blood work, an EEG and a MRI, and sent me to a specialist, who diag- nosed an insulinoma following a CT scan that showed a tumor on the head of my pancreas. What is an insulinoma, and how did I get it? DEAR READER: An insulinoma is a pancre- atic tumor. It produces too much insulin, result- ing in hyperinsulinemia. This can, in turn, cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Insulinomas are rare and typically occur as a single, small tumor in adults but can, very rarely, occur in children. Most (more than 90 per- cent of all cases) are Dr. Peter Gott benign, so there is little risk of malignancy and spread. Symp- toms can include tremor , hunger , headache, dizziness, convulsion, confusion, sweating, rapid heart rate, anxiety, clouded vision, loss of consciousness, behavior changes and, less com- monly, weight gain. Treatment is typically surgery. If a single tumor is present, it is removed; however, if more than one is pre- sent, part of the pan- creas may need to be removed. In severe cases where most of the pancreas is affected, at least 15 percent of the pancreas needs to be left in order for it to contin- ue producing adequate levels of enzymes. In some cases this may mean that not all of the insulinomas are removed. If a tumor isn't found during surgery or the individual isn't a candi- date for surgery, the medication diazoxide can be prescribed. It is used to lower insulin production and avoid hypoglycemia. A diuret- ic is also given to pre- vent fluid retention. Occasionally, octreotide or lanreotide, another similar medication, may be recommended to lower insulin levels. Most cases are cur- able with surgery; how- ever, complications can arise in individuals before tumor removal or if the tumor cannot be fully excised. These include the symptoms mentioned above plus seizures, coma and, rarely, death. I cannot say why you developed the tumor, but I urge you to speak to an endocrinologist and determine if you are eligible for surgery. If not, you should be pre- COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2595 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. Dr. Andrew PomazalD.O. Physician & Surgeon General Medicine Saturday Appointments Available • High Blood Pressure • Diabetes • Joint & Muscle Pain • Lung Problems We offer Osteopathic Manipulation 530 528-2066 2050 Main St, Red Bluff Accepting New Patients scribed one of the above medications to help con- trol your insulin levels and prevent serious adverse reactions. DEAR DR. GOTT: A few years ago I noticed a distinct change of fla- vors in many of the foods and drinks I con- sume, especially colas. Those affected products tasted so bad that I had to stop eating or drink- ing them altogether. I had been using zinc products that claim to shorten colds but had never used the nose sprays; however, when I read about the people who had used the sprays and lost their sense of taste, I stopped using all zinc products. Gradually my sense of taste is returning to normal. I still cannot drink Pepsi, my favorite soda. I hope this can help others who have lost their sense of taste. DEAR READER: Zinc is a metal/mineral that the body requires in order to maintain nor- mal functioning. Most individuals obtain all that they need through diet. In higher-than-rec- ommended doses, zinc is known to cause a metallic taste in the mouth, which can adversely affect the fla- vors of foods and drinks. Readers who are interested in learning more can order my Health Report "Vita- mins and Minerals" by sending a self- addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 U.S. check or money order for each report to Dr. Peter Gott, P.O. Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to men- tion the title(s), or print an order form from my website's direct link: www.AskDrGottMD.co m/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. & Concert Series Wednesday Evenings from 5-8 pm • August 31th Weety Country/Folk Music takes place from 6-8pm On Washington & Pine Streets • FOOD • CRAFTS • NEW VENDORS WEEKLY • FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE Sponsored By: RED BLUFF D NEWSAILY TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Sponsored by Red Bluff/Tehama County Chamber of Commerce Red Bluff City River Park every Sat. 7am-11am