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Wednesday, August 31, 2011 – Daily News 5A FEATURES Shindig schemers swipe survivor's soiree Dear Annie: I'm recov- ering from cancer. To thank my husband for being so helpful, caring and patient during my treatment, I want to give him a nice party for his 30th birthday. He liked the idea and put together a guest list. I mentioned this to my in-laws, and they offered to help. The next thing I know, they've insisted on paying for the entire party and hav- ing it at their house. They also wanted me to invite some of their friends. Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar I told them my husband is not close to these people and I did not intend to invite them. They became upset, saying I was putting them in an awkward situation and they would never be able to explain why these friends weren't included in this big party. That annoyed me, and I decided to change our plans. I told my in-laws we would now have a much smaller party at my house. It seemed to me that they were making this about them and not about my husband. Now there is tension between us. What should I do? — Stuck in the Middle Dear Stuck: Your in-laws over- stepped by co-opting your party, and it was perfectly reasonable for you to back out and start over. But it would be a good idea to mend fences. Please tell your in-laws that you greatly appreciate their efforts, but you didn't feel up to the major shindig they had in mind. Promise to cooperate in every way possible should they choose to have a second celebration at a later date. Dear Annie: My daugh- ter is getting married in Jan- uary. She asked her cousin ''Alia'' to be the maid of honor. Alia has never cared for any of my daughter's boyfriends and is making no effort to be part of the plans. She has put off getting her dress and told my daughter it was for financial reasons, but her Facebook page says she got a big raise and a new car. My daughter was hurt, but said nothing. We both thought it meant Alia wanted out of the wedding, so my daughter told her cousin that she could bow out if it was causing money problems. Apparently, Alia was offended by that. Worse, her mother got involved and started calling my daughter and giving her hell. My daughter told Alia's moth- er to mind her own business. I have stayed out of it. Now there are hard feelings within the family, and I feel terrible for my daughter. Any suggestions? — New York Mother Dear N.Y.: We assume the goal is to patch this up before the wedding, so someone needs to apologize. Unfortunately, it's not likely to be Alia or her mother. Your daughter should call her cousin and tell her she is sorry there has been ill will and misunderstanding on both sides. She should then say, sincere- ly, that she would still like Alia to be in her wedding party if it isn't too great a hardship for her. If Alia gets nasty, however, your daughter should calmly tell her that, under the circumstances, it would be best if she stepped down from her bridesmaid responsibilities. Dear Annie: I disagree with your answer to ''Danged if I Do and Danged if I Don't,'' whose son and his new wife don't want her to stay in touch with the ex-wife. They have no business telling Mom whom she can and cannot contact. The ex is the mother of the grandchildren and still part of the family. You don't know that the new wife won't change her views. She should be making peace with the family she married into, not dictat- ing terms — J.S. Dear J.S.: Of course she should, but it's naive and unrealistic to think the new wife is going to be more accepting of the ex anytime soon. Insecure people are not necessarily introspective about their motives. Mom needs to tread carefully if she wishes to maintain a relationship with her son. 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. Kelly-Griggs Summer Social sightings Is antibiotic appropriate for arthritic knee? DEAR DR. GOTT: I am being encouraged to try tetracycline therapy for my arthritic knee. Is this a legitimate therapy to avoid surgery? DEAR READ- ER: Information obtained from the U.S. Library of Medicine, as reported by the Division of Rheuma- tology in Toronto, Ontario, regarding an October 2003 study, indi- cated published trials had been hand-searched for further identification of reports and presentations regarding this very sub- ject. Of the 10 random- ized trials that included 535 individuals, only three were considered to be of high quality, and elements of bias could not be excluded in the remainder. In part, it stated that tetracyclines, when administered for up to three months, were asso- ciated with a significant reduction in disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with absolutely no increased risk of adverse events. Tetracyclines, particular- ly minocycline, were associated with a clini- cally significant improvement in patients with RA, without any increased risk of side effects. Unfortunately, the available information was insufficient to allow for a detailed analysis of individual side effects, and further research at that time was warranted regarding efficacy, cost- effectiveness and safety. In 2005, Medical Courtesy photos by Connie Maxey Left: Sister Gloria Heese offers a painting demonstration using the presentation mirror purchased with a grant from the Tehama County Arts Council.The Red Bluff Art Association was one of many groups that had displays at Sunday's Summer Social at Kelly-Griggs House Museum in Red Bluff. Right:Youth dancers entertain visitors.The event was a fundraiser for foundation repairs at the Victorian home. News Today reported that doxycycline (closely related to tetracycline), with its anti-inflammato- ry properties, could inhibit the degradation of cartilage in a way that could be useful in treat- ing osteoarthritis (OA). It went on to indicate that on the strength of pre- clinical evidence, a team of rheumatologists affili- ated with six clinical research centers across the United States con- ducted the first long-term trial to determine any benefits in treating OA, particularly of the knee. Their findings, printed in the July 2005 issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, suggested doxycycline might slow the progression of joint damage and pointed to the need for further research into the effects of the drugs on the symp- toms of the disease. Also in 2005, Science Courtesy photos by Bruce Perkin Left: Hailey Nelson gets an art lesson Sunday at the Red Bluff Art Association booth during the Kelly- Griggs House Museum Summer Social. Right: Inside the museum, historic quilts were on display. Daily, reporting on a study in Arthritis and Rheumatism, indicated similar findings. For the trial, the team recruited 431 overweight women between the ages of 45 and 64 with moderately advanced OA in one knee. Progression of the disorder was assessed by Dr. Peter Gott measuring joint space narrowing in the medial tibiofemoral com- partment through baseline X-rays obtained at both 16 and 30 months. The severity of joint pain was assessed every six months after a washout period of all non- steroidal anti-inflamma- tory drugs and anal- gesics. Three hundred and six subjects completed the treatment protocol. After 16 months, the mean loss of joint space width in the diseased knee in the doxycycline group was 40 percent less than that in the placebo group. After 30 months, it was 33 percent less. Despite the obvious slowing of the progression of the disease, the doxycycline did not reduce the severi- ty of joint pain. Side effects were minimal throughout the trial; how- ever, some participants dropped out due to side effects as compared with the placebo group. The conclusion was that doxycycline showed benefits in slowing the rate of joint space nar- rowing in knees with known OA. Whether the drug has any value in the early treatment and symptomatic manage- ment of OA will require further investigation. Unfortunately, the rep- utable reports I have access to are several years old. Speak with your orthopedic specialist or a rheumatologist, who can assess your entire med- ical profile to determine if this treatment is an option or if surgery is even in the picture. Some things are within your control, such as weight loss if appropriate, or changing your occupa- tion. Those things out of your control include being female, of an advanced age, having gout, Paget's disease of the bone or a joint injury. Readers who would like additional informa- tion can order my Health Report "Osteoarthritis" by sending a self- addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 U.S. check or money order to Dr. Peter Gott, P.O. Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title, 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. Counseling Center Giving Families Hope! 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