Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/82014
FEATURES Time hip replacement with consideration TOR K: I'm 58 and have a bad hip. Should I get a hip replacement now or wait until it's absolutely neces- sary? DEAR DOC- ER: Many patients have asked me the same question over the years. I answer it somewhat differently today than I did 20 years ago, for two reasons. First, the technology of hip replacement has improved considerably. Second, 10 years ago I faced the same question myself: My right hip had been seriously damaged by arthritis and I was in pain. After putting it off for two years, I had the surgery. That changed my perspective. DEAR READ- surgical procedure in which damaged hip bone and car- tilage are removed and replaced with artificial components. (There's a pic- ture on my website.) Hip replacement can greatly improve the function of your hip and substantially relieve pain. Hip replacement is a But timing the surgery can be tricky. joints have a limited life span. With normal activity, most last 15 to 20 years. That's why people under 60 are encouraged to delay the procedure if possible. The younger you are when you have a hip replace- ment, the more likely you will eventually need revi- sion surgery to replace the implant. Artificial On the other hand, it is possible to wait too long. Waiting until joint prob- lems have severely limited your function may lessen pain relief and functional improvements from a hip replacement. So when is it time for a joint replacement? First of all, X-rays should show advanced arthritis or other hip joint damage: Not all hip pain is caused by dam- age to the hip joint. Your age also is an important factor. But most important is the extent of your dis- Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. significant pain daily. ability. I'd advise you to consider hip replacement if one or more of the fol- lowing is true: — You are unable to complete normal daily tasks without help. — You have you from walking or bend- ing over. — Pain doesn't stop when you rest and keeps you awake at night. — Non-surgical treat- ments, such as medicines and physical therapy, have not given you enough relief. — Your doctor says less complicated surgical proce- dures are unlikely to help. — You have trouble lift- ing your leg. — You suffer severe — Pain keeps side effects from the med- ications for your joint symptoms. We have more informa- tion on hip replacement in our Special Health Report, "Knees and Hips." (Learn more about this report at AskDoctorK.com, or call 877-649-9457 toll-free to order it.) The bottom line: Taking into account the condition of your joints, your age and your overall health, you and your doctor need to strike a balance. Operate too soon, and you'll increase your chance of revision surgery; wait too long, and you'll subject yourself to addi- tional months and years of pain. experiencing some hip pain for five years and quite bad pain for two years. Surgery immediately relieved the pain. Like most of my patients who have had hip replacements, I concluded I had waited too long. In my case, I had been Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. To send questions, go to AskDoctorK.com, or write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston, MA 02115. sister, ''Susie,'' is 33 and has been receiving financial support from my parents for more than a decade. They give her money out- right and also pay her car insurance, health insurance and other bills. Susie does not work. She's in a mas- ter's program, but it is unclear whether she will finish. My mother believes she needs to help Susie, as she has had mental illness issues throughout her adulthood. I am not upset that Susie is Dear Annie: My older receiving money from my parents. It also doesn't bother me that I am not likely to receive similar assis- tance. But I worry that my parents are giving Susie no reason to finish her degree or pursue a job. I consid- er it enabling. On several occasions, Susie has maxed out her credit cards, and my mother paid those off. My parents do not have the money to continue doing this. Is it appropriate to speak with them about this? — A Sister Who Doesn't Know What To Do Dear Sister: We don't know the Friday, September 7, 2012 – Daily News 5A Adult sister being enabled by parents? parents spend their money, you can bring up this subject and ask whether they have made arrangements for Susie's care after they are gone. Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar even know until I received an invi- tation with my name listed. Am I crazy to think that my hus- Dear Annie: I have been married for 20 years to the youngest of seven siblings. Whenever a niece or nephew has married or had children, the aunts (myself included) have given a shower. The problem is, I'm never asked. I'm just told. Once, I didn't extent of Susie's ''mental illness issues'' and whether or not she is capable of holding down a job or finishing her degree. Your parents believe they need to help her until she can support herself, and that pursuing a master's degree will allow her to find gainful employ- ment. We hope they are right. While you do not get to decide how your band's sisters should ask whether I'm interested in hosting a shower? I'm expected to make food, clean up and share expenses, but never given the opportunity to give any input. The few times I tried, I was completely ignored. To make mat- ters worse, my husband's family believes they need to invite a huge number of people, which means a hall must be rented and the total cost becomes prohibitive. Each shower has gotten bigger and more expensive, and each time, I'm sim- ply informed of how big of a check I need to write and what I need to cook. We have a congenial but not close relationship with his siblings, and we don't have children our- selves. How do I get the point across that I don't want to be a host- ess without completely offending the family? — Unwilling in Nebras- Brown issued a proclama- tion calling for a Special Election in the 4th State Senate District, which encompasses Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yuba and parts of Nevada and Placer Counties. nation documents are available at the Tehama County Elections Office, 444 Oak St., Room C, Red Bluff. ka Dear Nebraska: We won't get into the etiquette of family mem- bers hosting a shower or having one so large that you must rent a hall. They aren't likely to pay attention to those things. Find a time when there are no upcoming events scheduled to talk to the sister-in-law with whom you are closest. Explain that you appreciate being included as a regular hostess, but you cannot always manage it. Ask them sweet- ly to please consult you before assuming you will take on these responsibilities. (You may need to remind them more than once.) Dear Annie: I, too, would like to weigh in on the discussion regard- ing whether or not to have flowers at a funeral. Funerals are for the loved ones left behind. I attended the funeral of my friend's only daughter, and we were asked to bring flowers because her daughter loved them. They were overflowing. There are 364 other days to donate to charity. People can send a donation in honor or in memory of anyone at any time. — Not a Florist Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Candidate filing open for 4th Senate District vacancy On Wednesday, Gov. The Tehama County Elections Office is open 8 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. weekdays. The deadline to file the nomination docu- ments is 5 p.m. Wednes- day, Sept. 12. For more information call 527-8190, or toll free 866-289-5307. The Primary Election will be consolidated on the ballot with the Nov. 6 Con- solidated General Election. The resignation of Sen. Doug LaMalfa has left a vacancy that needs to be filled in the 4th State Sen- ate District, says Beverly Ross, Tehama County clerk-recorder and registrar of voters. The term of office for this vacancy is 2 years. The candidate filing period is open and nomi- women 40 and older will be offered Thursday, Oct. 25 at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Redding. Women must pre-register no later than Sept. 20. Early detection is critical in treating breast cancer. Mercy will host the screen- ing as part of the Every Woman Counts — Breast Cancer Early Detection Pro- gram. The breast cancer screening involves three components: Mammogram — an X-ray of your breasts can be a powerful way to detect Free breast cancer screening offered Free breast cancer screenings for breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage. provided by a Mercy oncology nurse. Clinical Breast Examination — a physician or affiliated health care provider will conduct the examination. To find out if you qualify for this state- funded program, call Mercy Medical Center Redding at 530 225-7779. This program is designed to help unin- sured and underinsured California women with low-incomes. Appointments are limited. Breast Self Examination Education —