Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/90113
FEATURES Dear Annie: Eleven years ago, we moved halfway across the country in order to live close to my husband's family. For years, we heard about all the things they would do with our kids if only we lived nearer. My parents were still busy raising my four younger siblings and weren't really interested in being grandparents, so all these promises sounded wonderful. It didn't take long after we Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar moved to discover that my in-laws were all talk. When we announced that we were pregnant with our fourth child, my mother-in-law said, ''Well, don't expect me to babysit four kids.'' I had to bite my tongue to keep from retorting, ''Why would I? You never babysit the three we already have.'' My mother-in-law always sounds like I'm holding a gun to her head when I ask whether she might have some time to see the kids. My children are growing up. get invited to their house? Is there any way to express myself to my in-laws so it will open their eyes about what they are missing? So far, calling my mother-in- law on her behavior has only resulted in a guilt trip and crocodile tears. Friday, October 26, 2012 – Daily News 5A Absentee grandparents irk mother tion, but he didn't fill that one, either, because it was a ''hormone,'' and he thinks all hormones are dan- gerous. We have since split up. No sex They are completely self-sufficient and well behaved. They clean up after themselves and take care of one another. I've always tried to cast my in-laws in the best possible light, even though they spend less time with my children than my par- ents who live 1,500 miles away. But the kids are catching on. Should I continue making excus- es for my in-laws? Is it OK to tell my kids honestly why they never broken promises. — Fran in Frisco Dear Fran: We don't know why your in-laws switched gears. Per- haps being with all those children was more effort than they expected. But don't badmouth them to your kids even if they deserve it. When your children ask why they don't see their grandparents, simply say, ''It's just the way they are.'' And please stop asking your in-laws to spend time with the kids. Instead, invite them to whatever occasions merit their presence, and let them see for themselves what they are reaping. It breaks my heart that my children have no rela- tionship with these grand- parents. But more than that, I'm having a hard time not resenting them for all the Dear Annie: You've mentioned that men with low sex drives should be tested for low testosterone. I'm curious how many men are willing to address the problem with med- ication. drive is one thing, but the accompa- nying negative personality issues made me want to hide in my own house. — Alone Dear Alone: Low testosterone can also be responsible for depres- sion and other mood disorders. It's too bad your guy was unwilling to try the prescription. It may have helped him enormously. A discus- sion with his doctor about hor- mones would have been useful. Dear Annie: I disagree with your answer to ''Home Alone,'' whose boyfriend travels on business for months at a time. When he's home, he spends weekdays with her but wants to spend weekends with his family or friends. You said, ''You'll have to revisit this issue if you marry and have children.'' I would hope the issue would be totally resolved before even think- ing of getting married. He doesn't even make a good boyfriend. That relationship spells disaster. — Texas Annie's Mailbox is written by My guy was tested, and his testosterone was very low. He was given a prescription, but said it was too expensive. A call to the doctor produced a less expensive prescrip- 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. The hunt is afoot for Medicare Part D By Jennifer Cooper Social Security District Manager in Redding Hunting season is open. But rather than hunting for game, may we recommend setting your sights for the Part D Medicare prescrip- tion drug plan that's best for you? You'll have more time than usual this year, because open season is lasting longer than usual. If you currently are enrolled in Medicare and are considering changes to your Medicare Part D plan, act now. The "open season" runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. The Medicare Part D prescription drug program is available to all Medicare beneficiaries to help with the cost of medications. Joining a Medicare pre- scription drug plan is vol- untary, and participants pay an additional monthly premium for the coverage. While all Medicare • Income limited to $16,755 for an individual or $22,695 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still workshop focusing on conservation easements will be held 1-5 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District office, 6270 Par- allel Road in Anderson. The workshop, hosted Conservation easements A free informational beneficiaries can partici- pate in the prescription drug program, some peo- ple with limited income and resources also are eli- gible for Extra Help to pay for monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. The Extra Help is estimat- ed to be worth about $4,000 per year. Many people qualify for these big savings and don't even know it. To figure out whether you are eligible for the Extra Help, Social Securi- ty needs to know your income and the value of any savings, investments, and real estate (other than the home you live in). To qualify, you must be receiving Medicare and have: may be able to get some help with monthly premi- ums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-pay- ments. Some examples where your income may be higher include if you or your spouse: —Support other family members who live with you; work; or —Live in Alaska or Hawaii; and —Have earnings from • Resources limited to $13,070 for an individual or $26,120 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count your house or car as resources. You can complete an easy-to-use online applica- tion for Extra Help at www.socialsecurity.gov. Click on Medicare on the top right side of the page. Then click on "Get Extra Help with Medicare Pre- by the Western Shasta and Tehama County Resource Conservation Districts will introduce landowners to the basics of conserva- tion easements. Local experts will give an overview of the easement process, landowner con- siderations, and tax impli- cations. The workshop is intend- Over 25 years of experience The North State's premier supplier of stoves STOVE JUNCTION 20% OFF select models Tues-Sat 9am-5pm • Closed Sun & Mon Don't be left in the 5A>6! Serving Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com ed for landowners and oth- ers interested in under- standing more about ease- ments and how they can protect and enhance valu- able resources while allow- ing landowner flexibility in managing their land. For more information and to register, call Rose Calzontzi, watershed coordinator with TCRCD at (530) 527-3013 x115 or rose@tehamacountyrcd.o rg. The Tehama County Sanitary Landfill Agency will conduct a free electron- ic waste collection event from 8 a.m. to noon Satur- day, Oct. 27, at the follow- ing locations: • Red Bluff - Tehama County Department of Social Services at 310 S. Main St. scription Drug Plan Costs." To apply by phone or have an application mailed to you, call Social Security at 1-800-772- 1213 (TTY 1-800-325- 0778) and ask for the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescrip- tion Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Or go to your nearest Social Security office. Gum, candy can help with dry mouth TOR K: My mouth and throat are always parched, even though I'm con- stantly sipping water. It's very uncomfortable. I'd appreciate any advice you can offer. DEAR DOC- And if you would like more information about the Medicare Part D pre- scription drug program, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1- 877-486-2048). So this open season, hunt for something that could put an extra $4,000 in your pocket — bag the best Medicare prescrip- tion drug plan for you and see if you qualify for the Extra Help through Social Security. That's a trophy worth displaying in your den. Televisions, computer monitors and equipment, microwaves, DVD/VCR players, cell phones, and other small electronic waste (e-waste) will be accepted free of charge during the event. There is no quantity limit on e-waste accepted. • Corning - Park and Ride Commuter Parking Lot, northeast corner of Third and Solano Streets ER: Most of the time dry mouth, also called xeros- tomia, causes more dis- comfort than damage. But severe cases can cause complications. Dry mouth can rob you of your sense of taste and can make chewing slow and swal- lowing difficult. Also, since saliva is important for dental health, dry mouth can contribute to tooth decay and periodon- tal disease. My colleague Dr. Harvey Simon recent- ly wrote about dry mouth in the Harvard Men's Health Watch. Here's what he and I advise. First, be sure you're well-hydrated. It sounds like you drink plenty of water. Still, the mem- branes in your mouth and throat can dry out if you breathe dry air through your mouth. That's espe- cially true at night. Usual- ly, the reason people breathe through their mouth at night is that their nose is congested. If mouth breathing con- tributes to your problem, nasal decongestants may help restore nose breath- ing. Also, a bedroom humidifier can add mois- ture to the air you breathe. Medications are com- mon culprits. Many com- monly used medicines have what's called "anti- cholinergic" effects, which cut the flow of sali- va, producing a dry mouth. Common offend- ers include antihista- mines, tricyclic antide- pressants, antispasmodics, and certain drugs used for Parkinson's disease, over- active bladder and chronic bronchitis. Take an inven- tory of your medications. If you round up a few sus- pects, discuss them with your doctor. DEAR READ- Medical conditions are much less likely to be responsible for a dry mouth. Still, your doctor Don't miss this great opportunity to safely dis- pose of your old electronics! E-waste is of concern large- ly due to toxicity (lead, mer- cury and cadmium) of some of the substances if processed improperly. E- waste collected will be recy- Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. mouth, you can do things to promote comfort. Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless candy to stimu- late the flow of saliva. Avoid dry or very spicy foods. Drink plenty of water, but steer clear of alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. And don't for- get regular dental care. Finally, try using can't correct the underlying cause of your dry should check for oral yeast infec- tion (thrush) and for problems that affect the salivary glands them- selves, such as Sjogren's syn- drome. Even if you artificial saliva products. These are available over- the-counter as sprays, swabs and solutions. Though not identical to natural saliva, artificial saliva can help moisten the tissues in your mouth and throat. The most memorable case of a dry mouth I ever saw was an 84-year-old woman. I was her daugh- ter's doctor, and one day her daughter brought her mother with her to my office. She told me her mother had started suck- ing on apricot pits all the time, something she had never done before. Her mother wouldn't say why; she just wanted to do it. I figured out that it was because her mouth was very dry, and sucking on apricot pits helped pro- duce saliva. But why was her mouth so dry? It wasn't because of mouth breathing at night or medicines. It was because she had devel- oped diabetes. Her sugar level was so high, and she was so dehydrated, that I immediately hospitalized her. She almost died, but recovered and lived to be 99 years and 4 months old. 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. Free electronic waste collection event is Saturday cled. Recycling such items saves landfill space and pro- tects our environment. For details about the acceptance of electronic waste, call the Tehama County Landfill Agency at 528-1103 or visit tehama- countylandfill.com. COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES All makes and models. We perform dealer Smog Check starting at$ (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. +$ 825 certificate 2595 8026 Airport Road, Redding I-5 North, Exit #673, Rt on Knighton, Rt on Airport Located 1 mile south of the Airport (Next to Kents Mkt) Open Mon-Sat 8-5 & Sunday's 10-4 wyntourgardens.com WYNTOUR GARDENS 365-2256 Facebook The