Opinion

Dear Amy: My boyfriend 'Steve' and I have been together for over two years. He is extremely kind and generous to me.

Dear Readers, I don’t know the answer. Nor do any of my friends. Yet when we get together, someone invariably asks, “When did we get old?” And we laugh at our aches and pains anecdotes which indicate we knew it was happening, though none of us can pinpoint WHEN we aged. What I do know is that this past weekend when I surveyed a group of us I thought, “If the Zombie Apocalypse happened right now, I’m not sure any of us would survive” because I doubt any of us could or would run for our lives. I took comfort that there were a few spry young’uns with us who might escape and hopefully persevere.

Q: I had a mild case of COVID-19 and now, four months later I have weird symptoms, including brain fog, fatigue, and joint pain. Could it be long COVID-19 and is there anything I can do about it? -- Janice F., Sioux City, Iowa A: Long COVID-19 is a complex set of conditions and symptoms that can develop after infection with the virus SARS-CoV-2. It can be difficult to diagnose because when doctors try to pinpoint what’s going on, blood tests, chest X-rays, and electrocardiograms may not show anything out of the ordinary. There is no test that determines if your symptoms are a result of having had COVID-19.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been diagnosed with thyroid antibodies. What are the long-term effects of these antibodies? The doctor says to start thyroid medication. I have been a vegetarian since 1983 and have a low-salt diet. I have heard about quality control issues with thyroid medicines and taking care not to consume caffeine with the medicine. Could my diet be related to the antibodies? Are there real problems with the production and timing? -- R.S.

Q: I had a mild case of COVID-19 and now, four months later I have weird symptoms, including brain fog, fatigue, and joint pain. Could it be long COVID-19 and is there anything I can do about it? -- Janice F., Sioux City, Iowa A: Long COVID-19 is a complex set of conditions and symptoms that can develop after infection with the virus SARS-CoV-2. It can be difficult to diagnose because when doctors try to pinpoint what's going on, blood tests, chest X-rays, and electrocardiograms may not show anything out of the ordinary. There is no test that determines if your symptoms are a result of having had COVID-19.

Dear Amy: I am the mother of three daughters, and I’m hurting so bad. During the pandemic in 2020, my middle daughter (an anesthesiologist) passed away suddenly.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 82-year-old, reasonably fit woman. I am having cramps at night in my feet and legs, causing me to wake three or four times a night. Getting up and walking helps, as does applying a hot washcloth and using Voltaren on the cramping areas. However, I would prefer not to wake up so many times, which makes me feel exhausted all day. My father suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and I would like to know if the cramps indicate ALS. H.G.G.

Spring is finally here in the Northern Plains and summer feels just around the corner. As all we Northerners know, as soon as the temperatures hit even a mild degree on the thermometer most of us shed the jackets and long pants, and our skin is front-andcenter.

Dear Readers, I made a mistake in last week’s column. I mistyped the name of the family whose Coming to America celebration inspired my words. Before it was brought to my attention, this error appeared in many of the 20 Kansas newspapers where “Tallgrass and Tumbleweeds” is available and I was only able to correct it in a few before they were printed. So I want to set the record straight out of respect and affection for all of YOU and for my dear friends, the Yee YANG and Sin YANG family.

Q: I went on a keto diet for a month and lost about 10 pounds. Now I wonder if I should just stick with some version of it. Is it healthier than other ways of eating? -- Freddie B., Largo, Florida A: It’s estimated that 12.9 million Americans follow the keto diet every year -- that’s a carbohydrate- restricted diet that allows 70% fat, 20% protein and only 10% carbs. Folks vary that, adding more protein or even more carbs a couple days a week, but whatever the formula -- usually adopted for weight loss -- a new study shows that it’s risky to go to such extremes for a sustained stretch of time.