Opinion

Spring is here and the call to the wild is strong in my heart! My inner child longs to play in mud puddles, explore the flowers, go on long walks. Trees are growing, plants are no longer dormant, there are insects everywhere and other parts of the natural environment are starting to emerge! Did you know that being outside is not only great for physical activity, but it is also very valuable for our minds? Outdoor time is especially crucial for the developing mind of a child.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I so appreciated your recent column on arthritis -- specifically osteoarthritis. I’m a big exerciser; however, I have always heard that this arthritis is caused or exacerbated by wear and tear. I was surprised to hear otherwise!

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with a UTI on my yearly physical urinalysis, but had no symptoms. I was prescribed Cipro. The five pages of warnings attached to the prescription scared me! So, I checked the FDA and Mayo Clinic websites. Both said that the 'risks outweigh benefits' and it 'should not be first choice to treat UTI.' But my doctor says to take it, so I will -- 500 mg twice a day for seven days. Possible side effects include tendon ruptures (including the aorta), nerve damage and more. Scary! I am 71 and in good health, with high blood pressure as my only problem, but it's under control.

Before my junior year in high school,I returned from a Boy Scout canoeing trip to discover my sister had been killed in a car crash. I will never forget the sadness of the moment when I walked into the house that was filled with what seemed like half the caring and wonderful town of De Smet to find my mom and dad there grieving. It was near the end of that summer, but the beginning of a long period of mourning for my family and me.

Dear Amy: Do people report to you that the Covid pandemic changed them? It changed me. I thought the isolation wouldn’t bother me because I am an introverted woman.

DEAR DR. ROACH: In a recent column, you said that using salt substitutes can reduce blood pressure and that, across a population, this would result in far fewer heart attacks and strokes.

Dear Amy: I’ve met a great guy. We’ve gone out on six dates, and I am taking things very slowly.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had been on hormone replacement therapy for 20 years or so and was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. I had a lumpectomy (stage 1) and radiation (external, five days a week for 21 treatments). Now, the oncologist is saying I need to start taking tamoxifen indefinitely. I have read online that it can cause memory loss, liver injury, stroke, blood clots and/or endometrial cancer. What are the chances of any of these happening? These possibilities seem potentially worse than the original cancer spreading. -- E.H.

DEAR DR. ROACH: My left elbow has been bothering me for eight years. When I bump it, there is a terrible pain, like an electric shock. The pain only lasts for about 10 seconds; however, it happens all the time. Even if I am wearing a heavy winter coat, the slightest bump disables me for 10 seconds or so.