Ask Amy: Husband’s double life erases wife
Dear Amy: My husband and I recently celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary. We were both widowed and in our early-50s when we met and married.
Opinion
Read MoreAsk Amy: Husband’s double life erases wife
Can melatonin provide benefits to those with Parkinson’s?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 84-year-old woman.
The Kansas Reflector
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Jeromiah Taylor is a writer born and raised in Wichita.
Ask Amy: A parent doesn’t feel jolly about Santa
Dear Amy: I live in a country that celebrates a tradition that I am, at best, uneasy with. It involves a bizarre ritual by which parents of small children routinely lie to them about the existence of an elderly domestic intruder who supposedly brings small chocolate statues of himself along with toys and gifts once a year (spoiler alert: the parents buy this stuff).
Supplements over statins not recommended for cholesterol
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 71-year-old female in good health who is quite physically active. I have been taking red yeast rice with CoQ10 to help with my cholesterol levels. (My son-in-law, who is a chiropractor and pretty knowledgeable about supplements, suggested this to me.) My cholesterol levels are still somewhat high, but my doctor has not pressed me to start a statin drug. My husband and a good friend of ours both had high cholesterol levels and started taking a statin drug. Both developed neuropathy and feel that the drug had a part in that. I do not want to take a chance on taking a statin drug.
Ask Amy: Relative doesn’t want to attend gay wedding
Dear Amy: I have an extended family member whose son is gay. He has been in a relationship with his live-in partner for many years.
X-rays are the best bet for an exact diagnosis of arthritis
DEAR DR. ROACH: How do I know if I have arthritis? My left leg makes a slight cracking noise in my knee when I walk down the stairs, but no pain. However, when I go for a long drive, I limp when getting out of the car, which kind of goes away and does not hurt my knee. Long walks also bother me. When I went to a specialist, he said I needed therapy. I went to some sessions, but it did not help! When I told my doctor, he said, “Oh, that’s just arthritis.” (Note: This is the leg that was broken when a drunk driver hit me at age 22. I’m now in my mid-60s.) Also, my family has no history of arthritis. I also don’t know how someone can give me therapy if they don’t know what’s wrong? -- Anon.
The Two Sides of Humanity in Medicine
Merriam-Webster defines humanity as “compassionate, sympathetic, or generous behavior or disposition.” It is also defined as “the quality or condition of being human.” The first definition is what people want in a health care provider. We all want to be taken care of by a caregiver who is compassionate, kind, sympathetic, and generous with their time and knowledge. Health care providers spend countless hours taking care of patients. In order to do this, at times we ignore our own needs for rest, sleep, and food. We recite mantras of “first do no harm” and “the patient comes first.” Many of us strive for this vision of the “perfect” provider or to be a “health care hero” as we were called during the pandemic.
Family history of breast cancer prompts man to get
Dear Amy: I recently found out that my husband of seven years has been using high-interest credit cards in his own name to buy expensive luxury items (wine, watches, clothing, etc.). The total bill of this debt is $20,000.
Libraries serve communities, not aggrieved parents. Kansans can learn from challenged books.
Libraries hold a conflicted place our collective imagination. To many of us — to me personally — they’re magical.