Opinion

Dear Readers, It was the music that brought us all to Winfield for the experiences I shared in the two previous columns, “Happy Camper” and “Friends, Old and New.” And in that regard, music is where I should have begun this column series. But words do not capture the experience of experiencing music. This is particularly true when it comes to the live music for which the Walnut Valley Festival is renowned, performed day and night, on stages and around campfires by both worldclass paid performers and amateur talent.

Dear Amy: My son has a friend, “Brett,” whose mother died some time ago. Brett and his wife had to move off of his mother’s property.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 72, and I have had arthritis for three years: two years in both knees, one year in my right hip and the base of my spine. I am 5’3” and weigh 221 pounds, with a body mass index (BMI) of 39. I lost 23 pounds from January to June.

Dear Amy: I have never had a ton of friends. As something of an introvert, I value quality over quantity.

DEAR DR. ROACH: Are the current strains of COVID and monkeypox similar to the AIDS virus? I’m confused about the manner of spreading it and where these strains came from.

Dear Amy: We’ve been living next door to a very good neighbor for almost 30 years. “Charles” is helpful and friendly, and we genuinely like him.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 88-year-old female in relatively good health. A year and a half ago, I did experience atrial fibrilliation and had two cardioversions. (The first was good for a year; the second lasted only three months.) The diagnosis is paroxysmal AFib.

Dear Amy: I have a group of three friends (we’re all male) with whom I enjoy one overnight each month at a cabin in the woods. We take turns cooking.

People often talk about having a “gut feeling” when they know something is wrong. What feelings come when there is something wrong with the digestive system itself and how do you differentiate between “butterflies” acting up and a serious gastrointestinal problem? There are many different organs that can cause GI problems and may include the esophagus, stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine.