Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-12
Stop
killing
Yourself
BY PETER J. sTEINCROHN

q BY PETER j. STElNChOHN
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: I had
"a series of tests taken in-
rcluding X-rays) about six
smonths ago. Surprisingly, one
2X-ray showed stones in my
gall bladder. I never had an
attack of collie or any indi-
gestion before or since that
date. Do you think an opera
ton advisable? If I don't
shave one is there any danger
sof getting cancer of the gall
bladder from the irritation
of the stones?-Mrs. H.
NOT KNOWING anything
about your physical back
ground-not even your age
I can't give you any specific
advice. Many people have
silent stones" that produce
no symptoms, which are dis
covered only during a routine
physical examination.
Some doctors believe that
:. there is the danger OF cancer,
~but as many, if not more,
think it is unlikely. I belong
to the large group who think
1T is unlikely. I belong to the
Large group who think that
THE danger of operation al
Sthough SMALL is as great as
the likelihood of cancer for
mation later. Therefore. you
tcan see that I do not believe
that Is the main considera-
ton about the problem OF
whether or not to have an
sopetation.
Z OF course, without opera
stion, there is always the dan
yer of a stone being caught
in one of the bile ducts, caus-
ing collie, jaundice and other
complications. On the other
hand, ! have known patients
Ito live to their los and DOS
with gall stones who never
had any trouble at all. One
of my patients, who had a
bladder full of stones since
the age of about so. had an
attack of collie while visiting
/. in New Orleans at the age
@of 30. She had the opera
ton, had an uneventful re-
covery and lived until 95.
Nevertheless, it is understand
able that most older patients
don't withstand gall bladder
surgery as we'll as the young
err group. I am hedging IN
4 my advice to you, because
! only you and your own doc
! tor can come to the proper
decision.
y I CONTINUE to receive
many letters from readers in
their late 20s and in their
30s who wonder If it is too
I late to have a baby. Will the
labor be difficult? Are they
too old to be good parents?
Is 1t worth all the bother
) when you are no longer
young? Here Is a letter that
: may help you make your de-
: cision:
! Dear DR.. Steincrohn: Several
weeks ago you printed ex-
! cerpts of letters from women
In doubt about having their
first child in their late EOS
I. or 30s. The replies were from
women who had had children
later in life, but not their
first, which to my mind did
not exactly answer the ques-
ton. Of this letter is dis
jointed it's because my two
{ sons are making so much
noise. It's hard to concen-
trate.)
4 The oldest is 31a now. He
was born six months after
my 34th birth day. The
= youngest is Is months, born
one month short of my 37th
birthday. Would we do it all
Z over again? You bet! We
never realized how empty our
y house was. My husband and
81 were married nine years
2 before our oldest was born.
After giving up all hope. /
became pregnant. After all
those years we were the proud
parents of a 6-pound baby
boy. You should see him now.
He is bright, handsome and
lovable.
4 A little over two years lat
er, after a very short and
! uncomplicated labor. I gave
4 birth to another sonia
y pounds. So here I am with
y my two very wonderful late
g in-life babies. I say better
: late than never. We are
Z counting our blessings many
times over. My Oldest just
came up to me, put his arms
around my neck and whts-
pered, "Mommy, I love you"
See what I would have missed
= If I had decided I was too
Z old?-Mrs. S.
81 (BelI Syndicate Feature)
81
DR.. Steincrohn'S leGtlet,
"How to Overcome Your
! Child's Greatest Menace: Ac-
2 cidentS," will be mailed on
! receipt of a stamped, self
addressed envelope and 10
cents in coin for handling.
. Address DR.. Steincrohn in
care of The Evening Star.
~ -.
Il Mondoy: Arthritis