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Dear Annie: The flight not taken

Dear Annie: My mom and I have always been close. I’m 35 now, but we talk almost every day, even though she’s in Virginia, where I grew up, and I moved to Washington state after college. We make an effort to see each other as much as possible, but of course, it’s never enough. Recently, a work trip brought her to San Francisco, but I didn’t find out until she was already boarding the plane. San Francisco is a lot closer to me than Virginia is. I couldn’t help but think that if the situation were reversed, I would have found a way to tack on a few days and see her. She ...

Doctor recommends aggressive treatment for Crohn’s disease

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 57-year-old man, and I’ve had Crohn’s disease since I was a child. For the past 18 years, I’ve managed it quite successfully with 6-MP, budesonide and Xifaxan. For the past five years in particular, I’ve been in perfect health. My C-reactive protein (CRP) test was under 5 mg/dL, and my colonoscopy from about four years ago was pristine. Just recently, I had a colonoscopy that showed significant inflammation, and my blood work is showing it, too, with a CRP of 19.5 mg/dL. My doctor recommends an aggressive treatment with Skyrizi. I don’t want to take ...

What the latest wave of neo-Nazis says about us

On July 4, the nation’s 250th anniversary, a mysterious group of young men in khaki pants, navy blue shirts, logoed baseball caps and white face masks surfaced in the capital, marching out of a downtown Metro subway station and into the news. By now they look oddly familiar, part of the menagerie of uniformed street brawlers and torch-carriers that emerged in the tumultuous first term of President Donald Trump. And there are unsavory historical echoes as well. Though smaller in number, the neo-Nazis in the capital brought to mind the 1925 parade down Pennsylvania Avenue by ...

Trump, McCormick and Jamie Dimon unveil a massive manufacturing push in PA

Jamie Dimon sat on the stage with President Donald Trump, Sen. David McCormick (R-Pa.), Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and investors. The CEO of JPMorgan Chase looked out at an auditorium filled with more than 1,500 people attending the inaugural Defense and Innovation Summit. “God knows this is how you guys have ignited the American dream, and you’ve ignited security and resiliency,” Dimon said to Trump. Dimon’s unvarnished assessment is that of a man who understands that national strength is found in places like Pennsylvania, where laborers, ...

Dear Annie: The power of being a present parent

Dear Annie: I am a working mother of two young children, and lately the guilt is eating me alive. I love my job. I worked hard to get where I am. But every morning when I leave the house, my 4-year-old asks why I have to go again, and my heart sinks. My husband is supportive. We have good childcare. Still, I feel like I am missing the little moments. The slow breakfasts. The preschool pickup stories. The random hugs in the middle of the day. By the time I get home, I am often tired and still checking messages on my phone. Last week, my daughter drew a picture of our family. My ...

Pelvic floor dysfunction persists in man without much relief

DEAR DR. ROACH: My son was diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) by a urologist. He went to another doctor who never found anything conclusive. My son has complained of stinging and burning in his urethra, as well as an uncomfortable feeling when trying to sit. He’s on his feet most of the time. He quit his job because of the problems that he encountered with this condition. He’s had two MRIs, a cystoscopy and an ultrasound. The problem persists. He uses a hot tub, which offers some relief but not much. According to his current doctor, the tests are inconclusive without a ...