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Man is monitored for encephalitis after several seizures

DEAR DR. ROACH: My 28-year-old son is in the hospital. He hasn’t been acting like himself for a few weeks (not sleeping nor eating well), and he suddenly had four seizures. The doctors are worried about a condition called autoimmune encephalitis. What can you tell me about it? — J.M. ANSWER: Encephalitis means inflammation of the brain, which is a rare condition. It can be caused by infections (especially viruses) or autoimmune reactions, including antibody-mediated encephalitis. There are only 2,000 cases per year of antibody-mediated encephalitis in the United States. Several ...

Facts about Alex Pretti’s death are undeniable. The White House is denying them anyway

The killing of Alex Pretti was unjust and unjustified. While protesting — aka “observing” or “interfering with” — deportation operations, the VA hospital ICU nurse came to the aid of two protesters, one of whom had been slammed to the ground by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent. With a phone in one hand, Pretti used the other hand, in vain, to protect his eyes while being pepper sprayed. Knocked to the ground, Pretti was repeatedly smashed in the face with the spray can, pummeled by multiple agents, disarmed of his holstered legal firearm and then shot nine or 10 ...

Is Osama Bin Laden getting his wish — bankrupting America?

Before our failure to prevent 9/11, which led to wars in Iraq and America’s longest war ever in Afghanistan, America was able to pay its bills. We had a balanced budget, thanks to former President Bill Clinton and a Republican Congress. So, I ask, is Osama bin Laden actually winning today in his quest to bankrupt America? Here is a fact: We have had to borrow money to pay the nation’s bills for the entire 21 st Century. When we cannot pay our bills, this means we are in a financial crisis, no matter how you sugarcoat it. For 25 years our politicians, both Democrats and ...

When love defies logic

Dear Annie: I’ve always been someone who struggles between my head and my heart. I see things that I want so badly and my heart aches for them, but I know better when those things don’t mesh well with my life. Like denying my favorite piece of chocolate cake because it’s bad for my diet. Normally, this is one of my best traits. I was very good at buckling down in school and work throughout my life, and when all of my friends wanted to go out to a party, I was always the one to stay in and study. Except now I’m feeling a crushing sense of unhappiness because I’m in love with ...

Woman’s esophagus gets completely removed due to reflux

DEAR DR. ROACH: For years, my 80-year-old aunt has been suffering from profound reflux problems that result in vomiting. Her esophagus was surgically detached from her stomach for over a year. Now that it is reattached, she undergoes “stretching” of her esophagus to curb reflux and vomiting. She has some short-lived improvement so far. I struggle to understand how such a severe condition occurs and what the prognosis can be. Would you explain? — J.H. ANSWER: If you’re really saying what I think you’re saying, I am very surprised. A diverting esophagostomy is a procedure ...

The wrong narrative

If you follow what presents itself as “reporting” these days you have likely heard about a 5-year-old boy in Minneapolis who was used as “bait” to get his father, who had abandoned him, to return so he could be arrested. Some claimed the child had been “kidnapped” by ICE. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) rushed to the cameras to promote the “bait” and “kidnapped” narrative. Hillary Clinton said ICE was using children as “pawns” and Kamala Harris also repeated the “bait” label. The women on “The View” echoed the same theme. Their talking points were wrong. ...