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Ask Questions. Get Answers. Ask the Professionals E-mail your questions to: features@independentfreepress.com Ask The Professionals SUSAN S. POWELL BARRISTER & SOLICITOR FAMILY LAW 350 Rutherford Rd. South, Suite 320 BRAMPTON, ON L6W 3M2 905-455-6677 Q:My wife and I are separating. We have agreed the children will live with her and that I will pay child support to her. We have agreed about everything else but she says we should still see a lawyer. I dont want to spend the money. If we have agreed to every- thing, do we still have to see a lawyer? A:Yes. You should each see your own lawyer. Your own lawyer will talk to you about the issues you and your wife have agreed upon. They may then give you advice about issues that you did not consider. They will help you to ensure you and your wife cover all the issues and make sure you understand what you are each agreeing to with each other. They can prepare a Separation Agreement which sets out your agreement in writing and you can refer to in the future in case you forget some of the terms. Susan S. Powell Marta Masley B.Sc.(PT), M.C.P.A. GEORGETOWN PHYSICAL AND SPORTS THERAPY CLINIC (905) 877-8668 83 Mill St., Suite B Georgetown, Ont. L7G 5E9 Q:I was playing soccer when another player knocked into me. As a result,my body twisted to the right, while my right foot remained planted. I felt immediate pain to the inside of my right knee, as well as, hearing a clunk. There was swelling and occasionally I felt my knee lock. My doctor has told me that I probably have a tear to my medial meniscus. What is this? A:The medial and lateral menisci are crescent-shaped pieces of fibrocarti-lage that lie on the top portion of the shin bone (tibia), where the tibia articulates with the thigh bone (femur). They act like shock absorbers and allow for a congniency between the two ones (fill in the gap). Frequently, a twisting injury such as yours, will cause injury to the medial meniscus (the one closer to the inside of the knee). Depending on the extent of injury, this may result in any- thing from a mild sprain to a tear of the meniscus. If the portion torn becomes dislodged, it can get caught between the tibia and femur. This can cause the locking that you are experiencing. Tears along the outside edge of the meniscus usually heal well because there is a fairly good blood supply to these areas. However, tears toward the inside of the meniscus are poorly supplied by the blood, subsequently resulting in poor healing. Depending on how disabling your injury is, you may require surgery. An Orthopedic surgeon will ultimately make that decision. Regardless, you will need to keep your knee and entire lower extremity, strong. A physiothera- pist can advise you regarding the correct exercises. If you do undergo surgery, be sure to see a physiotherapist afterwards in order to help you quickly regain your range of motion and function. Joy Thornton, B.Sc.Phm. Pharmacist/Owner FREE PRESCRIPTION DELIVERY Open until Midnight 7 days a week Georgetown Marketplace 905-877-2291 Lets TalkTM Q:I recently had a bunch of blood tests done and my doctor says I am at riskof developing diabetes. How does he know this and what can I do to try and prevent diabetes? A:Your blood tests may have revealed that you have Impaired GlucoseTolerance (IGT). This means your blood sugar levels were higher than aver- age but not as high as those of people with diabetes. Some people with IGT will go on to develop type 2 diabetes, others can bring their blood sugar levels back to normal with simple lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes that can help include: 1. Modifying your diet. Increase your daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce your fat and sugar intake. Follow Canadas Food Guide to improve your diet. 2. Quitting smoking. Diabetes and smoking both increase the chance of heart disease. 3. Getting active. Work towards getting 60 minutes of physical activity each day. 4. Controlling other medical conditions. High cholesterol and high blood pressure are risk factors for developing diabetes. Take your medication as prescribed to help keep these conditions under control. 5. Maintaining or reaching a healthy weight. Being at a healthy weight reduces your risk of developing many conditions that are associated with obesity. These include diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Do you need more information? Come talk to your Healthwatch Pharmacist. Were here to help. Cyndi Olsen Education Co-ordinator 324 Guelph Street., Georgetown 905-877-3163 Five Tips to Understanding the Report Card The end-of-year report card is a pivotal time for families. Its a time of transition as students complete one grade and ready themselves to begin a new grade in the fall. Its also a time of stress. For parents, poor grades are a source of worryis their child facing an educational roadblock that could put their dreams for the future on hold? These five tips can help your family keep any report card stress under control 1. Cut to the Chase. Make sense of what the report card is really telling you. Read the comments written by the teacher. These comments give a better indication of your childs per- formance. 2. Attend the Parent-Teacher Conference. If less-than stellar grades have you worried that your childs opportunities for the future may be slipping away, meeting and speaking with the teacher can help. The teacher has spent hours every day observing your child in the classroom. Often, they can paint a better picture of where your child is headed academically. 3. Put it in context. Some school years are more challenging than others. Certain grades are transition years, such as the first year of high school or the shift from early to middle school. Transitions are challenging to all students, regardless of their academic abilities. 4. Go to the Source. If your childs report card contains some surprises, ask the one person who would know best: your child. But before you do, take some time to read the report card by yourself. Identify the subjects that are the biggest concern and address those concerns when you sit down together and go over the report card. Remember to remain calmyou and your child are allies in education, not enemies. Be sure to praise your child for the positives on the report card. 5. Take Action NOW. A poor report card can be a serious roadblock to opportunities for the future, but it doesnt have to be. Just because school is out doesnt mean that parents have to wait until the next school year begins to get their chil- dren back on track. The report card is a red flag. If parents dont act now, the urgency of that report card will be forgot- ten and there will be no progress made. For more information or related articles please visit our website @ www.oxfordlearning.com DR. ANOOP SAYAL DR. ANOOP SAYAL Family and Cosmetic Dentistry located in Georgetown Marketplace Mall (905) 877-CARE (2273) Q:How does tobacco affect my dental health? A:Youve heard it all before. Tobacco use in any form isunhealthy. It weakens your lungs, your circulation and other systems in your body. It is estimated that every cigarette shortens the smokers life by fourteen minutes. Nicotine is also harmful to your teeth and gums. Nicotine stains on the teeth are a minor problem. The irritation from cigarettes, chewing tobacco or snuff can be a major prob- lem. Your gums resistance to infections and bacteria is low- ered because of a diminished blood supply. Nicotine, from any source, causes a narrowing of the blood vessels within the tissues of the mouth. To make a bad situation worse, smokers are not only statistically more likely to develop gum disease, but they usually have it worse than non-smokers. Even more serious, though, is the fact that oral cancer is quite common among smokers. A tumor may form inside the mouth, usually the tongue, and potentially spread to other parts of the body. Whether you smoke or not, regular dental visits are a must for long-term dental health. The staff at SILVER CREEKSILVER CREE PUBLIUBL C SCHOOLC SCHOO would like to thank our school and business communities for supporting us in so many ways this year. Your generous support has enhanced student learning for all of our children. Erin Heights Golf Course Dundas St. W. in the VILLAGE OF ERIN (519) 833-9702 Scenic Challenging 9 Hole Course Long Weekend Special 2 fore 1 Friday, June 27/08Monday, July 1/08Green Fees Call for starting times Just 20 minutes north of Brampton 18 Independent & Free Press, Wednesday, June 25, 2008 Community Calendar Continued from pg. 15 Tuesday, July 1 Canada Day Canada Day in the Glen: Spend Canada Day in Glen Williams for the annual fun family event hosted by the villagers of Glen Williams, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parade, games, and more. Canada Day Pancake Breakfast: hosted by the Glen Williams Minor Baseball Association at the front ball diamond in Glen Williams Park, 8-11 a.m. Info: Angie, 905-877-0005. Canada Day food tent: Visit the Georgetown Rotary Clubs food tent at Canada Day in the Glen. Proceeds to the Georgetown Bread Basket. Chicken barbecue and fireworks: Cap off Canada Day cele- brations in the Glen with a chicken barbecue and fireworks at St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church, 537 Main St., Glen Williams. Chicken dinner at 6:30 p.m.; fireworks at dusk. Barbecue tickets at the church office, 905-877-8323. Free will donation for fireworks. Canada Day Concert in the Park: hosted by the Acton BIA in Prospect Park, 6-9 p.m.; local talent performs. After the con- cert, stay for the fireworks display, starting at dusk, put on by the Acton Fire Fighters Association.