My son is gay

My son is gay

 I recently discovered that my 22- year -old son, a very brilliant graduate  is a homosexual. Instead of having girlfriends, he goes about with ‘boyfriends.’ My husband and I are seriously distressed by this discovery. He has refused to change despite our pleas. Kindly advise.

— Modupe  (by SMS)

Answer: You will need to enlist the assistance of an expert, such as a clinical Psychologist to see what can be done. However, if all attempts to dissuade him from his current sexual preference fails, you may have to leave him alone and support him with your prayers. In order to get over this rather painful discovery, you and your husband should find someone to talk to such as a trusted friend, relative, co-worker, or even a casual acquaintance. These trustworthy confidants can help both of you to soothe your sadness, and worries.  

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Frequent stomach upsets

In the last couple of weeks, I have been having problems with my stomach. Any time I eat anything, I will have to visit the toilet to pass some undigested food. Kindly help me. I am a 40-year-old Civil Servant.

— Prince (by SMS)

Answer:  There are many possible causes of stomach upset, such as indigestion, stress, anxiety, allergies as well as drug reactions. Fortunately, many cases of stomach upset only causes temporary discomfort before resolving without treatment. However, in some cases, the symptom can be a sign of an underlying health issue. If despite all your efforts to maintain good eating habits the problem persists, you will need to see a doctor who will order for appropriate tests to confirm the diagnosis and treatment of your ailment.

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I have chronic pain in my foot

I am a 42 -year- old mother of two. I have been having severe burning pains in my left foot for the past six months. I have used a lot of pain killers without any respite. Kindly advise me on what to do.

— Ibukun (by SMS)

Answer: Long standing cases of feet pain can be caused by affectations of the bones, ligaments and tissues of the feet. Apart from fractures, some of which may be need x rays to confirm, torn ligaments or inflammations of these tissues may also be responsible for your problem. Inflammation can cause sharp, stabbing  pains in your heel or in the bottom of your foot. A visit to your doctor for appropriate Laboratory and Radiological tests will certainly be helpful.

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Ivermectin and Covid-19

I have been following the news about the drug; ‘Ivermectin’ which has been touted as the ‘wonder drug’ for the treatment of Covid- 19. Kindly let me know if this is true?

— Nnamdi (by SMS)

Answer: Judging from recent scientific findings, Ivermectin has been found useful in the early treatment of Covid 19. However, since the drug is yet to be confirmed by many countries as specific for Covid treatment, it must be used under strict medical supervision.

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Is sex safe during pregnancy ?

As a recently married young woman, I was thrilled when I discovered that I was pregnant, however, I am worried that my husband is requesting for sex even though I am just 2 months pregnant.  Is sex at this early stage of pregnancy safe? Kindly advise me as I don’t want to lose the pregnancy.

— Salamatu  (by SMS)

Answer: As long sex is practiced in a non –aggressive way, and not carried out when the pregnancy is threatened or unstable, it is not a threat to pregnancy in any way.  As the pregnancy progresses, both of you will need to establish a convenient method for sex in view of your protruding abdomen