Dear Abby: Time to screen for 'silent killer' - kidney disease

- Jeff Carter, Buffalo, N.Y.

DEAR JEFF: I'm glad you wrote. Readers, it's important to be checked, because millions of people with diabetes, hypertension and other diseases do not realize they're at risk for developing kidney disease. Could this include you or someone you love?

DEAR ABBY: I married into a shopaholic family. My biggest problem is my mother-in-law. I think she has an addiction. She has stolen from me the joy of buying baby clothes for my children. Although my husband himself struggles with buying and collecting stuff, he agrees with me that less is better for our family. I would like to keep things simple, but it's impossible with my in-laws.

- Overloaded in Minnesota

DEAR OVERLOADED: People make purchases beyond that which is needed for various reasons. Sometimes it's an attempt to buy love, or to ease anxiety or depression. If you don't draw the line and make your wishes clear, your mother-in-law will not stop what she's doing. Explain that you are grateful for her generosity, but your house is full and therefore one or two gifts per child is all you will accept. Period.