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Dear Dr. Roach: Since January, I have had gout in my right big toe five times. I was given methylprednisolone (four-mg dose packs) five times.

CHICAGO — Molly Halper never dreamed she’d consume her baby’s placenta, an organ that serves as a link between mother and fetus and is usually discarded after birth.

Dear Dr. Roach: Why has the physical exam all but disappeared from a doctor’s visit? When I go to a doctor, I am lucky to have my lungs and heart listened to with a stethoscope.

Dear Dr. Roach: My husband was hospitalized with congestive heart failure. He returned home, grew weaker, and after three days was diagnosed with severe dehydration and passed away the following day.

Dear Dr. Roach: What is your opinion on colonoscopy? I last had one three years ago and there were no problems. I am approaching 87 years and am enjoying good health. I have heard pros and cons of colonoscopy at my age. A.L.

Dear Dr. Roach: Dad is 84, and has been retired almost 25 years. He does little physical activity because of his gout and arthritis. He buys 60 pounds of unsalted, in-shell peanuts every two months. This means he consumes about a pound a day.

Dear Dr. Roach: I am 58 and have been diagnosed with granuloma annulare, which I’ve had for more than a year and a half. I have both rings (that start small, like a cigarette burn, and then get larger) and spots, which look like birthmarks.

Danielle Braff Chicago Tribune A day at the beach doesn’t have to be totally lazy — beaches provide a great fitness opportunity: The sand and water provide fantastic natural resistance for a cardio and strength workout.

Dear Dr. Roach: My question concerns my husband. We have argued several times about his drinking habits, so I have decided to enlist your help in determining if I am making a mountain out of a molehill or not.

Dear Dr. Roach: I have a family member who thinks infants and older kids, like my six-year-old son, don’t have bones but only cartilage. Can you explain about bones and cartilage, as well as anything else that has to do with bones growing? M.P.