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Poole Heart Support Group magazine for Summer 2009
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here to helpAffiliated to the British Heart Foundation and
Arrhythmia Alliance - The Heart Rhythm Charity
£2Free to
members
MagazineSummer 2009
Page 2
POOLE HEART SUPPORT GROUPHead Office: Poole Community Health Centre
Shaftesbury Road, Poole BH15 2NT
Telephone: 01202 683363 ext. 133 (9am-4pm answerphone)
Telephone manned Mondays and Thursdays: 1.30-3.30pm
Web site address: www.poolehsg.org.uk
PRESIDENT Dr. A.A MCLEOD
V. PRESIDENTS: ROBERT PAYNE, MAGGIE RICHARDSON,
JIM WAINE (01202 871532) GEOFFREY WALKER, DIANE BRUCE.
PHSG COMMITTEEKEITH MATTHEWS Chairman [email protected]. 01202 855001
DAVID ANDERSON Secretary [email protected] 697376
RITA HOLMES Treasurer [email protected]. 01202 743960
ROBIN PRINGLE Exercise Coordinator [email protected]. 01202 884250
ALAN BRISTOW Magazine Editor/Liaison [email protected]. 01202 694886
GARY LEE Social Secretary [email protected]. 01202 722814
JAN MESHER Office [email protected]. 01202 250108
PAM BAILEY BHF Rep. 01202 574944
DON BAILEY Member 01202 574944
GEORGE WILKINSON Member 01202 740374
GERRY WRIGHT Purbeck Member [email protected]. 01929 421864
VACANCY Want your name here? Please see a committee member!
If you know a member who is ill, please tell us by contacting Mavis Terry,
Welfare Support, on 01202 874760 or [email protected]
OTHER CONTACTSMAX SMITH Website [email protected] 01202 676601
DEREK POPE Computer Club/Data base [email protected] 01202 889070
DAVID LLOYD Publicity [email protected] 01202 697179
GEORGE O’LEARY PHSG shirts [email protected] 01202 743978
CYRIL MARTIN Walking Group 01202 733956
Please send magazine articles to Alan Bristow, 60 West Way, Broadstone BH18 9LS
[email protected] Tel. 01202 694886
Magazines are published 1st March, 1st June, 1st September and 1st December.
Last date for articles to Editor is 10th day of month before publication.
Dates for your Diary - Meetings and Social Events - Please see page 19
Page 3
Chairman’s Letter
Hello, I am your new Chairman and I am pleased to have been elected to
that post at the recent AGM, with the full support of our founder, Jim Waine,
and all the committee.
I still tend to think of myself as one of the new members, but I realise I’ve
been active in PHSG for nearly five years ! I’ve had a few stays in hospital
back then and have direct experience of both Bournemouth and the Poole
CCU and the rehab programmes of both hospitals. I exercise at Canford,
organise the Cycling Group and drop into the Computer Club from time to
time. You’ll generally find me at the monthly Thursday talks too. I’ll try to
drop into some other groups if time permits. That may have to wait until I
retire in September !
I’m looking forward to helping PHSG continue its good work. See you around !
Keith Matthews
Cardiology News from Poole
Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Page 4
Picture: www.bellawest.co.uk
Lightenpic
Dear Friends,
It’s good to have the opportunity to update you all again
and against the back drop of spring which is always a
good time of year and holds so much promise of
hopefully a lovely summer ahead.
We are about to put on an additional 3rd pacemaker
insertion list per week to meet the demands of the
service since we commenced last year which is
excellent and will of course reduce waiting lists. Also
we have had no pacemaker infections due to insertion
over the period, and we use a mild sedation during the procedure to help the patient
relax which is innovatory and has proved a great success.
We have also as part of the cardiac rehabilitation service worked in partnership with
the British Red Cross through one of our quality service group members, Dr Isobel
Smart, who is President of Dorset Red Cross, to run first aid courses for family and
friends of cardiac patients. The course has proved a great success and members of
the Heart Support Group came to the launch course and more are planned.
With regard to our bid to become a Practice Development Unit for Cardiology and
Medicine with the University of Bournemouth, we had our final health check before
going for accreditation on the 29th April. The university representative came to see
our service and projects from the staff and to look to see if we were ready. She was
extremely impressed and had nothing but positive comments. Alan Bristow also
met her over coffee, to talk about the Quality Service Group and she was delighted
with our public/patient involvement - Alan did a great job of selling us! Hopefully we
can now go for full accreditation at the end of June, which will recognise us as a
centre of excellence. I will keep you all informed of progress, it will be a real feather
in our cap and key to this has been the strong links we have with all of you through
our Quality Service Group which I know will now continue to go from strength to
strength.
It has been really good to have members of the Quality Service Group accompany
me on Matron’s rounds. It has set a clear sign to patients and relatives that we do
listen to them and take action. I have really enjoyed showing every one around and
the staff also have appreciated the involvement too. I am immensely proud of the
service and staff and therefore its good to let people see what we do. One of the key
comments made by the members of the group as they visited the wards was how
clean they were. I have passed this on to the cleaning managers and also the staff
themselves, as all care is a team effort.
I look forward to speaking to you all again soon and giving you a lecture in November,
until then have a healthy and happy summer.
Matron Geoffrey Walker, Cardiology and MedicineMatron Geoffrey Walker, Cardiology and MedicineMatron Geoffrey Walker, Cardiology and MedicineMatron Geoffrey Walker, Cardiology and MedicineMatron Geoffrey Walker, Cardiology and Medicine
Page 5
Heart News with Dr. Christopher Boos
Dear All
I am delighted to say that we started our
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) Service on
the 12 March 2009. This is a unique, once weekly,
service that is unavailable in most hospitals across the
UK. So what is CPET ? Well, it is now the ‘gold standard’
objective tool for the evaluation of cardiopulmonary
function and fitness. It is an entirely non-invasive and
objective method of assessing integrative exercise
responses involving the pulmonary, cardiovascular and skeletal muscle
systems, which are not adequately reflected through the measurement of
individual organ system function, such as
with an echocardiogram and cardiac MRI
or with routine treadmill testing. At Poole we
have acquired a ‘state of the art system’.
What does this test involve you might well
ask? After taking a brief history, patients will
undergo measurement of their height,
weight and body mass index. This followed
by baseline spirometry to assess for any
resting breathing limitation. Patients are
then exercised on either the bicycle or
treadmill. During exercise patients will have
either a mouthpiece or face mask fitted
(which directly measures gas exchange)
connected to the metabolic cart and gas analyser (see image). An enormous
number of measurements are assessed and include continuous 12 lead
ECG analysis, blood pressure, heart rate, breathing reserve, oxygen
consumption and saturations etc. A typical protocol will consist of at least 1
minute of resting assessment (ECG and simultaneous gas analysis) followed
by 1-3 minutes of electronically unbraked bicycling or gentle treadmill
assessment followed then by full exercise (typically 5-11 minutes) specifically
tailored for the patients capabilities. The entire test from arrival to full
completion takes 30-40 minutes with an immediately available report. The
uses for CPET are numerous and include, objective pre-operative risk and
disability assessment, investigation of breathlessness, diagnosis of coronary
artery disease and heart failure risk stratification to name just a few. I look
forward to leading the expansion of this really exciting and new service.
Page 6
Exercise News
SPOTLIGHT ON..................Images
I have been asked to write a bit about myself and the fitness groups I teach
at Images Gym. I took over the circuit classes from Lesley over six years
ago, although it really doesn’t feel that long. Over that time I have seen
many faces come and go but what has never changed is the happy and
supportive attitude of the exercisers!
I teach about 25 fitness classes a week, two of which are for the Heart
Support Group, and they are definitely two of my favourites.
When I sat and considered what I do in my spare time, I realised that fitness
seems to account for nearly all of it. I run my own Pilates business which,
despite the economic climate, is busier than ever. Much of how we all
communicate these days is carried out by text messaging and e-mails so I
never really feel that I am ‘out of the office’. I also realised that I absolutely
love my career, which is both rewarding and fun.
My two children are now teenagers, the elder of whom is hoping to become
a doctor and has just started volunteer work at Poole Hospital.
I asked everyone at Images if they had anything they wished to say about
themselves for the article but they are a shy bunch. I did threaten to make
things up about them but they are fit as well so I decided not to!!
The exercise times at Images Gym on Parr Street, Ashley Cross are:
Wednesday 11-12pm and Friday 11-12pm, and we look forward to meeting
any one wishing to join us.
Paula Trowbridge
(www.poolebaypilates.co.uk)
Does your garden look a little tired?
Can’t manage your garden like you used to?
General Garden Maintenance
at reasonable rates
Susan Arnold — 01202 399529
Page 7
The Practice Development Unit (PDU) Quality Service Group
PHSG has a voice on the group representing Heart Support Group members.
This exciting group, under the very capable chairmanship of Geoffrey Walker,
Matron Cardiology and Medicine, really gets things done! Positive changes
are made to hospital procedures, as a result of patient feedback given to
PHSG patient representatives. All PHSG members can feed back information
to Poole Hospital in complete confidence about their treatment. So if you
want to say anything good or bad about your experience in Poole Cardiac
Unit, or its related departments, please forward your comments. You can
comment by e-mail, letter, telephone, or via the web-site. All information will
be treated in confidence. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Alan Bristow e-mail [email protected].
Jim Waine e-mail [email protected].
5K Healthlink Walk –
Sunday 5th April.
This year another beautiful day
and another 45 keen members
descended upon Bournemouth
beach ready to complete the 5k
walk. The route took us from
Bournemouth Pier to just past
Boscombe Pier and back. John
Jones was again our first finisher,
beating his previous time by 1
minute. Well done John! Everyone
made it over the finish line safely
within the hour – so well done to
all! This year we have raised £420
in sponsorship money for The
British Heart Foundation. Many,
many thanks to all those who
kindly donated.
Roll on next year!
Jenni Sweetlove (instructor)
Page 8
Promoting better understanding, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for
individuals suffering with cardiac arrhythmia
Arrhythmia Alliance (A-A), The Heart Rhythm Charity, is a coalition of
patients, carers, patient groups, independent medical professionals,
medical groups, charitable organisations and allied professionals.
Whilst maintaining their independence, members work together under the
A-A umbrella to promote better understanding, diagnosis, treatment and
quality of life for individuals with cardiac arrhythmias.
We at Arrhythmia Alliance, are delighted to have Poole Heart Support
Group as an affiliated patient group, and are pleased to offer the following
opportunities to all members:
T Involvement in relevant projects and campaigns
T Involvement in the annual Arrhythmia Awareness Week and Heart
Rhythm Congress
T Free membership and medically endorsed literature
T Opportunity to advertise events, conferences and meetings on Arrhyth-
mia Alliance website and e-bulletins
T Links and contacts with other organisations
T Arrhythmia Alliance representation at events/meetings
T Funding advice and activity ideas
Heart Rhythm Congress 2008In October 2008, Arrhythmia Alliance and HRUK held the third annual
Heart Rhythm Congress at The
Hilton Birmingham Metropole
Hotel – the largest event of its
kind in the UK.
Over 2,600 delegates attended
HRC, an event which brought
together all those with an interest
in arrhythmias including medical
and allied professionals, cardiac
networks, patient groups and
industry.
P O Box 3697
Stratford Upon Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 8YL
T: +44 (0) 1789 450787
F: +44 (0) 1789 450682
Page 9
The Patients’ Day provided an unprecedented opportunity for patients and
carers to meet and liaise directly with medical professionals, to pose
relevant questions and gain a greater insight into developing technologies
and techniques regarding their condition; information which is not other-
wise readily available or accessible.
Heart Rhythm Congress 2009Building on the last year’s success, the following ses-
sions are planned for HRC 2009:
Sunday 18th October – Patients’ Day
Arrhythmia Alliance T Atrial Fibrillation Association T
STARS
In addition to these patient group meetings, there will
also be the HRUK Certificate of Accreditation Course -
Core Section.
Monday 19th October
HRUK Certificate of Accreditation Course T Devices T Oral Abstracts T
Syncope T Advanced Devices T Hands-on Devices T AFA Science T
Moderated Posters
Tuesday 20th October
Basic Sciences T Young Research Worker Prize T Advanced EP T
Arrhythmia Surgery T Allied Professionals T Paediatric EP T Heart
Improvement Programme T Genetics T Primary Care Day
Wednesday 21st October
Cases & Traces T Advanced EP T HRUK Certificate of Accreditation
Course - EP T Advanced Devices T Oral Abstracts
To register and get full details please visit:
www.heartrhythmcongress.com or contact Ben on 01789 450787.
“Feel the Beat to Beat the Stroke”Over one million people in the UK have been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation(AF) – the most common of all arrhythmias and directly responsible for atleast 12,000 strokes in the UK per annum.Appropriate and correctly monitored anticoagulation with Warfarin can reducethe risk of stroke by 64% in those at high risk. Yet evidence suggests that AFis often left undetected and that at least 20% of patients, who should beanticoagulated with Warfarin, are not. Detection of AF is simple andinexpensive – feel the pulse, is it ticking like a clock? If not, visit your Doc!So, we need your help! Atrial Fibrillation Association is joining with ArrhythmiaAlliance to support Arrhythmia Awareness Week (8th June-14th June 2009).Please join the campaign to make people more ‘pulse aware’, and ultimatelysave unnecessary suffering.‘Pass on a Pack’, ‘Leave a Leaflet’ or ‘Present a Poster’Contact Jo at [email protected] or call 01789 451837, to orderfree awareness materials.
Page 10
Biventricular pacemakersThe heart consists of four chambers. The top two chambers are called atria
and the bottom pumping chambers are the ventricles. Normally, the ventricles
pump together in a synchronised manner. However, when a person develops
heart failure, a condition where the muscle of the heart is damaged or
diseased and does not work efficiently, this synchronisation may deteriorate,
leading to an unsynchronised pumping action.
Heart failure can lead to many symptoms, including shortness of breath and
lethargy. Most people with heart failure will be taking medication to treat
their heart failure but some people can be limited by their symptoms, despite
taking regular medication.
A biventricular pacemaker is designed to assist medication in improving
symptoms by synchronising the bottom chambers of the heart to pump
together.
A biventricular pacemaker is a specialised kind of pacemaker. Conventionally
pacemakers can have one or two leads, which are placed in the top and
bottom right hand chambers of the heart. A biventricular pacemaker has an
additional lead positioned behind the left hand chamber of the heart. By
stimulating both the bottom chambers all the time the heart pumps in a more
synchronised and efficient manner.
This treatment is also known as cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT-P)
and has been shown to improve symptoms of heart failure and a person’s
quality of life.
Page 11
NICE, the national institute of clinical excellence, provides guidance based
on available evidence to help the NHS decide who should have a biventricular
pacemaker.
NICE guidelines (2007) recommend CRT-P as a treatment option for patients
with heart failure who fulfil a strict criteria
Following the insertion of a biventricular pacemaker, patients should be able
to return to their normal activities after a short convalescence period. During
the initial month such things as swimming and golf should be avoided, but
following this, the pacemaker should not prevent the patient from undertaking
physical activity or travelling normally.
Driving can be recommenced after one week of the fitting under DVLA
guidelines and the DVLA and your insurance company need to be informed.
After having a biventricular pacemaker fitted, regular follow up
appointments with cardiac physiologists occur. During these appointments
a programmer is held over the site of the device. This allows the
physiologist to assess the settings and measure the battery life. Batteries
are never allowed to run down completely! The battery life is normally
approximately 5 years. All patients are given a pacemaker ID card which
they should always carry with them at all times.
At Bournemouth Hospital, all patients who have a biventricular pacemaker
fitted meet an arrhythmia nurse specialist who can supply support and
information.
Sharon Cassidy
Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist
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For more information and rates call;
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Special offers available -
please quote ref: HM08
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Page 12
Computer ClubComputers . . . Childs Play !
The computer club meets each month in Seminar Room 1 of the
Postgraduate
Centre at Poole Hospital. Meetings run from 7:15 pm to 9:00 pm and are
normally on the second Tuesday of each month.
The remaining meetings for 2009 are on June 9th, July 14th, August 11th,
September 8th, October 13th, November 10th and December 8th.
Most meetings start with a discussion of problems but we are also
interested in looking at software we haven’t used before, and picking up
tips and techniques for making life easier.
We have thirty people on the membership list, but no more than a handful
have turned up to meetings since the club restarted.
Do come along to join us, we are a friendly bunch and always ready to
welcome new members. If you
have a laptop machine of your
own, please
feel free to bring it with you.
Laptops Wanted
We have seven old laptops
available for computer club
meetings, though
one of those will only run
Windows 95. If anyone has an
old laptop machine they are no
longer using, we would be very
happy to take it from you.
Obviously working machines
would be preferred, but we can
always try
Page 13
DEREK HITCHINGS – BUILDER88 Puddletown Crescent, Canford Heath, Poole, BH17 8AN
Tel: (01202) 250108 Mobile: 07763200452
Carpentry, Plastering, Plumbing, Tiling, Decorating.
All general building work.
Free estimates given for all sized jobs.
The JackarooA Queensland jackaroo is overseeing his herd in remote territory when suddenly abrand-new BMW advances out of a dust cloud towards him. The driver, a youngman in a designer suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leans outthe window and asks the cowboy, ‘If I tell you exactly how many cows and calvesyou have in your herd, will you give me a calf?’The jackaroo looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefullygrazing herd and calmly answers, ‘Sure, why not?’The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to hisRAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls upa GPS satellite navigation system to get an exact fix on his location which he thenfeeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it toan image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany.Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has beenprocessed and the data stored. He then accesses a MS-SQL database through anODBC connected Excel Spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a fewminutes, receives a response. Finally, he prints out a full-colour, 150-page reporton his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy andsays, ‘You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves.’‘That’s right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves,’ says the Jackaroo.He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as theyoung man stuffs it into the trunk of his car. Then the Jackaroo says to the youngman, ‘Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back mycalf? The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, ‘Okay why not?’‘You work for the Australian Government’, says the Jackaroo. ‘Wow! That’s correct,’ says the yuppie, ‘but how did you guess that?’ ‘No guessing required.’ answered the jackaroo. ‘You showed up here even thoughnobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a questionI never asked. You used all kinds of expensive equipment that clearly somebodyelse paid for, You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you
don’t know a thing about cows, this is a herd of sheep. Now give me back my dog.
Page 14
HOW TO FORWARD AN E-MAIL CORRECTLYDo you really know how to forward emails correctly? 50% of people do, but
50% do not!
Do you ever wonder why you get viruses or junk mail?
When you forward an email, if you don’t delete unwanted names and
addresses left over from people who got the message before you, the list of
previous names and addresses grows.
All it takes is for one computer in the chain to have a virus and that computer
can send the virus to every other email address. Or someone can take all
those names and addresses and sell them to people on the make, or send
junk mail to them in the hope that you will go to the site and they will make
some money.
So how do you stop these things happening? Well, there are several easy
ways and all it takes is a little effort, rather than be lazy and do nothing!
(1) When you forward an email, DELETE all of the other addresses that
appear in the body of the message. That’s right, DELETE them! There
are several ways you can do this, it’s up to you which one you chose.
Highlight them and delete them, or backspace them, or cut them,
whatever you find easier to do. It only takes a second.
You MUST click the ‘Forward’ button first. Then you will be able to
fully edit the message. If you don’t click on ‘Forward’ first, you won’t
be able to edit the message.
(2) Whenever you send an email to more than one person, do NOT
use the To: or cc:fields for adding email addresses. Always use the
BCC: (Blind carbon copy) field for listing the email addresses. By
doing this, the people you send to will only see their own email
address. If you don’t see your BCC: option, click on where it says
To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and
choose BCC: and that’s it. When you send to BCC: the message
will automatically say ‘Undisclosed Recipients’ in the’‘To:’ field of
the people who receive it.
(3) Remove any ‘Fw:’ in the subject line. You can re-name the subject if
you wish or even change the spelling.
(4) ALWAYS hit your ‘Forward’ button from the actual email you are
reading. Ever get those emails where you have to open 10 pages to
read the one page that you want?
Page 15
Do you have computer problems?
We can resolve your problems for you. Are you unsure what you are
doing, do you need assistance, a helping hand or training? We can assist
with home PC security, internet connection problems, advice and
installation of Broadband, PC networks and supply and/or installation of
secure wireless networks in your house. We undertake virus, spyware
and ad-ware removal and can supply or install security programs to make
your PC safe. Is your old PC slow, is it worth upgrading? We provide
impartial advice and can perform upgrades or help with any new PC
purchase and accessory quotes. We supply new PCs, install, configure
your system and can transfer your existing data. Why not give us a call!
Contact Efficiency Solutions — Jeff on 01202 741881
By forwarding from the actual page that you wish someone to see,
you stop them having to open many emails just to see what you have
sent.
(5) Have you ever received an email that is a petition? It asks you to add
your name and address and forward it to a number of people, orsometimes your entire address book. The email can beforwarded many times and can collect thousands of namesand email addresses. The completed petition is worth moneyto a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid namesand email addresses. If you want to support the petition, sendit as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Youreffort may carry more weight as a personal letter than on alaundry list of names and email addresses on a petition. Anddon’t believe the ones that claim that the email is being traced,it just ain’t so.
(6) Before you forward an ‘Amber Alert’ or ‘Virus Alert’ or some of the
other ones floating around these days, check them out before
forwarding. Most of them are junk mail that’s been circulating the
internet for years! Just about everything you receive in an
email can be checked out at http://www.snopes.com/
It’s so easy to find out if it’s real. If it’s not, please don’t pass it on.
So please don’t be lazy. With a little care and effort, we can all stop junk mail
and viruses. You know it makes sense!
Courtesy of Hearts and Minds – The Hertbeats Newsletter
Page 16
Alternative Dictionary A to C
These words and suggested alternative meanings are intended to be
amusing and not cause offence. Please advise your suggestions for
words you would like added to the list.
ABACUS - Swedish swear word
ABSCOND - Steal someone’s cream tea
AEROBIC - Chocolate ballpoint pen
ALGEBRA - Bra made of kelp
ANTELOPE - To run off with your mothers sister
APERITIF - Cockney dentures
AROMATIC - Auto-loading crossbow
ARSON - To sit down
ARTEFACT - Pretentious statistic
ARTISTRY - History of art
ASBESTOS - Greek Anti-Social Behaviour Order
ARIZONA - The person to whom Harry belongs
BACTERIA - Returning more upset
BALTIMORE - Seconds in an Indian restaurant
BALONEY - Longer skirt length
BANSHEE - Gentleman’s club
BELIEVE - Time off for bees
BICYCLE - Double-headed corn cutter
BIGAMIST - Larger than usual fog
BIOSPHERE - To purchase a ball
BOOMERANG - Show displeasure to a dessert
BORDELLO - Blasé greeting
BOUTIQUE - Starting kind of hardwood
BURGOMASTER - Boss of fast food restaurant
CABBAGE - Taxi driver parlance
CANNIBAL - Geordie missile
CANTANKEROUS - Chain of shops that sell tanks
CANTILEVER - A speed controller on a horse
CAPSIZE - Usually about seven and a quarter inches
CASHEW - Nut that makes you sneeze
CAUTERISE - Serious squint
CHILDHOOD -Very young criminal
CHINCHILLA - Beard cooler
CIRCUMNAVIGATOR - Jewish sailor
Courtesy Upbeat Heart
Support Group Magazine
Page 17
For those who are interested in the Walking Group,
we walk every 10 days on Wednesdays and
Saturdays from 2 to 5 miles. Some of us round off
the day’s walk with a Pub lunch – Pleasure after
pain! If you require more information or the
Walking Book (£3) please contact me on
01202-733956.
Cyril - Walks Co-ordinator.
WALKINGWALKINGWALKINGWALKINGWALKING
GROUPGROUPGROUPGROUPGROUP
The walking group met at Pamphill &Cowgrove on Saturday 2nd May for a walkorganized by our excellent walking groupco-ordinator Cyril Martin, and Janette,(with her whistle).As Cyril said in the walking book that heproduces each year “Afterchecking, I think this is the seventh yearof organizing the walks - howtime flies! We have had good numbers onmost of the summer walks, even when theweather was bad. We found some goodpubs - two for one, I think this is some ofthe attraction.”Also I think it’s the standard and quality ofthe walks that Cyril has found and all thework and checking they both put into thewalks that is reflected by thegrowingnumber of members at each walkand on 2nd May they totalled 32.Many thanks to you both.All the walking group members.
Page 18
Recent Social Events
19th February – Wireless in Wartime – A talk by John SymondsJohn kept us amused and enthralled by how the man in the street was served
a diet of humour and propaganda by the BBC radio programmes, to keep up
morale. Only one household in six had a radio. When war was declared in
1939, the TV service was closed and places of entertainment, including
theatres, cinemas, sport and any large gatherings were banned, but churches
were allowed to remain open. People were encouraged to avoid large crowds
for their safety and encouraged to listen to the radio. Alan
19th March - The Power of Humour - a talk by Nick Thomas“The Power of Humour in Everyday Life” turned out to be a very good talk
enjoyed by an audience of more than 40 people. It was good to hear a lot of
anecdotal humour and some serious comment, with no objectionable smut,
and have a good laugh and titter – very good for the soul! I’m sure I speak
for everyone in the audience that it was a very enjoyable evening. Gary
24th April - Skittles NightSix teams of six turned up to do battle at the Broadstone Sports Centre for
the team skittles trophy. Roger organised the proceedings and all went well
with team ‘A’ winning the competition with a total score of 104, Rose collected
the trophy (see below). There were no individuals who managed to score
more than 9 skittles in one set of throws and indeed scores of 9 were very
sparse.
The food provided by the centre was very good value for money with huge
platters of chips and bowls of salad being provided, in addition to the ordered
meals, though inevitably there were delays in providing food for so many
people, exacerbated by equipment problems in the kitchen.
We finished the evening with the usual knockout game of ‘Killer’ where four
people kept a clean sheet for much of the competition. Jean Allcroft was the
eventual winner and she was presented with the knockout cup (see more
about this below). A total of £8.50 was collected and will be passed to George
O’Leary for the MS Society. There was a little confusion with the cups, the
cup initially passed to Rose was actually the knockout cup which was
subsequently handed over to Jean. This means that the Skittles cup itself is
actually missing. Does anyone have it please? It’s not really valuable but it
is all we’ve got as a trophy. Gerry.
Page 19
Future PHSG Meetings and Events
11th June – talk – The Development of Kingston Lacy.
A talk with slides on the development of Kingston Lacy, since it was
bequested the estate in 1982, by John Hallett of the Dorset section of the
National Trust. 7.00pm for 7.30pm, Postgraduate Centre, Poole Hospital.
Raffle and refreshments to follow.
16th July – Treasure Hunt.
A walk around Wimborne visiting features of interest, as directed by a set
of clues provided by Jean Robinson. Meet between 6.30pm and 7.00pm
at the car park in King Street, Wimborne, opposite the Model Village. Jean
will hand out instruction sheets with clues about where to go. At the end of
the trail will be a place where refreshments can be purchased.
18th August – The Blueberry Plantation - Sadly this event has been
cancelled as there were only 7 people who registered an interest. A
minimum of 20 were required to make it a viable visit.
20th August – talk - Waste Water disposal
A talk to be given by a member of Wessex Water on the disposal of the
waste water products produced by local households and small
businesses. Claimed to be much more interesting than we might expect !
7.00pm for 7.30pm, Postgraduate Centre Poole Hospital. Raffle and
refreshments to follow.
(this talk replaces the now cancelled Blueberry plantation event).
3rd December – Christmas Party
Once again at the Hamworthy Social Club, Canford Magna, with
entertainment provided “Mr Pod and the Peas”, after the dinner not
during! Booking forms and menus in Autumn Magazine.
Put a note in your diary now!
NB. The proposed Bath trip resulted in only 14 people showing
interest. Thank you to those who did, but sadly there are too few to
make it a viable trip at a reasonable cost.
Page 20
PHSG Cycling Club
2009 RidesAn activity of the Poole Heart Support Group - ALL STARTS at 10:00am
Sunday 21st Jun Meet Layby, north of Wimborne on B3078 – To Blandford
return. (18m)
Sunday 19th Jul Meet 10 Hill View Rd, Ferndown - “Randonnee Cri de
Coeur”(32m)
Sunday 23rd Aug Meet Shore Road Sandbanks (Bring Ferry fare) (20m)
Rides are about 15 miles long, the rides are open to all members of the
PHSG as long as your doctor approves. For help, advice, weather check
and bike maintenance call Keith Matthews on 01202 855001
We don’t do RAIN!! If the weather looks “iffy”, call before 9:00am to
see if the ride is going ahead.
Organisers: David Anderson, David Curtis, Keith Matthews
Regularly updated details on www.poolehsg.org.uk and
www.bournemouthctc.org
PHSG Cycling Club – February 2009 RidePHSG Cycling Club – February 2009 RidePHSG Cycling Club – February 2009 RidePHSG Cycling Club – February 2009 RidePHSG Cycling Club – February 2009 Ride
The February Cycle Ride dawned bright and clear and we met at the car park by
the underpass at Ringwood. Where? At least three people phoned to ask where!
In the end we had 10 of us harnessing our varied steeds for the ride. We set off
along the old railway track into Ringwood and threaded our way north through
Poulner and along the edge of the Forest to Fordingbridge. New member Tony
Boyer was, frankly, suffering a little bit. He hasn’t been on a bike for a while and
maybe bit off a bit too much, but we chatted and encouraged and after the
furthest point of the route and back on the route home, I knew he’d be alright.
Sixteen miles and a bit achy maybe, but feeling good for it I think.
Congratulations all round. The group has a good core of members now who all
ride at a similar (slow) pace and we’d like to encourage others to join us. If you
feel you’d like to get a bit ”bike fit” then just give me a call at any time and I’ll give
you some one-to-one encouragement and advice. Keith Matthews
Page 21
FOR SALE AND WANTEDFor Sale - PHSG Shirts. They are grey with our new logo (as on the front
cover of this magazine) on the left hand side breast pocket area.
The sizes are small, medium, large and extra large in the T-shirts, the
Polo shirts and now Sweatshirts. The T-shirts cost £6, the Polo £10 and
the Sweatshirts £12.They will be on sale at each social meeting or event
and also at Canford School on Mondays and Thursdays. You can contact
me, George O’Leary on 01202 743978. email [email protected]
—————————————————————————————————
Wanted -Your old greetings cards/postcards/calendars and used postage
stamps. I share these between two charities – The M.S. Society and the
Hearing Dogs for the Deaf. Both these charities have written thanking
PHSG for the support we give them. It’s another way of recycling and at
the same time it makes money for two worthwhile causes.
DON’T BIN ‘EM – SAVE ‘EM! Also please DO NOT CUT THE STAMPS
OFF THE POSTCARDS. THE POSTCARD IS WORTH MORE THAN THE
USED STAMP.
The M.S. Society makes note pads from these cards. Please contact me
at any of the monthly meetings, or at Canford School exercise class each
Monday and Thursday. Or phone George O’Leary on 01202 743978.
Wanted ––The owners of two china plates I have acquired from ‘Fun and
Games’ events at Canford School in December 2007 and 2008. Please
contact George O’Leary on 01202 743978.
BHF 50 Mile Heart RideFive of the PHSG cycle group met up on the start line at 0900 for the BHF
ride on 26th April. Alan Jeffries, David Anderson, Bill Planells, John
Wickham and your truly. We all set off together, until I punctured, that is,
and the guys went on leaving me with Alan. Shortly after, Mike phoned me
to ask where we were, having turned up a bit late. He pedalled fast and
caught us up later. We all re-grouped at Wimborne St Giles over nice
home-made cakes but then John and Bill decided that 50 miles was too
much and cut their ride back to the 30 that they had done.
So, the remaining four of us finished more or less together taking just
about 5 hours for the ride. Not bad I thought, in view of the bad headwind
and the fact that our refreshment stops added up to nearly an hour !
Keith
Page 22
Keeping the Grandchildren amusedHow to slice a banana in half without a knife !
Prepare your banana in private. Carefully pierce the banana, in the
middle, with a needle. If there is a dark spot, do it there, as it will help to
camouflage the hole. Push the needle right into the banana, but not out
the other side. Sweep the needle widely to each side, cutting through the
flesh, but not the skin.
Be careful to leave the skin intact, everywhere except the needle prick.
Now you can do the trick !
Hold the banana in one hand and say you are going to cut it in two to
share. Say “Abracadabra” and make chopping movements with your hand
round the seemingly normal banana. Then hand it to the child. When he or
she peels it – Shazam !’’– it will be cut in two. Top tip–– Practise first !
ANAGRAM
Re-arrange the letters in the clue to find a famous saying:
“Stroller on the go, amasses nothing” Answer - page 32
Page 23
Crossword
answers page 30
Across
2 Distribute evenly (6)
6 Flightless bird (3)
7 Assail (6)
8 Deep division (4)
9 Egg Holder (4)
10 Drinking water? (4)
14 Light haircut (4)
15 Indulgences (6)
16 Horse or badger? (3)
17 Putting some aside (6)
Down
I Vital organ (5)
2 Blooms associated with 2
across (10)
3 Consumed (5)
4 Chord for closing bag (10)
5 Have a taste for (4)
11 Pro. (5)
12 Greek character (5)
13 Pots (anag) (4)
Crossword
by Beppo
1 2 3 4 5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12
13 14
15
16
17
Page 24
From a Retired Bee-keeperI was pleased to read the article in the PHSG Spring Magazine about the appeal for
a Portable Echo Machine, and to see the photo of our Editor standing beside Zoe
Nicholson of the BHF. The BHF does a marvellous job, and needs every bit of
support it can get. Yes, I do have an “in-vest-ed” interest in it. More about that in
another issue.........................
One morning I was collecting for BHF along Weymouth Esplanade when a fit looking
man came up to me, bared his chest, shook me by the hand, and thanking me he
said “Heart transplant !” I turned to his wife, and said “Was it worth it ?” “Yes, she
said, it has been marvellous !” Twenty minutes later a lady came up to me, but she
did not bare her chest ! She did thank me, though, for she too had had a heart
transplant ! Yes, we owe the BHF a lot (it helped start Poole Heart Support Group,
did it not ?). Can we all try and help it in return ?
In the meantime, what’s the longest medical word that you know ? The longest one
known to this retired bee-keeper is Dysdiadokokinesia, which means the inability to
perform repetitive, co-ordinated movements. Thus, a sufferer from
Dysdiadokokinesia is unable to twiddle his thumbs ! Rumour has it that the sender
of the longest medical word received by the editor before the next magazine comes
out and judged by a retired bee-keeper (who is also a retired GP) to be correct, will
receive his or her choice of a bottle of red, white or rose wine. So don’t sit there
twiddling your thumbs – send your entry to the editor now !
Happy HourBathing can be so, so, boring,Just you and a wee plastic duck.Perhaps with a net at the tap end,To catch the soap, with some luck.Or blowing some flannel soap bubbles,Until suds flick into your eye.If the bath is deep enough filled,Be brave and submarines try.Now the pundits incessantly beg us,“Save water and bath with a friend.”So why not try out this love seat ?And your fun will go on without end !Take note of the small print above it,And just have a bit of a laugh.The Bath Board is “Useful for pettingInto or out of the bath.”So just “pas de deux” with your partner,It does take two to tango,This mis-print is a licence to thrill,
With Bath Board, just fandango ! Di B
Page 25
Holiday Travel Insurance
Until a member can be found to provide Insurance information, I haveinserted this Insurance Page in our web site (www.poolehsg.org.uk), whereI intend to publish the insurance experience of our members. So pleasecheck the website for any recently added information. This will obviouslydepend upon you emailing me the details and I will of course, not includethe source of any contributions. So please provide me with copy, by emailingme [email protected] or telephone 01202 676601. All the informationis supplied in good faith, for use by PHSG Google search will find thecompany web site for you, to enquire via the internet.
NUAL = No Upper Age Limit.
All Clear Travel 08707779339 Single NUAL Annual NUALAtlas Direct 08708111700 to 75 to 65CH Facilities 08707506711 to 79 to 69Direct Travel 08456052700 to 75 to 65Essential Travel 08458035434 to 74 to 74Free Spirit 08452305000 to 85 to 79Freedom Travel 01223454290 to85 to 65Flexicover Direct 08452234500 to 85 to 85Insure and Go 08448882789 to 75 to 75J. D. Consultants 01689856984 to 89 to 85Preferential 08712214008 to 75 to 75Saga 08000158055 NUAL NUALStaysure 08700454560 to 80 to 80Stroke Association 01603828396 NUAL NUALVenturesure 08452303521 to 85 to 74Your Travel 08000283571 to 85 to 70
You may prefer to insure through a broker who will not charge you a fee.Contacts who will provide brokers are: British Assoc. Insurers 02076003333.
British Insurance Brokers Assoc. 08709501790 Max
Quotable Quote“When a man opens a car door for a woman, it’s either a new car or a
new woman”. Prince Phillip.
Worst Christmas Cracker Joke 2008
Q - Why are Pirates called Pirates?
A - Because they AARRGH !
Never take life seriously - no one gets out alive anyway.
Page 26
I’m not bored, I’m having a mini-orgasm !Yawns, hiccups, sneezing – what’s the point of these physical quirks ?They are often linked to other human reflexes. What about the woman whohad an orgasm every time she yawned ? Or the farmer who hiccupped formore than 60 years? Or the man who sneezed every time he thought aboutsex ? Yawns, hiccups and sneezing affect us all, but they are also amongour most mysterious ailments – under-researched and poorly understood,because they are rarely life-threatening. Doctors and scientists are realisingthat the seemingly useless functions of yawning, hiccupping and sneezingmay reveal a lot about the workings of our brain and our evolutionary past.
Yawns – We all yawn when we’re tired or bored, but why do we yawn whenother people do, or when we’re stressed ? The conventional view is thatwhen our body gets short of oxygen, for example because we are tired andbreathing slowly, the yawn reflex is triggered to make us draw in more air. Butstudies by neuroscientists have shown that low blood oxygen doesn’t actuallyprompt yawning. It’s far more likely that yawning, like stretching, is a way offlexing muscles and increasing heart rate, making us ready for action. Butwhy do we yawn if other people do ? Many animal species yawn, but onlyhumans, chimpanzees and some monkeys suffer from contagious yawning.The latest studies suggest that it’s to do with our sense of empathy.Researchers have discovered that children with autism, a developmentaldisorder affecting people’s ability to make emotional ties with others, do notyawn at the sight or thought of other people yawning. Yawning may havedeveloped among higher animals, as a social signal that indicated tirednessor stress, so that sleeping and watchfulness couldbe co-ordinated. In the highest primates, itbecame so strongly ingrained into ourwatchfulness for others that it became a symptomof our empathy. This still doesn’t explain one ofthe strangest yawning phenomena of all, thatsome people report a good yawn being like a‘mini-orgasm.’ Yawning which causes orgasmhas occurred in people suffering from heroinwithdrawal and those on some antidepressantdrugs. One married woman in her late twentieswho was on an antidepressant, asked her doctorhow long she might be allowed to take her tablets.She hoped to take them for a good while yet, asever since she had started taking them, she couldbring on an orgasm by yawning.
Page 27
Hiccups ––There are 101 hiccup cures, none of which is sure-fire, mainlybecause hiccups are still poorly understood. Normally we associate themwith eating or drinking too much, lack of sleep, excitement or stress. Oftenthe source is unknown. A farmer from Iowa hiccupped continually for morethan 60 years and never found out why. Like sneezing, hiccupping is areflex. A stimulus - and in many cases it’s almost certainly discomfort in thestomach that leads to it – makes chest nerves send signals to the rib musclesand diaphragm to contract, making us inhale rapidly. But the reason why weneed them has long baffled scientists. They are likely to be a remnant fromour evolutionary past. Scientists have observed that many amphibians andprimitive fish, such as tadpoles and lungfish, which breathe air but still havegills, have to hiccup to push water over their gills without inhaling it into theirlungs. The mechanism may have persisted for 370 million years since thecreatures hauled themselves out of the swamps, because they served somepurpose in the creatures into which they evolved. In mammals, the reflexmay help babies to suckle properly.
Sneezing – The purpose of sneezing if you have a cold, or encounter pollenor dust, seems obvious – expelling invading particles. But some peoplesneeze for other reasons. About a quarter of us sneeze when we look at abright light, the photic sneeze reflex. There have been medical reports ofpeople sneezing when their stomach is full. And a recent paper in the Journalof the Royal Society of Medicine reports the “possibly not uncommonphenomenon” of sneezing in response to sexual excitement. The reasonmay be wires becoming crossed in the automatic part of our nervous system,which controls the heartbeat, breathing and reflexes such as sneezing,without us thinking about them. Sneezing is normally triggered by themembranes in the nose being stimulated. This sends a signal to the brain,which tells the nose, mouth and chest to convulse into a sneeze. But wehave other reflexes, such as the pupil of the eye constricting in the glare ofsunlight. What seems to happen in sun-sneezers is that the sun reflex andthe pupil constriction reflex, which should take different routes in the brain,cross over and become confused. There is likely to be a genetic source tothis, because sun-sneezing runs in families. The same sort of wire-crossingmay account for full-tummy sneezing and orgasm sneezing. Someresearchers think that sneezing is a throwback to our evolutionary past,rather than useful now. Sneezing is likely to force out germs only if you do itthrough your nose, but humans usually expel air through their mouths whenthey sneeze. Dogs and other animals sneeze only through their noses,making it far more useful.
Page 28
Fruit and Vegetables - the Easy Way to 5 A-Day
Eating more fruit and vegetables could significantly reduce the risk of
many diseases, including, high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular
disease and some cancers.
In addition including more fruits and vegetables in the diet can reduce its
overall calorie content and so can help maintain a healthy weight.
Why are fruits and vegetables so beneficial?
Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals; these act as
antioxidants, preventing cells from becoming damaged by free radicals.
Additionally they contain fibre, which helps to maintain regular bowel
motion.
What counts as a portion?
Fresh, tinned, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables all count. Aim to eat
a minimum of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day, eat a variety of
fruit and vegetables to get a range of vitamins and minerals.
A guide to portion sizes:
Portion sizes of fruit and vegetables can be a confusing area but
generally speaking a handful is a portion.
One portion of fresh fruit is..
� Medium-sized fruit: 1 medium
fruit, such as 1 apple,
banana, pear, orange.
� Small-sized fruit: 2 plums,
2 satsumas, 3 apricots, 2 kiwi fruit,
7 strawberries, 14 cherries.
� Large fruit: half a grapefruit, 1
slice of papaya, 1 slice of
melon (2-inch slice), 1 large
slice of pineapple, 2 slices of
mango (2-inch slices)
One Portion of dried fruit is…
1 tablespoon of raisins, currants,
sultanas, mixed fruit, 2 figs, 3 prunes,
a handful of banana chips.
One portion of tinned fruit is..
About the same quantity as fresh
fruit i.e. 2 pears, 8 segments of
mandarins.Choose tinned fruit in
natural fruit juice rather than syrup.
Fruit juice..
A small (150ml) glass of fruit juice
counts as part of your 5 a day,
but only counts once.
One portion of vegetables is..
� Cooked Vegetables: 3 heaped
tablespoons of cooked vegetables.
� Salad Vegetables: 1 medium
tomato, 7 cherry tomatoes,
2 inch slice of cucumber.
� Beans/pulses: 3 heaped
tablespoons of kidney, baked
beans, butter beans or chick peas.
Page 29
Easy ways to increase the fruit and vegetable
content of your diet include:
• Adding vegetables to dishes i.e. add frozen mixed
vegetables to spaghetti bolognaise or cottage pie.
• Drinking a glass of fruit juice with your meals. (only
counts once a day)
• Snack on fruit (fresh or dried) or chopped vegetables
instead of crisps or chocolate.
• Have a cereal bowl of salad with your lunch or evening
meal.
If your diet at the moment does not contain 5 portions of fruit and
vegetables gradually try to increase the amount that you eat to 5 a day
following the tips above. For more ideas visit: www.5aday.nhs.uk
Dael Hartley Poole Hospital Dietitian
Message from the Ambulance Service
We all carry our mobile phones with names and numbers stored in its memory.
If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending
us would have our mobile phone but wouldn’t know who to call. Yes, there
are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case
of an emergency? Hence this ‘ICE’ (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.
The concept of ‘ICE’ is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during
emergency situations. As mobile phones are carried by the majority of the
population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or
persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name ‘ICE’
(In Case Of Emergency). The idea was thought up by a paramedic who
found that when he went to the scenes of accidents there were always mobile
phones with patients but they didn’t know which number to call.
He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally
recognised name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, emergency
service personnel and hospital staff would be able to quickly contact the
right person by simply dialling the number you have stored as ‘ICE’.
Please forward this. It won’t take too many ‘forwards’ before everybody will
know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one’s mind at
rest. For more than one contact name, simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3
etc.
PLEASE PASS THIS AROUND AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AS
THIS CAN HELP IN AN EMERGENCY
Page 30
What to do if you become unwell
When your GP surgery is closed
Medical help and advice is available if youbecome unwell when your GP surgery is closed.You should:
Dial 999 or go to A & E as soon as possible ifyou are worried about the sudden onset of newsymptoms or have suffered a serious Injury orillness.
A & E departments are open 24 hours a day,365 days a year. They are for a critical or lifethreatening situation, for example chest pain,suspected heart attack, severe breathingdifficulties, severe loss of blood, loss ofconsciousness, deep wounds and suspectedbroken bones.
They are not for minor injuries or healthproblems, nor an alternative to seeing your GPor for a ‘second opinion’ if you have alreadyseen your GP.
Call the Dorset Out of Hours MedicalService on 0845 600 10 13 if you are unwellbut not facing a life-threatening emergency andyou think you cannot wait until your GP surgeryopens.
Go to an NHS Walk-In Centre or MinorInjuries Unit with a minor injury or illness.Find your nearest one by calling NHS Direct on0845 46 47.
You can also call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 ifyou are feeling unwell and are unsure what todo, or need information about finding apharmacist, dentist or other service.
REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE CHEST PAIN
DIAL 999 WITHOUT DELAY
Crossword
Answers
from page 23
Across
2 Spread
6 Emu
7 Attack
8 Rift
9 Nest
10 Soda
14 Trim
15 Treats
16 Nag
17 Saving
Down
1 Heart
2 Sunflowers
3 Eaten
4 Drawstring
5 Like
11Activ
12 Omega
13 Stop
Page 31
Bank Holidays
Love ‘em or loathe ‘em?
Does the thought of another Bank Holiday fill you with unbridled joy, or do
you get a sinking feeling whenever you hear the words “Bank Holiday”?
When The Bank Holidays Act was passed in 1871, life was very different.
The population was smaller and less well-travelled and motor cars were
something of a novelty.
Nowadays, most families own at least one car and congestion is a fact of
life, yet as a nation we still cling to the antiquated notion of a pleasant Bank
Holiday at the beach or some other visitor attraction. The reality is more
likely to be an eight hour queue on a motorway, punctuated by breaks at
dreary, overpriced service stations.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against holidays - the more the merrier. I’m just
not keen on prescribed Bank Holidays. Here in the UK we fair pretty badly in
the Bank Holiday stakes. Eight public holidays is not a lot. The Italians have
12 days, the Austrians 13 and Spain and Portugal enjoy a massive 14 public
holidays each year!
There has been a campaign in this country for an extra Bank Holiday
somewhere around October, because the period from August Bank Holiday
to Christmas is a long time to go without a break! Gordon Brown (bless his
cotton socks!) has indicated that he might consider it, so watch this space!
Not everyone wants an extra Bank Holiday, though. The Confederation of
British Industry calculates that one extra day could cost the country £6 billion.
As for me, I’m staying local. There are lots of great things to do on our
doorstep and I really don’t want to spend the day stuck in a traffic jam!
Page 32
Canny Chef
Hosting a Dinner Party inHosting a Dinner Party inHosting a Dinner Party inHosting a Dinner Party inHosting a Dinner Party inChinaChinaChinaChinaChina
Hosting a dinner in China is fraught with risk of
causing offence, if protocol is not observed. The
host takes the seat facing the door, with the guest
of honour on his right. Guests of lower rank then
take up their seats around the table. Lift up your
chopsticks and you encounter a whole array of do’s
and don’ts. Don’t let the chopsticks tap the edge of the bowl, because that is
the sound of a beggar. Don’t point with chopsticks, that is bad manners. Lay
them down on the holder, points together; uneven laying denotes bad luck.
Never stick chopsticks into a bowl of rice, since that is the custom at the
tombside and means death.
It is the host’s responsibility to ensure that drinking glasses are filled. And
when touching glasses in a toast, make sure that the rim of your glass is
lower than anyone of higher rank. If anyone pours the tea, or spirits, tap the
table lightly with the fingertips to show gratitude.
After the meal, the host should escort his guests to the door, while those of
higher rank should be escorted all the way to their car. Then you wait until
they have driven off, before going back inside. In offices, the etiquette is to
take the guest to the entrance, to press the button for the lift and only to
return to the office once the lift doors close.
Chinese people may refuse a meal, a gift, or a favour, and this is generally
considered a polite gesture. As host, you may quietly persist. But never give
a clock, since these are linked with death. Banquets, these days, involve
much less drinking of hard liquor than ten years ago, but it is still seen as
polite to match a toast with a toast and to empty your glass when told “bottoms
up.” And as the guest of honour, you will be expected to eat the delicacies
on the table, whether they be sheep’s eyes or baby centipede omelettes.
Never allow a Chinese person to lose face. Next time you host a dinner
party at home, remember how easy it is, compared with one in China.
Ah! so!
ANSWER TO ANAGRAM ON PAGE 22
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.”
Page 33
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
In view of what seems to be happening Internationally with banks at the moment,
I was wondering if you could advise me correctly? If one of my cheques is returned
marked “insufficient funds,” how do I know whether that refers to me or my bank?”
(Name and address supplied)
From The Editor’s Desk
Hearty greetings from your Editor as we go live with the
Summer Magazine. Our computer experts will shortly be
putting the magazine on our website, in glorious colour,
so if you have internet access, do have a look.
We are now fortunate to have a new Chairman at the helm after some
time without one and we wish Keith success in what he does. We still
have other vacancies on the committee, so if you think you could help run
PHSG, please get in touch with a committee member and have a chat.
Many hands make light work ! Alan
Dear Editor
The new supermarket near my house has an
automatic water mister to keep produce fresh. Just
before it goes on, you hear the sound of thunder and
the smell of fresh rain.
When you approach the milk, you hear cows mooing and smell the scent
of fresh hay.
When you approach the eggs, you hear hens cluck and cackle and the air
is filled with the pleasing aroma of bacon and eggs frying.
The veggie department features the sound of a gentle breeze and the
smell of fresh buttered corn.
I don’t buy toilet paper there any more.
Blair Watson
Page 34
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
All letters, e-mails and other submissions received are assumed to be for publica-
tion and free of copyright restriction. They may be edited for space or clarity and
are not necessarily the views of the Editor or PHSG
Dear Editor
After the April AGM, I had to burst into verse:
Committee, you’re so diplomatic,
In bringing some members to book,
You’re so good at treading on eggshells,
To encourage or quell with a look?
It’s always an indisputable fact
That pre-meetings are buzzing with rumour,
Yet every item was handled with tact,
Mild insults fielded with humour.
So Members support your Committee,
They give many hours for free,
They’re efficient, approachable & witty,
Great Team we’ve elected, you’ll see.
Congratulations to you all and good luck. Di Bagshawe
Dear Editor
I found the information on Atrial Fibrillation and the Arrhythmia Alliance that
you sent me very interesting and I will certainly become a member of
the Arrhythmia Alliance. I also have to say a big thank you from my husband.
For the last two years he has been suffering from a painful and sometimes
discoloured toe, in spite of many visits to his GP, podiatrists and the foot
clinic. It was a mystery to everyone. I was reading the article on warfarin and
came across “purple toe syndrome” a rare side effect of warfarin. We thought
back and realised that the problem with his toe started shortly after he started
taking warfarin. We copied the article and sent it to his GP, who now also
thinks this is the answer to the problem (he had never heard of this side
effect) and has referred him back to the consultant who started him on the
drug, so as I said, many thanks.
Jean Querol
Page 35
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor
On 20 February, two months after seeing our excellent Dr Diane
Bruce, I had my DCC (direct current cardioversion). It is a simple
procedure, with a good success rate. They even called me to
offer an earlier appointment, which I had to decline due to a
previous engagement. During these two months I had to get used to taking warfarin
and discovered that a lot of people on warfarin carry their little yellow books around
with them and that they are potential friends and advisers, some of them with very
interesting stories of their own. My husband also gave me his time, interest and
dedication and I am very fortunate to have him.
The treasures I discovered in the “ United Nations” that is Poole Hospital were Dr
Askenazy (if I remember well), Dr Richard Fenwick, who managed to apply his electric
pads on my rather large XXL anatomy and not to lose them, very nice nurses called
Tony, Regi (from the Phillipines), Big Steve and the lovely nurses from the Day Care
Unit who provided the all- healing cup of tea and apologized for not having the
Dorset cream tea I had requested.
To cut this story short: they managed to shock and dispatch me in exactly 5 hours
flat, with a letter to my GP and a tube of cream for my very superficial bruises. And,
with the information that I was back on my normal “sinus rhythm.” Everything was so
well organized that I can only recommend others to jump on to Poole Hospital
“conveyer belt” any time, you will not regret it. This advice comes from the bottom of
my newly reconditioned heart.
Iris Roethke
Dear Editor,
I have just seen the excellent article by Canny Chef in the Spring Magazine, extolling
the health benefits of the Olive. However, I feel I must use the vehicle of your brilliant
magazine to issue a call to arms to all those who fear the gradual decline of our
culinary heritage. Our history is littered with failed attempts to destroy our way of
life, but over the past 10 years or so we have been subjected to a sinister invasion
by stealth of that foul tasting weed, GARLIC. This bulbous monster has wormed its
way into our lives and can now be found in every menu. Even St Delia has succumbed
to its Gallic charms. Before you know it, even our fish and chips will have garlic
batter ! The time has come to make a stand. Remember Agincourt and Waterloo.
Join me and thousands (well quite a few) of patriots who have formed S.N.O.G - the
Say No On Garlic campaign. We promise you fresh breath and an odour free life.
Kissing will be fun again. Our children will thank us if we are successful in stopping
the onslaught of this evil !
Concerned of Poole (Name and address supplied)
Volunteers wanted
to help
in our
P.H.S.G.
Head
Office
for only
2 hours
per month
Poole Heart Support Group operates under the umbrella of
the British Heart Foundation who rely on voluntary help for
fund-raising events.
We urgently need occasional supporters for fundraising.
Please contact:
Pam Bailey BHF Rep.
4 Knighton Heath Close
Bearwood BH11 9PP.
Telephone
01202 574944
We would also be pleased to hear from any members who
would be prepared to play a more active role in the Poole
branch of BHF. We meet once a month at Poole Hospital to
plan forthcoming events.
Rose Cottage Typesetting and Printing 01258 455663
Jan Mesher
PHSG Office Co-ordinator.
Please Telephone
01202 683363 ext. 133(9am-4pm answerphone)
Manned 1.30 - 3.30pm.
Mon & Thurs
You can always call the Office !
You can always call the office
We’re a happy little bunch.
On a Monday or a Thursday,
We’re there just after lunch.
If you need some information,
Exercise or walking club,
(Cyril says they ramble
and then end up at the pub!).
We distribute magazines
and sign in each new member.
We are on the go all the time
from January to December
