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Next meeting December 7th at the Day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00pm – 9.00pm Guest speaker is Willie Robson from Chain Bridge Honey Farm. Followed by seasonal refreshments of mince pies, shortbread and wine.
There will be no meeting or newsletter over the Christmas period, the next meeting will be on February1st 2006 speaker Jennifer Hall, from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
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Dr. Higham, our President, was our speaker at November’s meeting. Sally Scott, Community Heart Failure Nurse, was also due, but unfortunately she was poorly and unable to attend.
There was a good attendance, and Dr. Higham gave a good informative talk, with slides, on modern drugs in relation to heart problems, forthcoming events concerning both MRI and CT Scanners for Wansbeck
As most of the information regarding any new drugs was on the slides and contained a lot of data concerning the comparisons between the old and new. One such comparison was between Aspirin and Clopidogrel, but not only was it a comparison between them but also what happens when used together
When used in this way, the results were both measurable and quite impressive, but as usual this is offset with some side effects. Whilst these could be unpleasant, both Hospital and local Doctors knew about them, and any one on this combination of drugs would receive regular check ups as a matter of course.
There was another called Prophylaxis. This was showing promising results.
There was some very good news regarding the use of both MRI and CT scanners. Currently Wansbeck is sharing MRI facilities with North Tyneside Hospital. Wansbeck is due to have its own in the near future and the money, between £1 and £2 million has been allocated, but as further
big structural changes are due to take place at the hospital, things are on hold. There is a possibility that it might be decided to have a mobile one, which could then be used away from the hospital. This is very good at assessing volumes, and leaky valves.
Much cheaper than the MRI is the CT scanner. It only costs about £600,000. This is due to arrive in April 2006. A scan takes about 5 mins. A dye is injected and the relevant part of the body is scanned. This takes 40 cross section slices at a time which can then be put back together to form a 3D image, by the computer, and the bodies’ condition assessed. Any parts of the body not required can be removed by the computer from the picture allowing a clearer picture of the part required.
As an example the resulting picture from a scan of the chest area would include the rib cage, spine, lungs, and heart with all their associated plumbing. The operator or Doctor could then remove anything that was not relevant. If, say, the Doctor wanted to concentrate on how the heart was functioning he could remove the rib cage, spine and lungs from the picture, and if he wanted to look solely at a section of artery or vein in the heart he could make everything other than the relevant section disappear. Not only that the computer can look along the inside of the arteries or veins without anything having to be put in there.
As many of us have had an angiogram, what the new method means is that there is no invasive surgery at the groin, with no need for the 4 hour lying down period afterwards so that the wound can heal. An angiogram of the future will be a 5 minute event, not the all day event it is at present.
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Wally’s Yarn
Two of Berwick’s citizens who are not the brightest of young people, I will call them Bill and Ben to avoid causing them embarrassment, recently went to a Newcastle match. It was the match where Alan Shearer got a bloodied mouth, and Newcastle managed to win.
(Also to save my embarrassment I left out all the swear words and expletives, and improved the grammar in case you thought it was me)
After the match Bill and Ben were both annoyed and jubilant, their hero had been hurt, but their team had won, so they headed for the nearest bar to both commiserate and to celebrate.
When the pubs closed they headed into town to the night clubs to continue their drinking spree.
At 3.30 am the next day, they emerged from a disco completely legless and penniless. They had to hold on to each other for support, sometimes even having to crawl because the road was moving. They were absolutely blotto.
Somehow they made their way to Central Station as all they had left was their return tickets, only to be told that the first train back to Berwick didn’t leave until 9.30 am.
“That’s no good,” said Bill, “What we going to do now”?
“I don’t know”, was the reply, “I think were going to have to walk, we can’t stay here till 9.30”
“Don’t be silly man, were too p- p- p- drunk to walk, we can hardly stand up as it is”, slurred Bill.
“We’ll steal a car, that’s what we’ll do”, said Ben.
They looked around for a likely looking vehicle. After a while Bill said, “What you looking for, we’ve passed lots of cars”.
Ben said, “I know, but none of them are taxed, we don’t want to be stopped by the Police, do we”?
As it was they were now in a part of Newcastle that neither of them knew, so they had to stop and work out where they were. There weren’t many houses around, mainly commercial premises, but then they noticed that they were stood outside a bus garage, and everything was in darkness.
“That’s it”, said Bill, “We’ll pinch a bus”.
Ben said, “I don’t know how to drive a bus, but your old man used to drive for Northumbria, so you get over the fence and get a bus, whilst I keep watch”.
Bill got over the fence, and Ben kept watch. After a few minutes Ben could hear engines being starting and revved up. Then there was lots of gear grinding, and crashing and banging, Ben began to wonder what his mate was doing and thought that if he didn’t keep the noise down, someone was going to hear.
After about half an hour of all this noise Bill opened the gate, and looked as pleased as punch sat in the cab of the bus he had managed to get to the gate.
Ben said, “What was all that noise, it was loud enough to wake the dead, it’s a wonder nobody came, and I was getting worried”.
Bill said, “See you, what a whinge, you are never satisfied you, I go to all that trouble but all you can do is moan. As it was, the bus with Berwick on was right over in the far corner and I just couldn’t get it out, I’ve had to get the one that’s going to Belford, we’ll have to try and get a lift from there
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Recipe of the month
Virtual Fat Free Chips
2 Lbs of maris piper potatoes
fry light oil
Method
Peel potatoes and cut into 1cm thick chips place in a pan of lightly salted boiling water and cook for 5 mins.
Drain and place on kitchen paper for 10mins to dry and then return them to a dry pan, put lid on and shake to rough up the edges
Spray a non-stick baking tray with fry light oil, add chips, spray again and bake in a pre heated oven at 240c/475f or gas mark 9 for 30 min, turning occasionally until golden.
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