LEAVE MY BUGS ALONE !
We folk from the Third World are not in the least bit
daunted by Gypo Gut.
We just take it for granted that our water is dodgy
and take the necessary precautions, boiling, filtering
, drinking wine instead of water etc. etc.
And when one does get a 24 hour bug, one succumbs
graciously (?) and hopes that one might shed at least
a kilo or two if one is going to suffer the
indignities heretofor !!
However a recent trip to the Zambesi laid me lower
than low, and I probably would still be dragging
myself around mournfully had it not been that we were
two weeks later, found visiting She Who Must Sing who
lives in the First World.
HEEHOO was well brought up by his Three Girls, and
over the years knows that when Mum and daughters needs
the loo, it is something that requires immediate
attention, (especially during Gypo Gut Time.)
Heehoo, as a matter of course, on entering any
establishment, will do one of those three sixties he
used to do during his time in the army, and case the
joint immediately for the "Ladies Room" sign.
But BABY SHEEHOO has a most scary and imperious manner
which she no doubt inherited from HEEHOO, and one look
from her propelled me to visit a First World Family
Medical Practice.
Now, not only was this beautiful child , a doctor, she
was also young enough to be my daughter..... and as we
well know, all of us Baby Boomers who are left in
Bulawayo probably still have, as our MDs, the same
doctors who delivered us!!!
Mature Men indeed, with many hundreds of years of
medical experience, Doctors with extensive pedigrees
like Bernie Tatz and Peter Pretorius are still going
strong in Bulawayo !!
As I said earlier, Gypo Gut in Zimbabwe is just not
taken to a doctor, what would he be able to do for
goodness sake ? Except to throw one a free sample of
Immodium and tell you to "get on with it !!"
And so when this Sweet Child tenderly prodded and
pushed at my abdomen for the required length of time
and then sent me off with a giant package of goodies,
ordering me to produce four "samples" of whatever it
was that was annoying me, I became understandably
nervous !!
Imagine, just imagine, an innocent Texas laboratory
technician coming across something that was "made in
Zimbabwe" under his microsope !!
Horrors, there would be men in Hazmat Suits, and heavy
radio active boots, just like those ones you see on
Mars, crawling across the lawn outside SheeHoo"s
apartment.
I can just see those smug men from Hazwoper (Hazardous
Waste Operations)
dragging me away, kicking and screaming to six weeks
isolation in the Centre for Tropical Diseases.
The whole of Waco would be closed down and "Ebola"
signs would be fastened everywhere !!
Oh no, I am keeping my germs to myself. I have spent
years building up this amazing Immune System of mine.
I have consumed many many glasses of suspect water
from Ncema Dam, partaken of many dodgy packets of
sausages that have been frozen, thawed, frozen, thawed
as the electricity has been turned off and on in the
hapless shops !!
No one is going to have sight of anything that might
be "Made in Zimbabwe" without my putting up a good
fight first !!
SYMPATHY MESSAGES
CONDOLENCES
Just saw the latest addition of the newsletter and was
very shocked to hear about Brigette Robas - I was at
school with her and I didn't know she had passed away.
Like the lady that contacted you in the newsletter
are you able to shed some light as to what happened to
her? It is very sad, I hadn't realised that she was
in trouble.
Thanks very much
Tina (McKenzie)
From: buckley3@fsmail.net
TINA ANDERSON
I was sad to see the condolence message that Tina has
passed away, Tina was a good friend that helped me out
when I needed it and I will never forget what Tina and
her family did. My deepest sympathy go out to Shayne,
Carl, Liza and family.
Lisa Parkinson
lisa74@ntlworld.com
GRAHAM MAIN passed away suddenly in Johannesburg on
Friday 24th November 2006.
Loving husband of Cheryl and loving father of Kerry
and Russell.
Much loved son of May Main and Son-in-Law of Heather
Marriott of Bulawayo. (Contact No.09-230426)
TIDBITS
TIDBITS
Hi, the name is Don Bennett and a friend of mine Guru
Partridge E-Mailed me a copy of the above article. I
worked in the then Rhodesia for Standard Bank and in
fact my first posting following a transfer from
Nyasaland was as a Teller at Avondale Branch which
had a close connection to the George Hotel. I also
remember most of the names mentioned and in fact a
young lady from Chisipite broke my young heart her
maiden name was Barbara Flint but I have no idea what
her married name is but I hope she is not a struggling
housewife.
I was transferred to Zambia and crossed the border on
UDI day 11th November,1965 with much heartache, a
three week old baby a young wife and lots of fear as
to what the future would bring.
With a South African Passport and the UDI situation I
was only allocated a temporary work permit and spent
the next 5 years being deported but with pressure from
the Bank my permit was renewed each year until 1970
when I was transferred to South Africa where I joined
the Bank.
That little 1965 baby is now 41 years old and is
married to an ex-Rhodesian/Zimbawean by the name of
Andrew Jackson and their circle of friends are in
essence of the same origin and I must say what a
wonderful bunch of Guys and Girls although they would
require all those watering holes you mention to
satisfy their thirst
It is with great with nostalgia that I look back at
those old.days but sad indeed at what has happened
when you read of the hardships that families have to
suffer. Perhaps that crossing of the Chirundu border
on that fateful day with all the uncertainty and
heartache was a blessing in disguise and please God
may that also be the case for the future of your
wonderful country and the people who as my friend says
are political and financial prisoners of Zimbabwe.
Kindest
Regards
Don Bennett
From: dcb@tiscali.co.za
The main obstacle to the creation of a well-informed
public is its own indifference.
- I.F. Stone
A serious note about heart attacks
Precautions is better than cure............
Hi Friends,
Drinking Cold water after meal = Cancer!
For those who like to drink cold water, this article
is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal.
However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff
that you have just
consumed. It
will slow down the digestion.
Once this "sludge" reacted with the acid, it will
break down and be
absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food.
It will line the
intestine.
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to
cancer.
It is best to drink hot soup or warm after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks
HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE": (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!)
Women should know that not every heart attack symptom
is going to be the
left arm hurting.
Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
You may never have the first chest pain during the
course of a heart attack.
Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
60% of people who have a heart attack while they are
asleep do not wake up.
Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep.
Let's be careful and be aware.
The more we know, the better chance we could
survive...
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail
sends it to 10
people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one
life. Read this... It
could save your life !!
Let's say it's 6.15 pm and you're driving home .
Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your
chest that
starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your
jaw.
You are only about five miles from the hospital
nearest your home.
Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make
it that far.
You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught
the course did not
tell you how to perform it on yourself.
"HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE":
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart
attack, without help,
the person whose heart
is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint,
has only about 10
seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing
repeatedly and very
vigourously.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, deep
and prolonged,
as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two
seconds
without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart
is felt to be
beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into
the lungs and
coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the
blood circulating
The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it
regain normal rhythm.
In this way, heart attack victims can get to a
hospital.
Tell as many other people as possible about this. It
could save their
lives !! "
'Never give up !
If the end of the world were imminent,
I still would plant a tree today.'
- Otto Frank - father of Anne Frank -
Living frees us from the familiar territory of our own
needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds
occupied by the needs of others. --Barbara Bush
Never doubt that a small committed group can make the
world a better and more tranquil place.
- John Lennon -
'I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no
matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even
more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive
and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of
joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you
possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final
good-bye.'