The metties have had a fairly busy week, with various bimbles and tanning sessions as well as One of us having had a guest for the week. Monday morning saw Doug in hyper mode as he awaited the Tristar's arrival. Was he waiting for some important post?….NO… he was impatiently waiting for his better half to arrive for a few days holiday on this sun kissed isle. Of course, not to disappoint our nearest and dearests we had arranged for the weather to be superb for the duration of her stay. (We like to look after our own). So it came as no surprise that, after Mrs. Doug had left on Saturday, the weather would take a serious turn for the worse. Sure enough the rains came on Sunday evening, spoiling what would have been the driest week we have had in many months.

Tuesday saw Stan Vesta, Makem and Sarah (the pocket rocket from PSD….Thanks to the Two Little Birdies (Islander 26th September 2002) for giving Sarah that handle), take an afternoon trip up to Northeast Bay for some Sunbathing. Sarah has obviously slipped fully into chill-out mode for her last month here, as that was the first time in ten months (yes… ten months) that she had been sunbathing. It came as no surprise, at least not to Stan and Makem, METCHAT Cont/d… when she said that she should have done more sunbathing during her time on the island. Billy Briton the postie, proved how dedicated a postman he is by actually coming along to the beach to collect some mail for posting, now that is what I call a postal service. The evening saw the same three bodies visit the VC for a bite to eat, collecting the still invalided Boggy's evening snacks in the process. A quick visit to the bar followed where we were again joined by the Postie, though Jonesey's absence was noted (he was ensconced in his room, busy doing his ironing).

Wednesday saw Makem having a very quiet day in the office, which was a good thing as he was not at his best after the previous evening's drinks. True to form however, Makem was raring to go when Jonesey called to see if he was going out to play during the evening. A few quiet beers is all that Makem could manage however, returning early from the bar to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Thursday again saw Makem in the office, Doug joining him for the morning before retiring to the beach with his wife. The afternoon saw Makem and Falling Phil bristling in more than one sense of the word. Having read the islander, we were rather dismayed to find the "island rumblings" section in the magazine. (see attached letter from a disgruntled reporter). Makem was also bristling in a more literal sense, Phil having turned up at the office with his clippers to remove nearly two months of overgrowth. Phil did a cracking job, well up to his usual standards leaving Makem with a much cooler bonce. The evening again saw most of the usual suspect in the mess Bar, though Stan Vesta was conspicuous by his absence. It transpired that he had managed to wangle a trip around the island on the Mearsk and following his trip had joined some of the crew in the Exiles bar for a thank you drink. Stan and his fellow nautical types of course had their reputations to keep intact, one person in particular enjoying the hospitality so much that he virtually had to be carried home. (yes Mal we did hear the stories).

Friday lunchtime saw Makem and Sarah take a quick trip to Northeast Bay for some more panic tanning, this time the sunshine doing its best to roast the pair of them. Makem then paid a flying visit to the Happy Hour in the mess, drinking only cokes though, as he had to go to work. Pete Dunn was in top form however, with metman Doug getting some (light hearted) grief. Stan Vesta, Boggy and co then went off to Georgetown to pay a visit to Tony and Babs Goddard's to join in the farewell party for Sharon Pout. Stan played an absolute blinder, with Boggy complaining the following day that he was forced to stay there until 4-30 am, and Stan had to get up for work that morning.

Saturday saw Stan rudely awakened at 7-50am by a call from Alex (comcen). "are you coming into work this morning" was the question, and from what my sources tell me, Stan's reply was totally unprintable. Metman Chris set off for a bimble with the postie early in the afternoon, sporting a new line in clothing accessories. Obviously in a hurry to get ready, Chris had donned a t-shirt in haste, and had forgotten to remove one of the pegs. This of course was instantly seized upon by one of our reporters, snapping a quick picture as proof, before kindly pointing it out to Chris. The evening saw Stan, Martin and Jonesey take a trip to the mess, before venturing over the hill to Two Boats.

Sunday saw the Postie leading one of his usual forays into the wilds of the island, Lyndon, Sarah and Mark (CSO) joining him on an attempt on Spires Beach (again) and then Whitehorse. Unfortunately it was a bit windy for the ascent of the hill, so the made do with the one letterbox walk. The evening Saw Makem, Sarah and Postie take a trip to the VC for some food (and a few drinks) where it quickly became clear how easy it is to embarrass the postie. Sarah was telling how during the walk the Postie was asked by one of his fellow walkers what features his perfect woman would have, for every point that the postie made, i.e. nice eyes, intelligent, active etc, she had cried "that's me". After running through the list Makem (who was well within the two second rule) quipped "well Sarah, I guess you've pulled". This caused postie to turn the same colour as a post office van of course, negating the need to turn on the lights in the VC. On returning Makem dragged Jonesey off to the bar for a few beers. Big problem…the bar didn't have much in the way of drinks at all, the guys having virtually METCHAT Cont/d… emptied the fridges the previous evening. Susan did however manage to find some Boddingtons for us and we were later joined by Martin, Postie and much later in the evening by Nigel.

Neil, the chief mettie, gave Makem a snippet of rather funny information during Sunday afternoon. It transpired that a pilot, name, nationality and sex being withheld to protect the guilty, had popped into the office to avail themselves of our e-mail facilities. While typing their letter, they asked how to spell "Aleutian Islands". Now maybe my geography is not all that good, but there is a huge difference between Ascension Island and the Aleutian Islands. One is in the tropical South Atlantic, the other is in the much chillier North Pacific, and when I say North, I really mean North, like close to Alaska. How on earth did they manage to find the runway?????

Makem

 

Your Health this Week

Bladder Problems
If you live with bladder problems, this information will give you a better understanding of your condition and may help you to find effective treatment. Bladder problems needn't be an evitable part of getting older. If you live with bladder problems, you are not alone. Millions of men and women of all ages share these problems. While there are many different causes and degrees of severity, one thing is certain: bladder problems needn't be an evitable part of getting older. Most bladder problems can be successfully treated.

What Are Bladder Problems?
Bladder problems are medical conditions that prevent you from being able to control when you pass urine. They are characterised by one or more of the following symptoms:
· A frequent need to pass urine (8 times or more during a 24-hour period)
· A strong, sudden urge to pass urine
· Waking up to pass urine (2 or more times a night)
· Wetting yourself (small or large amounts)

The bladder control system
Every time you eat and drink, your body absorbs liquids. The kidneys filter out waste products from the body fluids and make urine, which is stored in your bladder.
When the bladder is full, nerves in your bladder signal the brain. That's when you get the urge to go to the toilet. Once you reach the toilet, your brain sends a message to the large bladder muscle to squeeze, or contract. At the same time it tells the support muscles that surround your urethra, which is the outlet passage from the bladder, to relax and let the urine through. Bladder control means you pass urine only when you want to.

Types of bladder problems
There are 3 major types of bladder problems. Each has a different cause and exhibits different symptoms. In order to get the appropriate medical treatment, it is important to identify which type you have. Most problems happen when the muscles are either to weak or too active. Problems may also occur when nerve signals don't work properly

1. Overactive bladder occurs when you bladder muscle becomes to active. This can happen for a number of reasons, including minor nerve damage (sometimes from surgery or childbearing). The symptoms experienced by overactive bladder sufferers may include: urgency- a strong and sudden urge to pass urine; frequency - having to go to the toilet 8 times or more in a 24 hour period, often accompanied by getting up frequently at night, and in some people, an accidental loss of urine due to a sudden and unstoppable urge to pass urine. At times this urge to go to the toilet is so strong, you may worry about having an accident. Since an overactive bladder usually catches you off guard, many people with this condition do have accidents.

2. Stress incontinence- the support muscles around your urethra, which is the outlet passage from the bladder, keeps the urine in your bladder from escaping. When these muscles become weak, even the small amount of stress created by everyday activities may cause a small amount of urine to pass. For example, acts such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, or lifting heavy objects can cause urine to escape. In women, stress incontinence often occurs after pregnancy or menopause.

3. Mixed symptoms - its fairly common to have both the symptoms of an overactive bladder AND stress incontinence. Your doctor can help you to understand how best to treat these symptoms.

4. Other conditions - there are some conditions that may appear to be a bladder control problem but are not. A common one is a urinary tract infection. With a urinary tract infection, you feel frequent need to pass urine just as if you had the symptoms of an overactive bladder. However people who experience a urinary tract infection usually experience a burning sensation when they pass urine, and often only a small amount of urine is passed. And unlike with an overactive bladder, the symptoms start very quickly.
A urinary tract infection results when bacteria begin growing in the bladder. If these are your symptoms, discuss it with your doctor, because it can become serious if not taken care of immediately. Men may suffer from an enlarged prostate which is not a bladder problem. The symptoms from an enlarged prostate can be similar to an overactive bladder, but usually other symptoms also exist, eg. Many men with enlarged prostates find it difficult to start passing urine. Your doctor can tell you whether you have an enlarged prostate, overactive bladder or both.

Since each of these bladder problems is a medical condition, you should discuss treatment options with your doctor.

Weight Watches
Wanting to shed those extra pounds before the festive season and win some cash to boot? Come to the Georgetown Hospital every Monday afternoon from 7th October 2002, to have your weight checked, and advice on diet and exercise.