Doctors Raise My Blood Pressure

This article is about my experience with Doctors about Blood Pressure measurement and my aversion to take medication unless patently necessary.

At my last birthday I was required to renew my medical certificate to allow me to continue to drive my car. Here in Australia when you reach 75 you have to prove that you are entitled to drive. When visiting my GP for this purpose he gives me an eye test, BP measurement and we have a brief discussion—he handed over the certificate and the visit was over within ten minutes.

As he was on holiday, I saw my wife Margaret's GP instead; not so with this visit. Half an hour later we came to the BP test which showed a somewhat higher number this visit. We had a brief discussion: no I did not prefer medication unless essential, I was in very good health, the figure was about what it had been for many years, but I understood that when getting older the rate usually would gradually increase.

She was having none of that, insisting to put me on a low dose of medication to start and would review me in a week’s time to assess the level of medication required she then completed the certificate which basically reveals that I am fit to drive my car and see a doctor on a regular basis.

A week later, no change in the BP level. She insisted she put me on a full dose.

Another week later the BP was not much different.

I was having difficulty understanding what she was saying with her Asian accent. In time, Margaret explained that the doctor said I had “the white coat syndrome”. I was pleased that she suggested we buy a BP machine. A week later, back with the doctor, my recorded information showed variable but very reasonable results and I suggested going without the medication but reluctantly accepted a reduction only.

As I join Margaret in her appointments with her doctor on other than routine visits, she knew me well enough, but her method of doctoring did not sit well with me. In time I gathered the courage to go back to my old GP, her partner in the next room, and discussed my wish to keep medication to a minimum or (preferably do without).

His approach was “fair enough”. Stay on the half medication, keep regular records, if it goes up too much double the medication, see me in a month’s time, earlier if I wanted to.

At the visit a month later reviewing the recorded data, he found the results excellent, suggesting I stay on the low half dose medication and if the downward trend continued I could go of the medication altogether. After a brief further discussion I was out of his office within 10 minutes.

I had investigated hypertension on the Internet and gained the impression that the current trend was if testing anyone above 120/80 put the patient on medication and better still reduce this rate, the lower the better.

More research by me on the Internet revealed comments by several Specialists:

• Don't automatically medicate and avoid to prescribe if possible.
• Treat each case on it's own.
• They view nothing wrong with 130/90 (I'm below that).

I am a very independent person preferring to be in personal control of myself and that includes my health and see my Dr (GP in particular) as a consultant. I need to decide. Back to my Doctor experience, I assured Margaret it was not a male versus female problem but that Doctors need to listen carefully to what their patients want.

My GP is a Belgian, long time resident with fluent English.

Margaret's GP is of Asian descent and you can only understand what she says by working hard at it.

I feel Doctors of any nationality are fine but effective communication when consulting is paramount, and this is where our Health System is letting us down. It can't be too hard to ensure appropriate training in speaking English. (Who is talking? A Dutchman who had to learn communicate in the English language.)

HAPPY EXPERIENCE

Great positive experience by one of my friends.
_______________________________________________________________________
Today I parked at the supermarket; I squeezed in between a huge 4WD vehicle on one side and on the other was a dividing ,raised cement partition about 6 inches high or so.

When I came to leave and to reverse out, first my front tyre then my back kept hitting the cement. I went back and forth, cussing quietly.

Then I heard a voice, 'You seem to be having a bit of difficulty; let me guide you out.' He was a young man, maybe in this thirties. He stood in front and called me through the wheel turnings until I was out and clear.

I thanked him very sincerely for his kindness and consideration; typically Aussie he laughed and replied 'No worries, Mate,' and walked off.

He need not have bothered; he could have ignored me and walked straight into the Supermarket; or got in his car and driven off. Instead he saw my plight, changed direction completely and walked over to me to help. His thoughtfulness touched me.

Isn't it nice, in these days of violence and selfishness and inconsiderate behaviour, to suddenly come across this simple action of unsolicited kindness?

AUSTRALIA 2020 SUMMIT

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

I have been following the 2020 conference with interest, but have been amazed by the many adverse, negative comments about the conference in the Courier Mail Newspaper 'on-line' comments. Sure a proportion seem to be political based comments but what surprised me was the lack of acknowledgment of "here is a different new Idea and a Prime Minister willing to stick his neck out and offering to be accountable. Why not 'give the bloke a fair go', is that not the Australian's claim?".
My bias? - 76 year old, born in Holland, 20 years naturalized Australian, belonging to no political party. For what it is worth I offer my opinion as follows.
As one of the most Democratic Countries in the world, Kevin Rudd's party was elected by a significant majority. Clearly a change in direction was wanted by the majority of people and to actually engage the the population via the conference, to tell him what they want was a refreshing idea rather than to be told pull your head in and do as you are told.
The least is the exposure of the Prime Minister's views for Australia - 'these are my views of the future please add to them to make them better'.
Are some of the ideas proposed, not new, borrowed?, if so what, if you think they are OK how else do you get them, from a 2020 conference is as good an idea as any, have any better ideas? then use the Web site to add them.
There are 1000+ very positive people going back home promoting a positive outlook for the future and keen to be part of that outcome, that in itself is a good outcome.
That's just my view.

Hennie van Dyk

GLOBALIZATION

At last I now understand globalization!!!

Finally, a definition of globalization

I can understand and to which

I can relate:

Question : What is the truest definition of Globalization?

Answer : Princess

Diana's death.

Question : How come?

Answer :

An English princess with

an Egyptian boyfriend

crashes in a French

tunnel, driving a

German car

with a Dutch engine,

driven by a Belgian

who was drunk

on Scottish whisky,

(check the bottle before you change the spelling),

followed closely by

Italian Paparazzi,

on Japanese motorcycles,

treated by an American doctor, using

Brazilian medicines.

This is sent to you by

a Canadian,

using Bill Gates' technology,

and you're probably reading this on your computer,

that uses Taiwanese

chips, and a

Korean monitor,

assembled by

Bangladeshi workers

in a Singapore plant,

transported by Indian

lorry-drivers,

hijacked by Indonesians,

unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen,

and trucked to you by Mexican illegals.....

That, my friends, is Globalization!

Immigration in Denmark

I came across this interesting email, gives you reason to reflect.
Hennie

Salute the Danish Flag - it's a Symbol of Western Freedom

By Susan MacAllen

An interesting article on Islamic immigration and the problems created.

In 1978-9 I was living and studying in Denmark. But in 1978 - even in Copenhagen, one didn't see Muslim immigrants. The Danish population embraced visitors, celebrated the exotic, went out of its way to protect each of i ts citizens. It was proud of its new brand of socialist liberalism - one in development since the conservatives had lost power in 1929 - a system where no worker had to struggle to survive, where one ultimately could count upon the state as in, perhaps, no other western nation at the time. The rest of Europe saw the Scandinavians as free-thinking, progressive and infinitely generous in their welfare policies. Denmark boasted low crime rates, devotion to the environment, a superior educational system and a history of humanitarianism.

Denmark was also most generous in its immigration policies - it offered the best welcome in Europe to the new immigrant: generous welfare payments from first arrival plus additional perks in transportation, housing and education. It was determined to set a world example for inclusiveness and multiculturalism. How could it have predicted that one day in 2005 a series of political cartoons in a newspaper would spark violence that would leave dozens dead in the streets - all because its commitment to multiculturalism would come back to bite?

By the 1990's the growing urban Muslim population was obvious - and its unwillingness to integrate into Danish society was obvious. Years of immigrants had settled into Muslim-exclusive enclaves. As the Muslim leadership became more vocal about what they considered the decadence of Denmark's liberal way of life, the Danes - once so welcoming - began to feel slighted. Many Danes had begun to see Islam as incompatible with their long-standing values: belief in personal liberty and free speech, in equality for women, in tolerance for other ethnic groups, and a deep pride in Danish heritage and history.

The New York Post in 2002 ran an article by Daniel Pipes and Lars Hedegaard, in which they forecasted accurately that the growing immigrant problem in Denmark would explode. In the article they reported:

"Muslim immigrants constitute 5 percent of the population but consume upwards of 40 percent of the welfare spending."

"Muslims are only 4 percent of Denmark's 5.4 million people but make up a majority of the country's convicted rapists, an especially combustible issue given that practically all the female victims are non-Muslim. Similar, if lesser, disproportions are found in other crimes."

"Over time, as Muslim immigrants increase in numbers, they wish less to mix with the indigenous population. A recent survey finds that only 5 percent of young Muslim immigrants would readily marry a Dane."

"Forced marriages - promising a newborn daughter in Denmark to a male cousin in the home country, then compelling her to marry him, sometimes on pain of death - are one problem."

"Muslim leaders openly declare their goal of introducing Islamic law once Denmark's Muslim population grows large enough - a not-that-remote prospect. If present trends persist, one sociologist estimates, every third inhabitant of Denmark in 40 years will be Muslim."

It is easy to understand why a growing number of Danes would feel that Muslim immigrants show little respect for Danish values and laws. An example is the phenomenon common to other European countries and the U.S.: some Muslims in Denmark who opted to leave the Muslim faith have been murdered in the name of I slam, while others hide in fear for their lives.

Jews are also threatened and harassed openly by Muslim leaders in Denmark, a country where once Christian citizens worked to smuggle out nearly all of their 7,000 Jews by night to Sweden - before the Nazis could invade. I think of my Danish friend Elsa - who as a teenager had dreaded crossing the street to the bakery every morning under the eyes of occupying Nazi soldiers - and I wonder what she would say today.

In 2001, Denmark elected the most conservative government in some 70 years - one that had some decidedly non-generous ideas about liberal unfettered immigration. Today Denmark has the strictest immigration policies in Europe. ( Its effort to protect itself has been met with accusations of "racism" by liberal media across Europe - even as other governments struggle to right the social problems wrought by years of too-lax immigration.) If you wish to become Danish, you must attend three years of language classes. You must pass a test on Denmark's history, culture, and a Danish language test . You must live in Denmark for 7 years before applying for citizenship. You must demonstrate an intent to work, and have a job waiting. If you wish to bring a spouse into Denmark, you must both be over 24 years of age, and you won't find it so easy anymore to move your friends and family to Denmark with you. You will not be allowed to build a mosque in Copenhagen. Although your children have a choice of some 30 Arabic culture and language schools in Denmark, they will be strongly encouraged to assimilate to Danish society in ways that past immigrants weren't.

In 2006, the Danish minister for employment, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, spoke publicly of the burden of Muslim immigrants on the Danish welfare system, and it was horrifying: the government's welfare committee had calculated that if immigration from Third World countries were blocked, 75 percent of the cuts needed to sustain the huge welfare system in coming decades would be unnecessary. In other words, the welfare system as it existed was being exploited by immigrants to the point of eventually bankrupting the government. "We are simply forced to adopt a new policy on immigration. The calculations of the welfare committee are terrifying and show how unsuccessful the integration of immigrants has been up to now," he said.

A large thorn in the side of Denmark's imams is the Minister of Immigration and Integration, Rikke Hvilshoj. She makes no bones about the new policy toward immigration, "The number of foreigners coming to the country makes a difference," she says, "There is an inverse correlation between how many come here and how well we can receive the foreigners that come." And on Muslim immigrants needing to demonstrate a willingness to blend in, "In my view, Denmark should be a country with room for different cultures and religions. Some values, however, are more important than others. We refuse to question democracy, equal rights, and freedom of speech."

Hvilshoj has paid a price for her show of backbone. Perhaps to test her resolve, the leading radical imam in Denmark, Ahmed Abdel Rahman Abu Laban, demanded that the government pay blood money to the family of a Muslim who was murdered in a suburb of Copenhagen, stating that the family's thirst for revenge could be thwarted for money. When Hvilshoj dismissed his demand, he argued that in Muslim culture the payment of retribution money was common, to which Hvilshoj replied that what is done in a Muslim country is not necessarily what is done in Denmark. The Muslim reply came soon after: her house was torched while she, her husband and children slept. All managed to escape unharmed, but she and her family were moved to a secret location and she and other ministers were assigned bodyguards for the first time - in a country where such murderous violence was once so scarce.

Her government has slid to the right, and her borders have tightened. Many believe that what happens in the next decade will determine whether Denmark survives as a bastion of good living, humane thinking and social responsibility, or whether it becomes a nation at civil war with supporters of Sharia law. And meanwhile, Americans clamor for stricter immigration policies, and demand an end to state welfare programs that allow many immigrants to live on the public dole. As we in America look at the enclaves of Muslims amongst us, and see those who enter our shores too easily, dare live on our taxes, yet refuse to embrace our culture, respect our traditions, participate in our legal system, obey our laws, speak our language, appreciate our history . . we would do well to look to Denmark, and say a prayer for her future and for our own.

QUEENSLAND COUNCIL AMALGAMATIONS

Amazing comments from the Federal Government not the least the Prime Minister involving himself in the the State's decicion with the need for Council amalgamations, where was he when the other states did the same in a simular way? Mind you it was not election time then.
The frightening thing is the assumption that 'all Qeenslanders' lack the inteligence to understand his political ploy to attempt to take advantage of some 'very focal' Mayors, councillors and their followers' with opposition views, I'm sure it is a coincidence that the perceived beneficial effects are in National/Liberal country areas.
Several Members of parliament stated 'All Queenslanders where in uproar', clearly the most unfortunate statement ever made, I'm not in uproar and 'all the people I'm in contact with are neither'.
I do hope that any of the 'totally ineffective polls or whatever they are called', afterall the mergers are going ahead irrespectively, are conducted by polling all involved people in the new regional council area not the particular council who don't like the idea.
More-ever it would be a good idea to publicly declare who was funding the opposition to any relevant merger, developers and the like come to mind.
Expanding further on this idea why not adopt the Swiss practice to poll all people on any major project proposed by the Federal Government as well as the State. I'm sure I don't have to list all the major decisions you would like to vote on.
The Canberra ambiance must create a very remote understanding of any area away from them, then again I suppose the next elections, State or Federal will sort that problem out.
I understand that a politician's most urgent need is their preservation eg re-election or in the case of the various Mayors, Councillors and cosy jobs hangers on to not only keep their jobs but to ensure their future – that being rather tennuous for most of us. Mind you you can't blame them for trying.
Where I live here in the soon ex Beaudesert Shire we have seen the annexing of a large rural area including the Boonah Shire (with a debt of over $10 Mill) and losing a major rate base reducing the population by about a half, (will our rates go up?) but acceptance that life has to go on and we have to adapt with the changes around us seems to pervade around us.
Reflecting on other mergers – the impression is that in many a case a hard basket case has been added to a larger more effective region, hopefully the mix will produce a better result. As always working for possitive result will produce one, obstructing would of course either delay or negate any benefit.

MY HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

I have worn eye glasses since my late teens to assist my long distance view.
With minor corrections over the years my eyesight has remained stable until late last year when I noticed differences which caused me to have my eyesight re-tested again by my optician in respect of my long distance view and the new experience needing reading glasses for minor correction. The optician confirmed that my cataracts had grown since the last test twelve months ago although not causing alarm for an immidiate operation.
Tests revealed any further correction to my glasses did not help as the problem was lack of light in my eyes as a result of the cateracts.
I followed the recommendation to have an examination by a specialist which in my case it had to be thought the public health system (Brisbane, Queensland).
Placed on the waiting list, seven month later I had my appointment, basic eye test by a nursing sister and later with the consultant.
This was an experience, the no doubt able and experienced consultant asked what was my age (75), did I still drive, (yes), what was my problem, kept reading his notes, interupted shortly after I started to speak, told me to put my chin there, looked in the one eye then next and explained you don't need an operation on your cateracts, told me hold your chin here again looking at each eye with his magnifying piece and explained here is a note come back in three months time for an examination to find out what is going on (his words).
I was processed and spat out like a sausage all in about seven minutes leaving me wondering what it was all about.

30th July 2007