Minutes - Oct 09

NATAL BYPASS MEETING 05/2009 HELD ONWEDNESDAY 7TH OF OCTOBER 2009AT ENTABENI HOSPITALat 17:30
PRESENT:Shane Newman (Chairman) Shirley Piek (Treasurer)Shirley Willet (Secretary)As per attendance register - 22 names recorded
1. OPENING AND WELCOMEThe chairman thanked everybody for their attendance & welcomed everybody.
2. APOLOGIES: The following people had tendered their apologies:Dave Parry, Pieter & Ilsa Deighton, IB Singh, Colin & Thelma Hall, Ron Masters, Doug & Betty Paul & Harold, Cheryl Webster & Yvonne Malan
3. TESTIMONIES FROM NEW VISITORSThere were no visitors present.
4. GENERALThe following items were brought to the attention of all present :· Finance & Administrationo Treasurer’s report – § Shirley Piek had advised that the finances were still stable, with approximately R17k banked.§ Subs for 2009/10 (to remain at R40) to be paid to Shirley asapv Natal Bypass Club banking details – Account Name – Natal Bypass club, Standard Bank of SA, Branch code 042826, Account number 257360549· Natal Bypass Gym – Dennis Graham advised that the gym, had been stopped, due to various reasons, the main one being that there was not a medical officer present at the time of the exercises, a requirement insistent on by Old Mutual. Dr Hansa will try and see what he could do wrt a medical nurse being present.· Impilo drugs – George Barnes advised that it might be possible for the antioxidants to be in the form of capsules and that the minimum order might be more reasonable & lower for the members to obtain the tablets. George will keep us informed of developments.· Coughing during a heart attack – An E-mail had been received from Shirley Willet, regarding a suggestion of what to do in the case of a heart attack & you are by yourself – “Do not panic, but start coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two secounds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again”· End of the Year luncheon – DCC 29 November 2009 12:00pmThe chairman advised the members present, that the club would contribute the R1 500 for the deposit required by the Durban Country Club (DCC) for the luncheon, and pay for a pianist, Colin Penn. Each member would therefore be responsible to pay R90 p.p. to attend this full buffet & refreshments would be for each persons account. For those who will be attending, kindly ensure that the monies are paid by the 16th of November 2009, into the Bypass account and that Shirley Piek be advised of your name/s of who is attending. All are welcome to attend & everybody is looking forward to this annual event.· Re-Election of Chairperson & Committee for 2010The chairman mentioned that the club availed itself the opportunity to elect a chairperson & committee for 2010. The chairperson & committee members would remain as is for 2010, which positions were accepted by each committee member.· Future MeetingsThe chairman suggested if the meetings should be held quarterly, but is was agreed that they continue every 2 months, as has been done in the past.
5. RAFFEL DRAWThe raffle, was won by Danny Naidoo. Shane apologized that he had stated in the minutes that Athol Willet had won the raffle at the last meeting. This was an error, as George Barns won it.
GUEST SPEAKERHeart of the Matter by Dr Cassim HansaThe chairman introduced Dr Cassim Hansa, the resident cardiologist at Entabeni hospital. The notes hereunder are from the presentation and from questions that were asked by those present.A presentation was made by Dr Hansa and he started by saying that there is a connection between the physical & metaphysical of the human being of the heart and brain – “feelings from the heart”, “broken heart”, “wearing ones heart on their sleeve”, etc. The human heart develops in the fetus at 12 weeks & at this stage, no brain has been formed. The heart pumps +- 300l of blood an hour, +-100 000 beats per day, through a blood vessel system that is +-100 000 km long. The heart is similar to the motor car engine with valves & an electrical system.Dr Hansa went on to explain how the heart pumps, by means of his presentation.A cardiologist is like a plumber & deals with the “corrosion” of the human “pipes” (atherosclerosis) – cardiologists do not cure heart disease but alleviate the problems. Bypasses can increase & improve your lifespan, whereas stents decrease the symptoms but do not increase lifespan. Stents do stop working, for what they are intended to do, over time, but cannot be removed or replaced – can lead to a bypass in some cases or insertion of more stents. When cardiologist insert stents the arteries can be blown up to 18 – 21 bars – a considerable pressure, bearing in mind a car tyre takes 2 kph. Most stent patients are placed on Plavex (Anticoagulants medication) for at least 1 year & the bruising which occurs is a good sign that the medication is working. Plavex should only be stopped if in an emergency. A Beta Blocker like Carloc slows heart rate, as scar tissue (heart muscle dies after a myocardial infarction (heart attack) can affect heart rate. It is advisable to see your cardiologist at least once a year. One of the biggest problems with bypass patients is not completing a rehabilitation program and living in fear. Most medical aids will contribute to the costs of rehabilitation for six months, after a bypass. Fat is a major problem for the heart, as more blood has to be pumped through more capillaries, causing the heart to work more, fat collects around vessels, the heart & other organs, causing pressure on these organs.As Dr Hansa had patients to see, the members appreciated & enjoyed the time he had taken to speak to us. Thank you Dr Hansa, for the enjoyable talk.
NEXT MEETINGThe next meeting would be on Wednesday the 3rd of February 2010 at the Conference suite at the Entabeni Hospital at 17:00 for 17:30. The next gathering of members would therefore be at the DCC for the annual Christmas & End of Year function at Durban Country Club on the 29th of November 2009. The meetings for 2010 will be as follows :o 3 February 2010o 7 April 2010o 2 June 2010o 4 August 2010o 6 October 2010o 28 November 2010 (Annual luncheon)Kindly diarize the above dates.Please support your club.
A copy of these minutes has been placed on the Clubs Blog site at - http://natalbypass.blogspot.com/ to view.Issued by Shane Newman – 084 510 8738 or 031 204 5633 (office hours) or shane.newman@absamail.co.zaChairman – Natal Bypass ClubDate : 8 October 2009