TAVERN OF THE SEAS SOUTH AFRICANS ARE GOING ALONE
Regular check-ups at either a doctor or hospital are vital – even during the pandemic
I VISITED a friend recently and found her in the throes of renovating her house. She was ripping sundry wires off her walls and covering up the various screw holes and plugs that had been holding them to the walls.
“This one was linked to the alarm system,” she said, “but the security company is now connected by radio, so they don’t need wires any more.”
Then she showed me where she had ripped the Telkom wires off the wall.
“Nobody uses landline phones any more. We do all our phoning by cellphone.”
Her letterbox had been removed from its usual place next to the front gate.
“I don’t think the Post Office delivers letters any more, so the letterbox has just become a nest for spiders.”
Out it went. All the screw holes in the walls have been filled and smoothed over, ready for repainting.
An increasing number of homeowners have become tired of Eskom’s unreliable service and are installing solar panels to generate their own power. If this trend continues, modern cities and suburbs will become collections of totally independent little islands of self-sufficiency.
When Eskom provides yet another load-shedding power cut only the street lights will turn off. The windows of private houses, pubs and shops will remain cheerfully lit as residents enjoy the benefits of free solar energy. Eventually the only regular users of Eskom electricity might be the squatter camp residents who have set up their own illegal connections.
Sadly, they omitted to install meters, so Eskom is unlikely to earn much revenue from them. The corrupt ANC cadres will have to find an alternate source of income. They’ve plundered the airline and looted the railways. They stole the PPE from the Health Department. What’s left?
With Eskom on the rocks our politicians may have to resort to earning an honest income elsewhere. (Shock! Horror!) Maybe some will even resort to finding real jobs, like ordinary people. It’s a tough life. Nobody said that running a country was an easy matter.
Last Laugh
For once the estate agent decided to be perfectly honest about a property he was selling.
“It’s bordered on the north side by a glue factory,” he said, “and there’s a rubber factory to the south. On the east side there’s a brewery and in the west side there’s an abattoir.”
“Good grief,” said the client, “doesn’t it have any redeeming features?”
“Well,” said the estate agent, “you can always tell which way the wind’s blowing.”
FOR centuries, people used to visit a doctor only when they were very sick or dying.
Preventative health care has become the norm, as we are more vigilant and empowered when it comes to our health. Screening and treatment have become important steps towards living a longer, healthier life.
Our physicians encourage us to do regular check-ups and to stay on top of our health as a form of prevention in order to actualise the old but neglected cliché which maintains that “prevention is better than a cure”, or “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”!
These days we are pre-emptively seeking medical advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle, preferring to lower the risk of various conditions or diseases by maintaining a healthy diet, weight and level of physical activity.
While exercise, a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important to keep oneself healthy, it is also important to go for health check-ups at periodic intervals. The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic in our lives has interfered with our balance. Covid-19 and preventive health Before the emergence of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic we were disposed towards pursuing curative health services. In the midst of the pandemic, medical emergencies unrelated to Covid-19 still occur. All diseases are still prevalent in our society.
Unfortunately, as we battle Covid19 and seek an end to the existence of the pandemic that has already had a devastating effect on the people of the world, many individuals are postponing regular or medical check-ups as they try to observe physical distancing and avoid unnecessary exposure and contagion.
We have observed recently that other causes of death rather than Covid-19 are also still very prevalent, even though Covid-19 has taken centre stage. Recently, beloved musical icons Sibongile Khumalo and Jonas Gwangwa died from non-Covid-related illnesses. There have been numerous other causes of mortality as well, but these diseases seemingly have taken a back seat in our wellness and health care as we battle Covid-19.
Avoiding doctors’ rooms, hospitals
The postponement of routine disease management appointments have become a regular occurrence.
There are comments such as “Hospitals are full of Covid people”, and “If I go to a hospital, I'll get Covid”. Elective surgery is also being postponed and delayed due to the contagion measures.
The coronavirus has diminished trust in visiting doctor’s rooms or hospitals to such an extent that people are ignoring danger signs with potentially fatal consequences.
Benefits of full body check-ups Annual medical examinations can help find potential health issues before they become a problem. When you see your doctor regularly, you are able to detect health conditions or diseases early.
Early detection gives one the best chance for getting the right treatment quickly and avoiding any complications.
Regular medical check-ups or fullbody check-ups – as some people call them – include a number of physical and mental checks, making sure that your body and mind are fit and fine.
Annual medical examinations help you avoid a wide number of diseases and catch other diseases early on, keep you better-advised about your health, and keep you, your physician and other doctors acquainted and familiar with your health.
As a medical practitioner I can recommend the following tests and screenings as mandatory practice:
◆ Blood glucose check for diabetes or hypoglycaemia
◆ Blood pressure check
◆ Breast examinations – which are essential screening for breast cancer
◆ A complete blood count for anaemia and measures of blood components like thyroid, liver and kidney values, as well as cholesterol levels
◆ Papanicolaou test for women as part of an annual pelvic exam
◆ Skin cancer check, particularly for those with a family history of skin cancer or many moles
◆ Tuberculosis test, chest X-rays ◆ Urinalysis for urinary tract infections and kidney disorders
◆ Colonoscopy (for those over 50) – an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine and rectum. Prostate cancer being a killer disease in our community for men – specific antigen tests – the most common screening tool for prostate cancer.
◆ Eye exam and glaucoma test to check blindness and dental care. Manage overall wellness
Even if you feel healthy, a fullbody examination – even during the pandemic – means having an expert you can trust to answer your health questions or analyse your symptoms, whenever needed.
In addition to these tests we must undergo, a primary care doctor can help you manage overall wellness during the pandemic, including the many components of our health that contribute to maintaining a strong immune system.
It is important to emphasise that personal hygiene is a powerful practice, particularly during this time.
Masks alone will not protect you – you need to wash your hands often with soap and water; use alcohol-based hand sanitisers; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; clean and disinfect surfaces you use often and ensure that you maintain physical distance.