New Skin
creditos picture Juicy Bomb
images are the site
I also love the skins of GP:)

Juicy Bomb

During a break in training today I was talking to one of my students about mental disorder. She works in social housing and regularly finds herself at a loss to know what to say to GPs, psychiatic nurses, social workers etc. She knows that something isn’t quite right but she doesn’t really know what that something might be. Nor is she really sure how best to describe what she sees to mental health professionals.

The following then is my attempt to answer that familiar old chestnut for care workers who are not trained in mental health and disorder. It’s one of the AMJ training handouts. Please feel free to download and print it and use it when liaising with others but I’d ask that you keep the copyright details intact if you print it off or forward it electronically.

Bear in mind also that this is in no way intended to replace diagnosis or assessment by appropriate professionals. It’s simply a guide to help you make sense of and structure what you will say to that professional to help them understand the difficulties you and your service-user are reporting.

Click the gallery link below to download the handout in Jpeg format.

Cheers,

Stuart

Give up smoking

Quite obvious really but if you want to dramatically improve your health then you need to quit smoking. You will lower the chances of developing cancer, heart disease, lung disease and death and if that’s not good enough…food will taste better, you’ll smell fresh and you won’t harm others around you with your second-hand smoke! So what’s stopping you? Visit your GP for help – they can talk you through the process of quitting and can prescribe you nicotine replacement therapy if required.

Alternatively visit the following NHS website for more advice:

http://smokefree.nhs.uk/

Cut down your alcohol intake

Occasional drinking is fine, so long as you stay within your limits. Ideally men should drink no more than 3 – 4 units (on a regular basis) a day whereas women should drink no more than 2 – 3 units per day. A glass of wine is typically 1.5 – 3 units, depending on the size of the glass and strength of the wine. A pint of beer is around 2.8 – 3 units. Men should try and stick to 21 units per week, whereas women should stick to 14 units. Cutting down your alcohol intake will lower your chances of liver disease and may make you sleep better. Your skin and eyes will become brighter and you’re likely to lose weight. Alcohol affects your body’s absorption of vitamins and also reduces cardio-vascular fitness and muscle growth. So if you want to improve your general health – drink less.

Learn the benefits of healthy food

Many of us eat when we’re hungry and don’t really think about what we’re putting into our mouths, but the purpose of food isn’t to just fill our bellies. Food provides us with vital vitamins and energy and helps us to grow and stay healthy. One of the best ways to become healthy is to educate and familiarise ourselves with food: the body is like a machine which requires healthy fuel to make it run efficiently. Try and eat your five portions of fruit and veg a day, don’t load your body with fatty foods, but above all have fun with your diet – a healthy balance equals a healthy mind.

Take up regular exercise

If you want to immediately feel good about yourself then get out there and release those endorphins! Try going for a brisk walk for a minimum of 20 mins x 3 times per week, then when you get used to this swap walking for a light jog, swim or a bike ride. Not only will this make you look better but you’ll also be brimming with confidence and have a healthy mind.

Take time out to meditate

Long term stress can suppress our immune system, which can then potentially lead to mental and physical illness. Take time to wind-down at the end of the day and relax. Try yoga or meditation – just a few minutes of deep breathing exercises a day can greatly reduce stress levels.

Visit here to try meditation for yourself:

www.learningmeditation.com

Anyone for noodles?

There are many interpretations of “getting the itch” if you live in Thailand. It could be a desire for travel. It could be a mosquito bite. It could be a rash after eating some dodgy seafood. Or it could be an after-effect of indulging in some naughty nightlife.

I was a bit concerned, however, when the next morning I noticed my mosquito bite had grown a tail. Further concern ensured when the “tail” had doubled in length by the time I finished work, so I went to see a doctor.

As it was just a walk-in appointment, I saw GP rather than a specialist, so he couldn’t confirm what it was. He gave me an antihistamine cream and told me to go back and see a specialist if it handed cleared up two days later.

Two days later, I had two snaking, red lines growing out of the original “bite” and I didn’t need to be or see a specialist to make a good guess about what it was.

Worms.

The specialist confirmed this. He didn’t do any tests to determine exactly which kind of worm, but that it was worms was obvious. He froze the “bite” – evidently the entry point and/or eggs site – with liquid nitrogen and prescribed Albendazole tablets to kill those two worms and any that I may have internally.

A day later, progression of the tracks had ceased, two days later itching had stopped, and from then the lines started fading, so hopefully that means the treatment has done its job.

So, in all, not an overly distressing or disabling experience, but certainly an unpleasant thought to have wriggling things beneath your skin and feeding from your flesh. For all the advantages life in the tropics has over life in grey old Blighty, being a host body for squirming parasites isn’t one of them!

Ea zer egiten duen hurrengo denboraldian, konpetitiboa izango al da?

Craving Comfort

Some days, I roll out of bed, peel open my eyes, and stumble my way to my dresser, just to pull out, a fresh pair of PJ’s.  These are what I call bum days, we all have them… the days, you just want nothing but relaxation.  Then there are days, you want that comfort… but you can’t go out in PJ’s… those are the over sized sweater comfort days.  This season,  I have those a lot.  When I saw this sweater from Skin Flicks, which, coincidentally matches my favorite over sized sweater in real life, I knew it was meant to be… love at first SLight.

Comforting Clothing

So, as this sweater adorns me … here, at my computer… I’ve put together a look for you … here, on my computer.  When my eyes fell on this shirt from BP, the bulging buttons and tiny little ruffles, I saw endless possibilities, this… being one of them of course.  Paired with my go to trousers from Armidi… just the right hues of heather and hints if silver are brought out.  These funny girl flats from Periquita are one of my favorite pair of fall back shoes here in SL.  They remind me of my favorite pair in RL, which, again, I happen to be wearing as we speak.  Smitten, made this adorable hanging heart pendant YEARS ago… though an oldie, it has been an active part of my inventory ever since!  These Genius glasses from Miel, which I’ve worn for a look of the day before… and will again… are so easily re-textured, re-sized, and fit to any AV, that glasses lovers like myself would be crazy not to own them.  Top it off with this simple chic hair from fri.day and you’ve got a comfortable ensemble to grace the grid (or otherwise) in any day!

What I’m Wearing:

Hair: fri. – Deena – Cynical Black

Glasses: MIEL GENIUS PEEPERS

Skin: :Curio: :GP: Acorn Frex [Light] Beach-Crude 2

Shirt: BP* bottan shirts /black

Jacket: Skin Flicks Casy Cascade Sweater Grey

Necklace: SMitten #Black Onyx Heart Necklace Silver (in searching for a SLurl, I discovered SMitten to be missing? If anyone knows a new local or anything, please let me know, Sorry)

Pants: {Gisaci} Journey Tweed Slacks – Gray

Ring: P.C; Times Square Ring – Diamond Unable to get SLurl, Paper Couture)

Shoes: .:Periquita Funny Girl Flats Black:.

Tattoos: *SL* Cherry Blossom

Mer av det gamla vanliga

Tyvärr var inte detta någonting revolutionerande, men å andra sidan, vad hade man förväntat sig eg? Saw VI fortsätter där femman slutade. Sexan har precis som de senare filmerna en hel hög med tillbakablickar i sig, och tyvärr är det mycket tack vare dem som man inser hurpass avtrubbad man blivit av att se de förra fem.

Saw VI är inte nyskapande på något vis, den följer precis samma stil som de andra. Man blir inte överraskad av något längre tyvärr, det känns som om de tappat all magi som fanns i de första 3. Framförallt jämfört med den första filmen som eg är den enda av de nu 6 filmerna som verkligen är något att ha. Men trots all negativitet som man nu kan tycka att jag lyckats förmedla i denna korta text är Saw filmerna fortfarande Saw, de äcklar en konstant i sjuka spel som får en att fundera på vem som eg sitter och kommer på alla groteska spel deltagarna tvingas genomföra.

Denna var dessutom inte alls lika magstark som förra filmen, kan vara jag som är lite avtrubbad som sagt, men ändå. Saw är ändå Saw och man känner igen sig snabbt. Det är ändå det som är filmernas styrka.

GP säger det ändå bäst, “För varje ny Saw-film slår det mig hur serien förvandlats från psykologiska moralthrillers till ett sadistiskt Fångarna på fortet”, och jag är ämnad att hålla med.

Saw VI: 5/10

MediaSverige: Aftonbladet 0/5, Expressen 1/5, GP 3/6, SvD

Filmen är godkänd men inte så mycket mer, knappt det om jag skall vara ärlig.

Niet Nys of Albert, maar wel de Tsjech Stybar werd de winnaar van de eindsprint in deze cyclocross vóór Pauwels. Wereldkampioen Albert spurtte het snelst voor de derde plaats.

Het duel tussen Nys en Albert was halverwege wedstrijd al beslecht doordat Belgisch Kampioen Nys grote achterstand opliep door materiaalpech en pas zesde eindigde.

Door deze derde plaats verstevigt Albert zijn leidersplaats in het GvA-trofee-klassement.

De uitslag

1. Z.Stybar (Tsj) in 58′47″
2. K.Pauwels z.t.
3. N.Albert
4. K.Vantornout
5. B.Aernouts
6. S.Nys

Burgemeester Claes en schepenen Beenders en Smets mochten de drie eersten feliciteren. Zij kregen een mand vol fairtradeproducten aangeboden door een aantal op voorhand geselecteerde jongeren.

We kijken uit naar de volgende cross en ook naar de uitgave van de Grote Prijs volgend jaar met een hopelijk even groot budget en attractieve wedstrijd met veel volk.

www.gphasselt.be

I have honestly trawled through website after website for hours on the best way, in terms of locality, price and method to obtain vaccines.

Ok here’s the scenario:

I’m 23, finished university, I work and I have been at my current GPs for 3 years. The point of this information is that had I still been at university you can get financial help to cover the costs of the vaccines, the same would apply if I weren’t working. Now an important point about the GPs is that had I been there the whole of my life and known I’d stand a fair chance to get at least my Hepatitis B vaccine for free.

A lot of doctors surgeries take the stance that it is better to try and prevent an illness than treat for one. With this in mind you are still playing the lottery and not the one where, unfortunately you can win millions, I’m referring to the NHS postcode lottery.

My friend who is at a surgery just 2 miles away in the same district and postcode area has been given the Hepatitis B vaccine for free. Naturally he has been there since the day he can remember. For us CF folk its not that simple if we move away we need to register with a local surgery to access repeat prescriptions of our job lot orders of medication and for an emergency supply of antibiotics.

In a different blog I discuss where I’m travelling to and the vaccines I need are:

Thyphoid
Polio
Diptera
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis C

Those are the highly recommended vaccines that come free with on the NHS at any UK doctors surgery.

The following are the recommended and a guide price from a local university surgery:

Hepatitis B – 3 doses required at £35 each
Rabies – 3 doses required at £45 each
Japanese encephalitis – 3 doses required at £50 each

All of them are administered over a one month period, typically one the 1st day, the 7th and finally the 28th day. All can be administered at the same time.

Note for CF folk, its important to stay healthy and reduce risk of contracting any disease as we all know it can lead to chest infections due to a weakened immune system. It costs to stay safe but at the same time you don’t want the trip curtailed or a hospital stay to be part of the travel itinerary, so have what is recommended as we are already risking a lot by visiting unhygenic countries.

If you are reading this blog and from around the Birmingham area I used the Bournbrook Varsity Medical Centre in Selly Oak and these were the charges. I didn’t use my registered GP practice as they quoted £550 for all vaccines and attempted to justify the cost by introducing an administering fee of each vaccine dose at £30. Thus for 9 injections to simply inject me was an additional £270! Outrageous. It pays to shop around even where health and NHS subsidy is concerned.

I was told about the travel clinic called MASTA which specialise in walk-in appointments for this type of thing but it worked out more expensive as they quoted £47 for each Hepatitis B and £80 per Japanese encephalitis vaccine. Rabies was the same price.

I’d recommend Bournbrook as its friendly and well located for parking. It also has appointment times on a Saturday, handy for the daily grinders.

I was recommended I have the cholera vaccine which is actually in the form of two drinks. To obtain this a private prescription is required which some GPs issue and others don’t. There’s a fee of course, ranges between £7-10 but this is only for the paper to hand to a pharmacist to say you are allowed it. You have to purchase this at the pharmacist charging price which when I researched was £35 per drink.

Now that I have mentioned private prescriptions to throw another vaccine obtaining method is that some GPs issue private prescriptions and the patient, you, is required to call around various pharmacists to quote how much each vaccine, so rabies, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B in my case, costs. Upon researching this would actually provide no saving and introduce extra cost as you have to factor in the private prescription paper cost for each vaccine course.

I think I have covered all angles of how to obtain vaccines at the best price. I have spent many hours researching and calling in these ones. It is difficult and stressful if your registered GPs don’t play ball. If that’s the case don’t be loyal go elsewhere its not fair to overcharge and make money on a patient.

I think I have been so nostalgic in recent weeks because it is a good way of avoiding thinking about the present. In the present I am still not very well and it is rather tiring. Suffering with bronchiectasis is not the worst thing someone could have but it is exhausting when I am in a flare-up. And the last couple of weeks have also seen minor but painful complications: basically I have been coughing so much that I have torn muscles in my chest and am in quite a bit of pain because of that.

The good news, however, is that the chest specialist wants to try me on a different drug. It is still an antibiotic but instead of me taking something when I am in flare-up, he wants to try some months of taking this new one three times a week as a preventative. I’ve just written to my own GP to ask if he has heard from the specialist about this as I am understandably keen to get going with it. Might make me feel more like a human being more often.

Anyway, sorry this is neither amusing nor particularly upbeat today. No doubt I shall return to lighter words tomorrow. If you want something more worthwhile to read, check out my review of my favoruite ever novel here: theplanetharrisbookblog.

Lesbians can catch cervical cancer.

If you have trouble understanding that sentence then you may find that, throughout your life, simple stuff generally confuses you. Don’t be alarmed to find out that most people probably think you are a twat. The likely cause of this is that you probably are.

You see, if even a layperson struggled to understand the above statement, I would be shocked. It’s not exactly a revelation is it? (PS Did you know that women and straight men can get AIDS too?). So to face such ignorance from a qualified professional took some beating.

Today I went to a Family Planning Clinic (Why? You might ask… lesbians can’t have kids can they?), to discuss why once a month I turn into Regan at the drop of a hat and cry at episodes of Jeremy Kyle. I meet with a nurse who is friendly enough.

She asks what I use for contraception and I politely explain that I don’t really need any – ‘I’m gay.’ ‘Brilliant,’ she replies, more than a little flustered.

On we go with the questions… ‘Are you pregnant?’

‘Err… no. Not unless my girlfriend has a big giant invisible cock.’ I didn’t say that though. I just shook my head.

‘Have you ever had a cervical smear?’

‘Yes,’ I reply, thinking that they were compulsory and remembering the dozens of letters I’ve had from my GP urging me to make sure I have regular smear tests.

‘Have you really? Why on earth would they do that? I mean, you don’t need one do you? How funny.’

At this point, my cervix probably blushed, it’s hard to tell, but my face certainly did. ‘I was sure that every woman over a certain age has to have a smear test.’

‘Really?’ Yes, that’s what the NURSE actually said to me.

‘I don’t think sexuality has anything to do with getting cancer.’

‘I suppose not,’ she pondered.

Now, forgive me for condemning this woman. She was pretty nice other than this and didn’t intentionally mean to make me feel hugely uncomfortable in what was a pretty personal and private meeting anyway. But I could not go so far as to say that her comments or attitude were harmless. Far from it – she directly implied that as a lesbian, I do not require regular, if any, cervical smear tests and therefore that I am not at risk from cervical cancer.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this is bullshit in its rawest form. It’s staggering that a health professional, whose job it is to inform vulnerable women about sexual issues, could be so discriminatory and ignorant at the same time.

Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case. Diva magazine did a feature on this very thing not that long ago.

According to this, statistics show that a woman’s risk of cervical cancer is cut by 84% if she has a smear test every five years, and 91% if she has a smear every three years. It’s estimated that NHS cervical screening saves more than 1000 lives each year.

A British Medical Journal editorial published in 2003 said: “An unfortunate perception exists among healthcare providers and women who have sex with women that they don’t need regular cervical smears… sexual intercourse with men is a powerful risk factor for cervical cancer. However, it’s important to counter the erroneous assumption that women who have sex with women aren’t at risk of catching human papillomavirus. Around one in five women who’ve never had heterosexual intercourse have human papillomavirus which is associated with developing high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia” – in other words abnormal cervical tissue development.

So please, don’t ever be fooled into thinking that because you sleep with women and not men that you can’t develop cervical cancer.

It is more than just a myth. It’s a lie that puts lives at risk.

the somewhat similar to julia/julie project is burning down to ashes. i honestly don’t think i could possibly execute that many dishes that often…but its an interesting thought. i might initiate it sometime later when i have the time (could i possibly with study,internship,etc etc…???)ah hell, i’ll have a go at it when i’m 50 or something i swear!given that i’m not already dead la kan…=p

anyhuu, despite the unformidable failure at julia/julie project, i did somehow manage to co0k several different dishes these past few days,but i just don’t have the time to blog them. i’m super duper lazyyyy. but today,i’m just gonna jot down the recipe for super duper EASY chicken rice i made yesterday evening. (WORD of the WEEK=’super duper’.so terima saja ok?). mom is gonna be super mad if she knows how horrifyingly simple her recipe has become. its freaking different, its not even her recipe anymore…muahahaaa…(-_- )”sigh* it’s not really that funny actually…ANYWAYS… here’s a picture. recipe can be found on the ‘RECIPE’ page.

on a different note. i had an interesting day today at the GP. did a house call in the evening, it was raining mad but i braved the weather anyways(see how dedicated i am bibik? =p)met a grandma with alzheimer. she was chatty enough despite being sick and funnily enough she claimed to have met me somewhere yesterday.haha. and she was supposedly in dublin yesterday too. and she IS 22 yo. haha. so given her age which is around 89 she must have met me, urm, about 60 years ago somewhere in dublin. that is kinda interesting ain’t it?no? i find it intriguing even.i’m pretty sure stephen king would have written a story on that if only he knew.

animal bar is <3 .a patient was smitten with Jodie the secretary,so he bought her a whole box of  animal bar…haha…how sweet is that???but the best part was, i got a piece of iggie the iguana and percy parrot.ha!

chicken rice…YUMMMM!!!

GP NGOL BAIA FARTA 15-11-09
CLASSIFICAÇÃO GERAL
PILOTO POLE 1ª Manga
clss Nº Piloto nome Provincia pole tempo volta pos vlts dif melhor tempo volta tempo pontos
1 82 beto pinheiro benguela 3 00.32.107 19 de 19 1 20 - 00.30.610 16 10.37.240 22
2 201 sandro dias (riquito) huila 2 00.31.931 3 de 25 4 19 1 00.31.419 5 10.32.129 17
3 52 marco valente benguela 6 00.34.093 9 de 13 6 19 1 00.33.048 3 10.43.204 15
4 8 mauro pereira benguela 4 00.32.190 42 de 43 3 19 1 00.31.401 7 10.31.887 18
5 30 marcio pereira benguela 15 - - 9 19 1 00.32.442 13 11.02.857 12
6 100 nuno ricardo luanda 9 00.34.781 11 de 12 8 19 1 00.33.509 6 11.02.608 13
7 6 antonio costa benguela 14 - - 7 19 1 00.32.460 19 10.59.020 14
8 4 armando guedes huambo 7 00.34.268 11 de 12 15 13 7 00.32.690 11 10.31.695 6
9 207 cleosio serrao huila 1 00.31.050 20 de 23 2 20 00.07.662 00.30.663 11 10.44.902 20
10 279 arsenio pinto benguela 11 00.35.698 8 de 9 11 18 2 00.33.458 18 10.36.253 10
11 280 artur afonso benguela 10 00.35.646 16 de 24 13 18 2 00.34.975 15 10.57.605 8
12 44 yuri costa benguela 8 00.34.673 8 de 30 10 19 1 00.33.828 12 11.03.951 11
13 777 zaza luanda 5 00.33.695 5 de 6 5 19 1 00.32.609 13 10.41.566 16
14 23 ricardo d´oliveira luanda 12 00.37.171 3 de 6 14 17 3 00.33.756 17 10.31.326 7
15 51 ilidio cardoso benguela 13 - - 12 18 2 00.32.890 14 10.41.973 9
2ª Manga 3ª Manga TOTAIS
pos vlts dif melhor tempo volta tempo pontos pos vlts dif melhor tempo volta tempo pontos pontos
1 20 - 00.30.499 11 10.35.590 22 1 20 - 00.30.690 15 10.31.352 22 66
2 20 00.03.208 00.30.333 4 10.38.798 20 2 20 00.01.918 00.30.207 5 10.33.270 20 57
4 19 1 00.32.580 11 10.37.773 17 5 19 1 00.32.196 18 10.33.151 16 48
3 20 00.20.303 00.31.026 13 10.55.893 18 10 18 2 00.30.623 4 10.55.891 11 47
7 19 1 00.32.243 3 10.45.796 14 4 20 00.27.675 00.30.948 18 10.59.027 17 43
6 19 1 00.32.239 3 10.45.709 15 7 19 1 00.32.242 9 10.34.688 14 42
8 19 1 00.32.076 3 10.46.676 13 6 19 1 00.31.645 18 10.34.327 15 42
5 19 1 00.32.109 13 10.38.718 16 4 20 00.27.220 00.32.083 7 10.58.572 18 40
14 15 5 00.29.995 10 08.32.694 7 12 11 9 00.31.208 4 10.45.339 9 36
9 19 1 00.33.136 15 10.54.719 12 8 19 1 00.33.067 3 10.56.370 13 35
11 18 2 00.34.528 18 10.55.428 10 9 18 2 00.33.897 17 10.41.123 12 30
13 16 4 00.33.524 9 09.21.124 8 11 17 3 00.33.219 3 09.56.590 10 29
12 17 3 00.32.442 10 09.32.918 9 - - - - - - - 25
10 18 2 00.33.372 3 10.34.767 11 13 15 5 00.33.052 3 02.59.457 8 18
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9

De parcoursbouwers van de Grote Prijs van Hasselt veldrijden zijn volop aan het werk in het Kapermolenpark om op tijd klaar te zijn voor de grote dag op zaterdag 21 november. De parcoursontwerpers en -bouwers zijn Vic Maes en Paul Hereygers. De coördinatie bij de opbouwwerken ligt bij Rob Beenders, die samen met zijn broer ook de handen uit de mouwen steekt om links en rechts te helpen en bij te springen.

De twee inwoners van Tremelo, Niels Albert en Sven Nys, zijn vriendschappelijk, beleefd en lief voor elkaar voor de camera, maar in de cyclocross zijn het twee aartsrivalen. Grote supportersgroepen steunen hun idolen en maken op gepaste tijden afkeurende gebaren en geven negatieve commentaar, wanneer de ene de andere hindert tijdens de veldrit. Hopelijk zien we ook opnieuw zo’n heroïsch duel in de modder van Kapermolen. Of wint een outsider?

De kaartverkoop verloopt vlot. Al meer dan 700 zijn er al de deur uit. Je kan nog kaarten kopen tot en met vrijdag 20 november op de Dienst Toerisme in de Lombaardstraat. Tickets in voorverkoop kosten 8 euro. Aan de kassa betaal je  10 euro(9 euro indien je lid bent van de KBWB). De toegang is gratis voor kinderen geboren na 01/01/1997. Dit geldt echter niet voor de VIP-locaties.

Programma

10 – 10u30: Nieuwelingen
11 – 11u40: Juniors
11u55 – 12u35: Training beloften en elite
12u45 -13u35: Beloften
13u50 – 14u15: Jeugdinitiatie
15 – 16u: Elite

Het duel Nys-Albert wordt live uitgezonden op televisie.

www.gpvanhasselt.be

Tal como o AutoSport tinha noticiado há meses, a Mercedes-Benz anunciou hoje a compra da Brawn Fórmula 1.

Renomeando-a Mercedes Grand Prix, depois de ter adquirido 75.1 por cento das acções da equipa de Ross Brawn, sendo que 45.1% são adquiridos pela Daimler e 30% pela Aabar Investments. As restantes acções ficarão na posse dos homens da Brawn, com Ross Brawn e Nick Fry à cabeça.

A marca alemã mantém para já a ligação à McLaren, pelo menos até 2015, mas irá vender os seus 40% de acções durante os próximos dois anos: “A Mercedes vai competir na F1 no próximo ano, com a sua equipa de fábrica.”, referiu o presidente da Mercedes, Dieter Zetsche.

Ross Brawn vai continuar como Director da equipa, sendo que o coordenador passa a ser Norbert Haug, como se sabe, actual patrão da Mercedes Benz Motorsport. A equipa permanece em Brackley. Este acordo, vai permitir à Mercedes regressar como equipa de fábrica, pela primeira vez desde que Juan Manuel Fangio foi Campeão do Mundo em 1955.

(Fonte: autosport.aeiou.pt)

Not feeling the best? Feeling a little bit under the weather? But not really sure what is wrong with you?

The Boots Company have launched since last month Boots WebMD. This site has information and advice in relation to all your health needs. It provides comprehensive medical information enables us to present you with compelling, credible and up-to-date content on the latest health topics, news and research.

Information and also features material from well-known content providers like the British Medical Journal and NHS Choices.

WEB MD SYMPTOM CHECKER

Boots also provide a symptom checker. PLEASE PLEASE visit your G.P. as in some cases it might be a misdiagnosis from the WEB MD Checker!

If you are experiencing any unusual symptoms, it’s always best to visit the doctor. However, sometimes you just want a little more information to prepare for your visit. Simply select your age range and gender, click on the relevant part of the body and then choose from a list of symptoms to get more detailed information.

So log on have fun and play around with it!

http://www.webmd.boots.com/

But you are a cripple, Blanche...

For the first time in three weeks, I have picked up my stick (lent to me by MacGuiver from the bar next door) and walked. Out there- outside. Yesterday I had my follow-up x.ray at a medical centre and in the afternoon, another visit to my GP to be signed back on for work, all things being well.

The x ray was a fairly efficient affair. We were sitting in a small bay with plastic seating, at right angles to a corridoor with many doors leading off it into various x-ray and consulting rooms. Along the corridoor hurtled medical staff in a self-important flurry, occasionally calling out names, then barking the order ´this way, please´. By the time I followed my nurse she had disappeared, and I stood peering into open doors, thinking ´yeah, but which way?….´ until she found me. Back in the waiting room I heard ‘Maria Milagros Martinez’ called out, and a woman of about 30 years old came forward. Mary Miracle Martinez. That means she was named in the eighties sometime. I understand older Spaniards having religious names – it was a decree of Franco´s that all babies christened after a certain date must have a religious name, hence the glut of Mary Josephs, Joseph Marys, Jesus, Mary of the snows, of the pains, Pains, Consolation, Immaculate, etc etc. But what were her parents thinking? Mary Miracle Martinez? Sounds like a specialist hooker or a girl who fires herself out of a cannon for a living. Nowhere near as bad, however, as my favourite ghastly name which is Circuncision, shortened to Circun. An old lady’s name originating in Andalucia, apparently, thankfully dying out these days.

Following the x ray I was told I could go home and it would be sent to my GP electronically. I asked for it to be sent that day so as not to waste a visit to my GP that afternoon and was assured it would be done that morning. Knowing in my gut that something in the process would screw up, I hobbled home. At the doctor’s later (by this time with a sore-ish foot due to all the walking) I was told the xray had been sent but in the wrong format and I’d have to go back again the next day. Deep breath….

Today I made a visit to work to sort our paperwork. I went by metro, perfecting my authentic Dr House limp with stick.

''Make your own cup of tea.''

Reactions to the stick are interesting. At the best of times it´s hard enough to get someone to give up their metro seat for you. I was offered a seat twice, once by an older gentleman and then by a young woman. Suddenly there were other walking wounded everywhere. In the carriage with me a young man with a wheelchair, another man at Sol metro station with a zimmer frame, a girl on crutches, in Plaza Lavapies another man resting on a bench with his crutches. As the metro carriage door opened and the wheelchair guy and I tried to leave, the usual press of bodies stopped us leaving before they piled into the carriage, and one bitter old cow tutted loudly at us as we tried to push pur way through and onto the platform. I reacted in true Spanish fashion, snapping at her,

´Well, let us get off first, then!’ Sometimes being half Spanish has its advantages- you are allowed to answer back, to have a damn good whinge when you need to, to push and shove, and you can permit yourself not to apologise when someone else shoulder barges you in the street.

After calling in to work I went to the office where the Ponce pays his rent and sorted that out for him. The doorman to the building rushed out of his little booth as I was leaving- a red-faced balding midget with a huge grin, and asked me how I´d done it, then why didn’t I have a man to do these things for me, then next time I should call him and he’d lift heavy things for me, finishing our short chat with the statement ´God, but you’re gorgeous, you are.’ Thanks very much, but no thanks….

It feels good to be out and about again. It´s as though I have been away in another country, or in a chrysalis, emerging blinking into the light. Over the past few weeks it has become winter. The walk back from the x ray yesterday morning was glorious. My appointment was at 8.10, and I saw the sun rise pink over the Puerta de Toledo. The streets are quieter, the terraces are almost all brought inside by now and there are even a handful of Christmas decorations up. Winter in Madrid is bitterly cold but exhilerating. It felt good to be back. Enough of this crippled house arrest. I think I might keep the stick though, as an affectation, and as a handy way to get a seat on the metro.