Disclaiming Christmas

Each year a lot of people try their best to turn others off from celebrating the birth of Christ on December 25th, using reasons such as it being winter and all; being a pagan holiday; Christ said celebrate His death and not His birth, etc etc.

Besides the obvious calendar errors as evidenced by the 40 or more calendars used by different cultures and Luke 2: 10-11 which speaks to the "tidings of great joy"  , I see the Christmas season with its proliferation of Jesus songs and movies as an opportunity for reaching those who would not normally see Jesus as the son of God , as a time of family reunions, and certainly not as an excuse for deviating from our Christian faith.

The issue of Santa Claus is a non issue as no serious person really believes in Santa, or the Easter Bunny or any other fictitious character brought to life by the fertile imaginations of successful story tellers.

If we falter because of the excesses of others whether at Christmas or at any other festival then we will have failed in our mission to win souls to Christ.

As a Pastor recently said , it's about an event not about a day; It's an opportunity to be truly a beacon of light to others. Remind them with love and humility of the reason for the season. This incidentally is only my experience and is not meant to change the opinion of others.

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE

Democracy: a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

As July 16 draws closer at least six hopefuls will face the polls as  those eligible to vote will make a determination just whom they would give the responsibility and I daresay the honour of representing them at Local Government Level. Only question is " Who is really worthy of such honour?"

I think it only safe to assume that few if any of us truly understand the role and functions of a Local Government Representative while fewer still will venture to accept the limitations under which the successful candidate will have to function.

What is certain however is that by and large the election results will be seen as a barometer to determine the popularity of the parties they represent with a view to their success at the next General elections. All the more reason for us to pay attention to the utterances of the leaders of these political parties as much as the support the elected representatives will have from their respective parties.

The UNC is on record as saying they will roll back any attempt the present Government makes at re-establishing the Property Tax, a tax which has been on the books from my earliest memory and which is necessary for the development and maintenance of a reformed local government system. This for me raises a red flag! The PNM on the other hand is determined to revive an economy that is now on the upswing and in spite of criticisms from those opposed to its rule seems to be headed in the right direction.  PEP is PEP.

Good luck to those vying for the opportunity to represent the people. Your actions will always speak louder than your words.

http://www.looptt.com/content/pnm-wins-belmont-east-unc-secures-barataria

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

While one may wish to  empathize with those who feel that they are being unfairly monitored by the State because after all it is their relatives who aligned themselves with ISIS while they remained in Trinidad and Tobago, I think they are being deceptive and in fact very obscene for them to accuse the Government of  targeting Muslims.

We in Trinidad and Tobago are not noted for such discriminatory practices and like myself many of us have relatives from all walks of life and can truly say here every creed and race find an equal place although politics seems to be erasing that from us.

I wish to appeal to good common sense and decency and to remember that prevention is always better than cure; and to remember that it is the Government's responsibility to at least try to protect and serve all the people and not just those criminals who just happen to feel violated in some way.   

The anti-terrorism act does not target Muslims but terrorists. I am not aware that Muslims hold the monopoly on terrorism.

Drowning in a sea of ineptitude

Everything that's bad in the sea is the fault of the shark and every evil that man commits is Satan's fault. So blaming the PNM is par for the course whenever we need to look for a scapegoat.

This morning I dropped off my wife at the EBC office in Arima to collect her ID card, an exercise that should take no more than 15 minutes unless of course there was a crowd. There was none at 9.20am.

Imagine my surprise when after almost two hours had passed  her form was still on the counter with a heap of others none of which was being attended to.

Amidst all the grumbling from those seated in the waiting room  were the obvious comments about the failure of the PNM government to get a simple task right. PNM ? What about the young lady given the task whose only care seemed to be seeing how many times she could walk back and forth acting as if there was not a coherent thought in her head.

If you don't want to work why apply for a job? And when you are retrenched why complain?

Shame on the young lady but more shame on the Supervisor if you were present and did nothing.

P.S. By 11.45 a.m. my wife was so drained she left without the desired ID card.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE- SOCIETAL USE VS ADDICTION

SUBSTANCE ABUSE- SOCIETAL USE VS ADDICTION

Eric Ribeiro (Maloney SDA Men Ministry)                                                                                                                           February 25^th 2017

INTRODUCTION

The story is told of a movie producer who was interviewing young men for the starring role of Jesus in a film he was producing about the Life of Jesus. Among the young men he interviewed was one who stood out from the rest as he exuded beauty, and goodness, and kindness, three of the attributes they were looking for in the one who would portray the Son of God. Needless to say the movie broke all box Office records.

Years later the Producer would do a movie on Judas and in their search for a character they came upon this man in a pub whom they thought ideal for the character of Judas. He was shifty eyed, physically much the worse for wear, and though dressed rather nicely had all the appearances of a crook, a drug addict and one who had obviously spent time in jail.

When he was being interviewed however he began to cry and confessed to all present that several years ago it was he who had played the role of Jesus! What a difference a few years make! This brings us to our topic this morning entitled Substance Abuse- Societal Use vs. Addiction.

PREFACE

The Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes the autonomy of each individual and his or her God-given power of choice. Rather than mandating standards of behaviour, Adventists call upon one another to live as positive examples of God’s love and care.

We often hear supposedly educated people use the words “Social Drinking” and more recently efforts are being made to legalize the use of marijuana. In this question and answer segment I will attempt to answer several questions.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS:

What is my opinion of the term societal use or social drinking?

ANSWER

We believe avoidance of harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol and mood and mind-altering substances lead to clear minds and wise choices and the word of God is very clear on its use. Proverbs 20:1 advises us that “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

The societal effects of alcohol use are there for all to see; disrespect to others, a loose tongue and errors in judgment, severe injuries or fatal vehicular accidents. These are very real and unfortunately much of these actions once done cannot be undone.

QUESTION

But what about the effects on the family? Is there anything we should know?

ANSWER

As a matter of fact there is. Most of us agree that the values taught in the home influence us into our adult years, but when children as young as seven years old are H.I.V. positive or are victims of sexual abuse we know that the family unit has fallen apart and it is just a matter of time before the effects are felt within the community. We also know that many of these abuses including verbal, financial and physical abuse and of course divorces take place as a direct result of alcohol use or abuse.

QUESTION

What do we know about other drugs? Are there any benefits to be had by legalizing marijuana?

ANSWER

There is a tendency by many young people today to claim that marijuana is less lethal than alcohol, and it’s a matter of either, or. To my mind it ought to be neither, nor, as even small amounts of marijuana have been proven to negatively affect thinking, memory, and learning functions.

QUESTION

What are some of the effects of tobacco?

ANSWER

The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently claimed that one in every five deaths in the United States of America can be proven to have been caused by cigarette smoking. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases including emphysema or shortness of breath, chronic bronchitis, and lung cancer. If you have asthma, tobacco smoke can trigger an attack or make an attack worse. Smokers are 12 to 13 times more likely to die from COPD than non-smokers.

QUESTION

What is the difference between societal use and addiction?

ANSWER

Societal use assumes that persons who use alcohol and/ or other drugs can decide when, where and how much to use, whereas individuals who can no longer make those conscious decisions suffer from an obsessive/compulsive disorder- in this case addiction, where their every thought and action are geared towards the getting and using drugs and finding ways and means to get more even when they must commit crimes to get that fix.

QUESTION

What advice will you give to a young person who may be thinking of using alcohol and other drugs?

ANSWER

Colossians 3:17 says And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Using Marijuana and other illegal drugs is like walking blindly across a busy street hoping that you will not get struck by a speeding vehicle. Besides being punishable by law by either hefty fines or jail terms, the use of drugs can literally destroy whatever future God has planned for you.

Thank you, and may Almighty God bless us and give us the enlightenment to determine how best we can use this information to the honour and glory of His name within our Community.

LIVING A HEALTHFUL LIFE

How many of us have complained about our poor health service, of scarcity of beds and medicine, of waiting uncomfortably for hours and in some cases even days sometimes without being attended to?

And how many of us are today in mourning because of the death of a loved one either through sickness or accidents and nowadays even cut short in their prime as a result of crime?

The thing is though that if there was no sickness or if we could limit the number of persons who are seeking help in our nation’s hospitals there would be no need for the amount of beds or the amount of money being spent on health care.

Today in California in the United States of America a community of about 9,000 Adventists who live in the Blue Zone of the Loma Linda area  live as much as a decade longer than non-Adventists, have less need of hospitals and other health care and much of their longevity can be attributed to vegetarianism and regular exercise. Plus as practising Adventists they neither smoke nor drink alcohol.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes the autonomy of each individual and his or her God-given power of choice. Rather than mandating standards of behaviour, Adventists call upon one another to live as positive examples of God’s love and care.

Part of that example includes taking care of our health! We believe God calls us to care for our bodies, treating them with the respect a divine creation deserves. Gluttony and excess, even of something good, can be detrimental to our health.

Adventists believe the key to wellness lies in a life of balance and temperance. Nature creates a wealth of good things that lead to vibrant health. Pure water, fresh air and sunlight—when used appropriately—promote clean, healthy lives.

Exercise and avoidance of harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol and mood and mind-altering substances lead to clear minds and wise choices. A well-balanced vegetarian diet that avoids the consumption of meat coupled with intake of legumes, whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables, along with a source of vitamin B12, will promote vigorous health.

Such health is a gift from a loving God who wants us to live life in its abundance. When we benefit from such love, we feel a sense of gratitude and appreciation toward our creator. Because of this, Adventists choose to praise God with joyful living.

Sexual Harassment Policy - A copy

Sexual Harassment Policy

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The Department of State is committed to providing a workplace that is free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in the workplace is against the law and will not be tolerated. When the Department determines that an allegation of sexual harassment is credible, it will take prompt and appropriate corrective action.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

1)  An employment decision affecting that individual is made because the individual submitted to or rejected the unwelcome conduct; or

2)  The unwelcome conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive work environment.

Certain behaviors, such as conditioning promotions, awards, training or other job benefits upon acceptance of unwelcome actions of a sexual nature, are always wrong.

Unwelcome actions such as the following are inappropriate and, depending on the circumstances, may in and of themselves meet the definition of sexual harassment or contribute to a hostile work environment:

·        Sexual pranks, or repeated sexual teasing, jokes, or innuendo, in person or via e-mail;

·        Verbal abuse of a sexual nature;

·        Touching or grabbing of a sexual nature;

·        Repeatedly standing too close to or brushing up against a person;

·        Repeatedly asking a person to socialize during off-duty hours when the person has said no or has indicated he or she is not interested (supervisors in particular should be careful not to pressure their employees to socialize);

·        Giving gifts or leaving objects that are sexually suggestive;

·        Repeatedly making sexually suggestive gestures;

·        Making or posting sexually demeaning or offensive pictures, cartoons or other materials in the workplace;

·        Off-duty, unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that affects the work environment.

A victim of sexual harassment can be a man or a woman. The victim can be of the same sex as the harasser. The harasser can be a supervisor, co-worker, other Department employee, or a non-employee who has a business relationship with the Department.

The Department's Responsibilities Under This Policy

If the Department receives an allegation of sexual harassment, or has reason to believe sexual harassment is occurring, it will take the necessary steps to ensure that the matter is promptly investigated and addressed. If the allegation is determined to be credible, the Department will take immediate and effective measures to end the unwelcome behavior. The Department is committed to take action if it learns of possible sexual harassment, even if the individual does not wish to file a formal complaint.

The Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR) is the main contact point for questions or concerns about sexual harassment. S/OCR has responsibility for investigating or overseeing investigations of alleged sexual harassment. S/OCR is committed to ensuring that all investigations of sexual harassment are conducted in a prompt, thorough, and impartial manner.

Supervisors and other responsible Department officials who observe, are informed of, or reasonably suspect incidents of possible sexual harassment must immediately report such incidents to S/OCR, which will either initiate or oversee a prompt investigation. Failure to report such incidents to S/OCR will be considered a violation of this policy and may result in disciplinary action. S/OCR will provide guidance as needed on investigating and handling the potential harassment. Supervisors should take effective measures to ensure no further apparent or alleged harassment occurs pending completion of an investigation.

The Department will seek to protect the identities of the alleged victim and harasser, except as reasonably necessary (for example, to complete an investigation successfully). The Department will also take the necessary steps to protect from retaliation those employees who in good faith report incidents of potential sexual harassment. It is a violation of both federal law and this policy to retaliate against someone who has reported possible sexual harassment. Violators may be subject to discipline.

Employees who have been found by the Department to have subjected another employee to unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, whether such behavior meets the legal definition of sexual harassment or not, will be subject to discipline or other appropriate management action. Discipline will be appropriate to the circumstances, ranging from a letter of reprimand through suspensions without pay of varying lengths to separation for cause. A verbal or written admonishment, while not considered formal discipline, may also be considered.

Employees' Rights and Responsibilities Under This Policy

Any employee who believes he or she has been the target of sexual harassment is encouraged to inform the offending person orally or in writing that such conduct is unwelcome and offensive and must stop.

If the employee does not wish to communicate directly with the offending person, or if such communication has been ineffective, the employee has multiple avenues for reporting allegations of sexual harassment and/or pursuing resolution.

Employees are encouraged to report the unwelcome conduct as soon as possible to a responsible Department official. It is usually most effective -- although it is not required--that the official be within the employee's supervisory chain. Responsible Department officials include first- or second-line supervisors, the offending person's supervisor, the post's management officers, the bureau's Executive Director, or the Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR).

In addition to reporting sexual harassment concerns to a responsible Department official, employees who believe they have been subjected to sexual harassment may elect to pursue resolution in several ways, including:

·        Mediation: Mediation is an informal way to resolve office problems using a trained mediator who facilitates communication between the parties to the dispute. If an employee chooses to attempt resolution through mediation, management is obligated by Department policy to send a representative to the table. If a resolution is not reached, the parties may continue to pursue their rights in any other appropriate forum. Employees may ask for the assistance of a mediator by contacting S/OCR.

·        Grievances: Civil Servants who are not covered by a negotiated grievance procedure cannot bring grievances on EEO matters. Civil Service employees who are covered by a negotiated grievance procedure may only file a grievance alleging sexual harassment or other EEO matters if permitted by the governing collective bargaining agreement. Members of the Foreign Service may file grievances on EEO matters; however, pursuant to 3 FAM 4428 they must elect to file either a grievance or an EEO complaint. If a Foreign Service employee elects to file a grievance, the Grievance Staff (HR/G) will investigate the allegations and recommend a resolution to the Deputy Assistant Secretary responsible for rendering the agency decision on grievances.

·        EEO processes: All employees working in the United States and U.S. citizens working for the Department overseas can file an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint with the Department. An employee who wishes to file a complaint under EEO procedures must consult an EEO counselor within 45 days of the alleged incident. A list of EEO counselors is available on S/OCR's website at socr.state.gov. It is not necessary for an employee to complain to his/her supervisor before approaching an EEO counselor, nor to attempt informal resolution through mediation or other means. (Note: Some contractors cannot by law bring EEO complaints against the Department; contractors may contact S/OCR for guidance.)

·        Processes for Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs): Issues raised by FSNs are handled at post, according to complaints processing procedures available on the S/OCR website at socr.state.gov. FSNs with questions about post procedures should contact the post's senior management officer and/or designated EEO counselor. FSNs may also contact S/OCR for guidance.

More information about the resolution and complaint processes is available on the S/OCR website at http://socr.state.govhttp://socr.state.gov.

Contact Information

S/OCR can be contacted by telephone at (202) 647-9294 or (202) 647-9295, or by email at socr_direct@state.gov.

All Department employees, including but not limited to staff, supervisors, and senior officials, are required to comply with this policy. Employees are also expected to behave professionally and to exercise good judgment in work-related relationships, whether with fellow employees, business colleagues, or members of the public with whom they come into contact in the course of official duties. Further, all employees are expected to take appropriate measures to prevent sexual harassment. Unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature should be stopped before it becomes severe or pervasive and rises to a violation of law.

MY SABBATH TESTIMONY

 Saturday 31st December 2016

John 16:7 Hebrews 10:25; Proverbs 22: 6; 2 Corinthians 6:2

Good morning Saints and a pleasant Sabbath to all.

I’ve been asked to say a few words this morning as a returning member of the Maloney Seventh Day Adventist Church and one who is again committed to serve as the Holy Spirit would direct rather than warm the benches or visit occasionally.

Some of you may know me as the former Local Government Representative for the Mausica/Maloney Electoral District where I served from 1999 to 2010, but more than that I was privileged to be a part of the Maloney Seventh Day Adventist Assembly who were here under the tent twenty six years ago and in fact my wife Jean and myself were baptised on March 31^st 1990 by Pastor Joseph Mc Coon and for several years thereafter we were actively involved in Church activities which included working within the Community of Maloney.

Those of you who are internet savvy can Google both the active Facebook page and the website of the Family Resource Centre Trinidad and Tobago and read about some of the activities we successfully undertook through that NGO. Sisters Elsa Belfour and Althea Gooding played a big role in what we achieved. https://sites.google.com/site/ericribeirott/

But let me get to the staying away from church part. Some years ago I was going through some health challenges where I had difficulty walking and on December 30 2011 wrote this Facebook post: “Haven't been able to attend Church for several weeks now and definitely missing the Sabbath fellowship. But one must exercise wisdom and trust in the Lord. It's the Sabbath of the Lord. Blessed be His Holy name.”

This lasted perhaps three months but it’s a fact that staying away from church becomes a habit once you begin and as time went on I found other reasons why I couldn’t attend; but when the Holy Spirit is working in and on you, you begin to recognize those reasons for what they really are, excuses to justify your absence.

Hebrews 10: 25 says and I quote: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together , as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another  and so much the more as ye see the Day approaching”. And so the words “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves” kept haunting me every Sabbath morning.

It was only a matter of time before I felt compelled to return and since another of my health challenges was corrected by surgery last November it seemed like the appropriate time to do so. Of course my wife who has never stopped going to church and was visiting other places of worship kept insisting that I return and my parent’s insistence that I attend church as a child in obedience to the admonition in Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” also played a significant role in that decision.

It also helped that Jesus in John 16:7 promised us that “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you”; and this made my return easier.

What I particularly found pleasing when I returned earlier this year was the genuine greetings from those who knew me, as well as from those who thought I was a newcomer and went out of their way to make me feel welcome. True Christianity and evangelism at work within the body of Christ.

I want to encourage any of you and especially the men who may have been absent as I was to put aside whatever doubts or perceived hurts you may have, let go of the past, embrace the present, and look towards a future with the Saints and Jesus in Glory.

2 Corinthians 6:2 says “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I helped thee: behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let us together make our calling and election sure. Come back home to the Church on the Hill( the pink church on the hill) and let us work together. Maloney is crying out for our help.

https://www.facebook.com/frctt/

ATTRIBUTES OF A MAN AND A LEADER

It continues to pain me that in this so-called age of enlightenment that men and women continue to destroy themselves and their families’ future with their use of mind and mood altering chemicals and substances.

Some illnesses are preventable but with continued use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and heroin you are guaranteeing yourself a lifetime of unhappiness and an eventual painful death from either sickness or accident. Life is challenging enough as it is so why add more problems to it?

This afternoon I want to ask the women listening if you believe the man in your life is the man you once thought he was or whether his use of any kind of mood and mind altering drugs has altered the perception you once had of him?

And to the men listening do you agree with what many writers are saying of men as they being so irresponsible and selfish that our women have to play the role of both mother and father which leaves their children unprotected and open to different kinds of abuse -while you spend your days shortening your lifespan by drinking, gambling, smoking, and liming on the block?

Proverbs 31:4 “It is not for Kings O Lemuel, It is not for Kings to drink wine”.

What does the word of God say about the relationship man is supposed to have with woman? Genesis 2:18 The lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:22 “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.”

Man’s major drawback according to some, is his desire to be seen as Macho by his peers; and this is what dictates his attitude and behaviour.

And so boys who would one day become men decide that to be macho they must drink a Beer, take a smoke, pelt one or two cuss, and boast about their conquests. In that honeymoon stage while they can still enjoy one drink alone they feel they could fight a lion and win!

But Proverbs 20: 1: says “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise”.

So soon one beer and one smoke are no longer enough, and they begin to separate themselves from church and God, quite a few descend into drug addiction where their only thought is to feed that addiction, becoming more and more dishonest in the process and very often ending up in jails, institutions or die from diseases of their own making while not yet quite a man.

Christmas is upon us and the Banks invite borrowing while Merchants gleefully eye even the long awaited back pay as drinkers stock up on drinks and eats and on other expensive things that have nothing to do with celebrating the birth of Christ which incidentally, according to one record evolved from the Roman Pagan Harvest Festival Saturnalia, a festival which honoured Saturn the God of sowing. Others point to the birthday of the Sun God Nimrod.

Christmas was only celebrated from the year 336 during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who it is said was the first Christian Emperor and which Pope Julius 1st officially declared would be celebrated on the 25th December.

One Local news article on October 29, 2016 reported “Friend kills friend in drunken argument over politics”. This is just the tip of the iceberg as robberies, domestic abuse and homicides increase around the time of these festivities, as do accidents, and physical ailments such as high blood pressure and other illnesses.

Cancer from Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death, more than Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Illegal drug use, Alcohol use, Motor vehicle injuries, and Firearm-related incidents combined.

Some of us love to say that Marijuana is God’s gift to mankind but do you know that besides it being illegal, marijuana use more than doubles a driver’s risk of being in an accident, or that the combination of marijuana and alcohol is worse than either substance alone with respect to driving impairment? And we wonder why there are so many fatal accidents or why driving has become such a nightmare!

Cocaine is also illegal and causes long-term changes in the brain’s reward system, which may lead to addiction.

There are treatment facilities for addiction such as the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Centre at Caura Hospital, and groups such as Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous.

The question now is “Can a man change this attitude and behaviour and play the role he is supposed to play without the use of alcohol and other drugs”?

I say yes he can, but only if he understands and accepts the role he is supposed to play, otherwise treatment for addiction would be meaningless and he would suffer countless relapses.

So what therefore man is man's role in the home and community:


Priest -where he is supposed to minister to his household.
Provider- in ensuring his family has food, clothing and shelter.
Protector- in keeping his family safe from internal and external threats.
Advocate- in making intercessions on their behalf.
Lover- “A Man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh”.
Companion- “for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part”.
Parent- to train his children in the way they should go so when they grow up they shall not depart from it.
Role Model-to his family and the community.

If you wish to become what the word of God says you can become I recommend you study and follow the Seventh Day Adventist Health Message and that you keep these words close to your heart.

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”.


In closing let me leave you with a simple fact and this is “If you do not drink you cannot get drunk".

Cost of Heart Surgery

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,96757.html

$140,000 for heart bypass surgery HEALTH WATCH with ANNE HILTON Sunday, March 15 2009

No one travelling from Valsayn and all points East, or Chaguanas and all points South to Port-of-Spain — and back every day needs telling that even a minor traffic accident can add an hour or more to the daily torture on what passes for highways in Trinidad. A major accident, involving a couple of container trucks overturned across both East and West lanes of the CR or the North South on the Uriah Butler highways brings traffic to a dead, and I do mean “dead” stop.

Compare your arteries to our highways with traffic flowing in to and out of Port-of-Spain every day… should anything interfere with the free flow of blood to your heart, you’re heading for trouble, when a piece breaks off the lump of ‘bad cholesterol’ on and in the artery wall to wedge itself across the artery and block the flow of life-giving blood to the heart . . .

We’ve all seen what happens on TV programmes from Marcus Welby and Dr Kildaire through St Elsewhere and ER to Grey’s Anatomy — there’s no need for me to write a graphic description of CPR or defibrillators — only supposing the victim of heart attack gets medical attention in time. Many don’t.

The lucky ones are those who get chest pains; they go to see the doctor hoping it’s gas — and find out it isn’t. And yet — how lucky are those “lucky ones”? Would you like to have to go through the diagnosis, the treatment, to keep heart disease at bay for as long as possible?

Put it another way, do you have enough health insurance to cover the treatment you need to save your life? If not, can you afford to wait for treatment on the Government Health Service?

Let’s see what it could cost you and your insurance company (remember, insurance doesn’t cover all your costs, you’re going to have to pay some, depending on what’s covered and what’s not on your health insurance policy). Tests leading up to an angiogram will set you back $2,500, the angiogram itself costs $9,500.

When you have an angiogram, your heart specialist opens a vein in your groin (usually, though not always, the femoral artery) inserts a catheter, a thin flexible tube, into the vein and threads the catheter up to the left side of the heart where he can inject a dye (through the catheter) that will show up on X-ray. The X-ray photographs show the doctor what’s wrong and where.

If the damage isn’t too bad the heart specialist may advise you have angioplasty — which involves another trip to Mount Hope, another catheter with a tiny “balloon” on the end inserted into a vein in the groin. When the catheter reaches the affected arteries around the heart the doctor blows up the balloon to flatten the deposits of LDL (Lousy) cholesterol back against the walls of the artery.

This procedure is going to cost you, or you and your health insurance, $96,000 if there’s only one artery to fix, or $18,000 each for a “stent” to open up a next artery, with up to but no more than three stents in all, (to clear, if my maths don’t let me down, four arteries). This could bring your bill up to $150,000.

The patient feels much better, so much so that he (or she) might be tempted to abandon the low-fat, low salt, low cholesterol diet. Inevitably the arteries will clog up again, another angioplasty might fix that but without changing diet and lifestyle (taking regular exercise) sooner or later that patient is destined for a bypass and the surgeon’s knife.

A bypass involves serious although (so I’m assured) simple surgery. The surgeon opens up the chest, cutting through the sternum (breastbone), you’re put on a heart-lung machine for this open-heart surgery while the surgeon takes a vein from your leg and one, maybe from the other side of your chest and grafts them on to your affected coronary (heart) arteries to bypass the blockages.

This surgery is going to cost you and your health insurance around $140,000. Most patients recover quickly, some so quickly that they resume their risky lifestyles and ruinous diets until they have a second, even a third bypass. One bypass is enough for most people. The sensible patient takes the doctor’s advice, stops smoking before having an angioplasty or bypass, and after the surgery takes regular exercise and, above all, sticks to the heart patient’s diet — for life.

One ray of hope for those without medical insurance, if you’re able to wait six-12 months after the Ministry puts you on the waiting list for angioplasty or bypass (on the advice of your doctor) treatment is free …