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Claus & Krampus headline German Catholic Christmas bash

Jutamat students graduate in high style

With early detection, colon cancer is curable

Claus & Krampus headline German Catholic Christmas bash

Elfi Seitz
For the third time in a row the German Catholic Parish held its Christmas celebration at the Redemptorist Center Pattaya. The location was festively decorated, complete with Christmas tree and music.

Krampus and Santa are working hand in hand.

About 40 guests enjoyed a buffet and wine for just 150 baht. Coffee and cake were also offered. Christmas cookies were put out and a Christmas stolen was imported just for the occasion.
Guests were entertained with Christmas poems until the big moment when Santa Claus arrived. Santa had brought his golden book from which he read the guests a little proverb when suddenly a great noise came from outside.
Santa, albeit a little irritated, invited the noisemaker inside and, with a mad scream, in came a being from the underworld; a creature known in Germanic Europe as “Krampus,” “Schmutzli” or “Beelzbub.” Rattling his chains and swinging his whip, the speckled fiend ran through the room, whipping the guests on their backs.
Only at Santa’s stern command did he grudgingly join him to assist in calling the guests to his side individually. In true Claus fashion everyone took turns sitting on Santa’s lap to reveal whether they’d been good or bad. While all claimed goodness, Krampus was skeptical at times and administered a good whipping.
At the end another few pensive and funny Christmas poems were recited, Christmas songs were sung and everybody was grateful to be part of such a lovely and homely party.
Felici Curschella ended the evening with one of his beautiful speeches and cordially thanked the organizers for their efforts.

Jutamat students graduate in high style

The school’s 5th generation of graduates receive their certificates.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
More than 100 students from Jutamat Beauty School celebrated their graduation in high style, showing off their handiwork in stage shows presented for Pattaya’s mayor and other local officials.
The Dec. 9 ceremony at the Grand Sole Hotel saw Jutamat grads perform stage shows and model clothes and hairstyles for guests including Bundit Sriputangur, inspector for the Ministry of Education, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, Nongprue Mayor Mai Chaiyanit and school directors.
Bundit led a religious ceremony before guests gave congratulatory speeches and Principal Roi Pothisa handed out diplomas. More than 1,000 students have graduated from Jutamat during its existence.

With early detection, colon cancer is curable

Master of Ceremonies Roger Fox welcomed everyone to the regular Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club on December 13 at the Amari’s Henry J. Bean Restaurant. After the usual morning announcements he noted that a nurse from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya was in the back alcove providing free blood pressure checks.
He then introduced Dr. Sompote Lee, M.D., our speaker from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya who would be talking about colon cancer screening. Dr. Sompote received his medical degree from Chiang Mai University in 1989. His specialty is gastroenterology in which he is Board Certified. He has worked at several hospitals in his career and has been both an instructor and consulting physician.

Dr Lee answers the many questions from PCEC members and guests, which covered the gastrointestinal theme, but ranging from conventional medicine to alternative treatments.
Dr. Sompote, with the aid of pictorial diagrams, described the colon as the large intestine in your body. It connects to the rectum, which is the passageway to the anus. Cancer in the colon is the second leading cancer killer in the USA. He said that in the past year there has been 146,770 new cases and 49,920 deaths.
Although still a major life threatening disease, there has been a decline in deaths, which he attributed to the emphasis on more screening for colon cancer. He also noted that 90 percent of those with colon cancer are over 50 years of age. This is why it is strongly recommended by leading medical organizations that everyone over the age of 50 get periodic screenings.
He described how colon cancer develops. It starts as small polyps that grow over time and can become cancerous. This growth into cancer cells takes from 5 to 10 years, so early screening for polyps is very beneficial because they can be removed before they grow into a cancer.
He said that polyps can be flat, elevated, or depressed lesions. Dr. Sompote showed a chart depicting the three stages for polyps. Stage one is when the polyp is within the colon; stage two is when it protrudes into the muscle; and stage three is when it penetrates the colon wall.

Lovely Anne from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya introduces the generous discounts available from the hospital in December, for tests and treatments in the first quarter of 2010. MC Roger capably conducted the meeting.
People considered to be at average risk of colon cancer are those over 50 years of age (45 for those of African American descent) and the risk increases with age. Further, if you are a cigarette smoker or are obese you are at risk of developing colon cancer at an earlier age.
He recommended those with an average risk get a colonoscopy every 10 years, a sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, and a fecal occult blood test annually. Another screening test that can also be done is an air contrast barium enema.
He then said that if you are at high risk, more frequent tests and screening at an earlier age may be necessary. He mentioned that you are at a high risk for colon cancer if: (1) you or a close relative have had colon polyps or colon cancer; (2) you have inflammatory bowel disease; or (3) you have a genetic disposition such as familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer.
Dr. Sompote said that for those at high risk, he recommended they consult with him or another doctor as his screening recommendations were primarily for those at average risk rather than high risk.
Precancerous polyps and early stage colon cancer do not always cause symptoms, especially at first. This means that someone could have polyps or colon cancer and not know it. He said that is why having a screening test is very important. When symptoms do appear, it most often is blood in the stool and cancer already exists. Recently, a home test for blood in the feces has been developed, but presently is not approved for use in Thailand.
He then described the different screening tests and mentioned some of their limitations. The most effective screening is the colonoscopy. This involves taking a laxative, usually the day before the test, which many say is the worst part. A mild sedative is also administered to reduce discomfort. The doctor uses a long, thin, flexible, lighted tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon. During this test, the doctor can find and remove most polyps and some cancers.
The sigmoidoscopy is similar to the colonoscopy, but the doctor uses a shorter tube and the examination is limited to the rectum. The fecal occult blood test is where you provide a small stool sample which is then checked for the evidence of blood by a laboratory.
Dr. Sompote then mentioned the virtual colonoscopy that is done using a CT scan. The disadvantage of having this test is that it will not detect smaller polyps. He also noted that if polyps are detected or there is dark blood in the stool, a regular colonoscopy will be required so that polyps can be removed and tested for the existence of cancer.
Dr. Sompote summed up his talk by stating that regular checkups are very important because with early detection, colon cancer is curable.
After Dr. Sompote answered many questions from the audience, Emcee Roger updated everyone on upcoming events and then called on Judith Edmonds to conduct the always informative, interesting, and sometime humorous Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about living in Thailand and Pattaya in particular.

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