Die Tolhuis

Dis snaaks hoe die lewe werk. Deur my studentejare in Bloemfontein het ek die koppie met die Tolhuis op in “die sisteem” iewers in ‘n studentehuis of so gekry. Ek kan nie presies onthou hoe nie, maar met “gekry” impliseer ek dat dit my eiendom is. En ek weet dit is my eiendom omdat niemand anders in al die jare die koppie terug-ge-“claim” het nie. Hy het toe dus myne geword. So deur die jare. Ek dink dit was iemand wat hom waarskynlik nie wou hê nie. Ek het gereken dalk was hulle saam met hulle eks-meisie van toe by die Tolhuis en het dus “per ongeluk” van die ding ontslae geraak by ons studentehuis of iets in die lyn. Hoe dit ookal is, vir jare nou al wonder ek waar is die Tolhuis (en waar presies is Ceres.) Ek weet dis in die Kaap iewers, maar jy weet mos, partymaal is iets vir jou interessant, maar jy kommer net nie genoeg daaroor dat jy jou “smaartvoun” uitpluk en dit Google om presies agter die kap van die byl te kom nie. In elkgeval. So was dit met die Tolhuis. Elke keer as ek my joghurt uit die groen koppie eet, het ek onderbewustelik gewonder waar is die Tolhuis.

Op een van my motorfietsekspedisies ‘n jaar of drie gelede het ek gedink ek het die plek ontdek.  Ek kon so vaagweg onthou wat op die koppie by die huis beskryf is, en onthou toe dis een of ander huis met ‘n restaurant en ‘n padstal, maar ek het Nieu-Bethesda te motorfiets besoek en ek kon toe nou nie onthou dat daar eintlik “Ceres” op die koppie geskryf staan nie. In elkgeval, dit was toe nou nie waar ek was nie. ‘n Paar dae later toe ek terug by die huis stop met my seergeskutte boude van die lang motorfietsrit van die Baai af was dit ‘n teleurstelling toe ek besef ek het nie die Tolhuis besoek nie, maar wel die Uilhuis in Bethesda. In my kop was dit iewers in die Kaap. En Noord-Kaap, Wes-Kaap, Oos-Kaap was tot redelik onlangse jare nog vir my as Vrystater maar redelik een streek. Die Karoo was “vêr” en die Kaap was “vrekvêr”, maar altwee was in die Kaapprovinsie.

Toe ry ek wragtig ‘n naweek gelede verby ‘n plek met die naam “Tolhuis” naby Ceres, my eerste keer daar, en ek kan nie onthou waar het ek al van die “Tolhuis” gehoor nie, maar dit klink so bekend. Ek kan wraggies net nie onthou van waar nie.

En hier eet ek vanaand twaalfuur my joghurt in die Tolhuis-koppie wat eens op ‘n tyd deel van “die sisteem” was en ek beleef so ietsie van my kosbare Sergeantstraat-dae in Universitas.

Partymaal kom die vreugde van die lewe uit ‘n ou blikbeker.

Het jy al ooit die agterkant van Tafelberg gesien?

Ek koop toe my Tafelberg jaarkaartjie, of soos hy sê “Cable Card” teen ‘n billike R 515.00.  Ek kry nogal 20 persent af omdat ek ‘n Kaapstad Groenkaard het.  Nie te sleg as mens in ag neem dat ‘n retoerkaartjie deesdae by die driehonderd en sestig rand rond draai nie.

So ek betrap toe die bekende kabelkar die namiddag teen tien voor vyf rond. Vyf minute daarna is ek bo met my ore wat drie keer op pad op toegeslaan het.  Wat ‘n ongelooflike belewenis.  Dis natuurlik waarom Kaapstad maandeliks by ‘n ganse een punt twee miljoen toeriste kry… of so hoor ek by ‘n Duitser wat noudie aand hier op my bank in my sit/leef-kamer oorslaap.

In elkgeval, ek begin toe draf daar bo, met die son so vyftien grade of so bo die see en die waterpoeletjies wat oralom my plas soos ek hier en daar een raak hol.  Ek wou graag by Maclear se Baken uitkom.  Dis die hoogste punt op Tafelberg (1084.6m) en omtrent twee punt agt kilometer van die boonste kabelkar stasie af, hang af watter roete jy volg.  Daar is twee.  Die een daar voor teen die berg dat jy vir almal onder in die stad kan waai, en in een van die mense se foto kan wees wanneer hulle vir Tafelberg afneem, of die agterste een.  Nou dis dié agterste een wat ek geneem het wat my laat voel het of ek deur die hemel hardloop. Dit is ook ‘n stukkie van die bekende Hoerikwaggo Voetslaanroete.  Hoerikwaggo is in Boesmantaal “die mense se pad” of iets in die lyn.

Hoe verder jy van die kabelkar af wegkom, hoe laer konsentrasie toeriste hol jy raak, totdat jy binne drie minute nie ‘n enkele mens om jou kan sien nie.  Jy hardloop met die son, seesand en die stad alles so neffens onder jou, maar in jou eie wêreld, daar bo in die lug, in Suid-Afrika se Moederstad. In die plassies water wat na die reën daar lê, sien jy die weerkaatsing van blou lig en die skaapwolke wat die hier en daar ‘n blou plas wit kleur en jou so vinnig herinner dat God nog vir jou lief is.  Op Slingsby se kaart het ek ‘n interessante baken, die Bergklub van Suid-Afrika se oorlog Gedenkteken, [1923] gesien wat ek graag wou besoek. Dis paar meter van Maclear se Baken af.

Die is die tweede keer wat ek hier by Maclear se klomp klippe uitkom en voorheen het ek gedink dis regtig niks om oor huistoe te skryf nie.  Dis ‘n mooi uitsig in ‘n 360-grade omtrek en jy kan die Kaapse Skiereiland so suid duskant van jou sien lê.  Na die ooste sien jy Nuweland en die hele Valsbaai en die res van die Kaap en so.  Jy sien ook Hangklip, die grote en die kleintjie.  Maar soos ek soek na die MCSA-oorlogbaken, vergeet ek om die uitsig om my te waardeer.  Ek kry die baken, en besef wat dié toe aandui, al die tyd van negentien-voertsek af. Neentien drie en twintig om presies te wees. En met die besef raak ek toe rustig.  Ek gewaar wat die Bergklub van ouds probeer uitwys het.  Dis ‘n toposkoop.  Topo is plek en ‘n skoop kyk jy mee.

Wraggies, dis hier waar ek toe besef, maar ek is daar waar Satan eeue gelede vir Christus geneem het toe hy Hom die wêreld gewys het.  Wat die toposkoop ook aanwys, is al die berge en pieke wat jy van dié punt af kan sien.  Dit begin by Riebeek-Kasteel wat 76km vêr lê, Groot en Klein Winterhoek, 115 en 113km onderskeidelik en dit gaan reg rondom jou, net blou berge soos wat jy kyk, Jonkershoek is reg Oos van jou, vyftig kilometer, Landdroskop, Somerset-Sneeukop, Moordenaarskop, en klomp ander koppe wat een of ander konnotasie het tot by Hangklip wat soos ‘n trofee in die Atlantiese Oseaan pronk.  Mens sal dink iemand is hier gehang en die se kop het toe gerol tot by die ander koppe, maar dis eintlik heel mooi van hier bo af.  Die areas wat jy kan sien van hierbo is Wellington, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Somerset-Wes, Strand en Gordonsbaai.  Aan die Noorde lê Bloubergstrand, Melkbosstrand, Yzerfontein en Langebaan en verder as dit kan jy nie juis sien nie.

Soos wat ek my verkyk aan en oor die toposkoop wat daar in ‘n klipstruktuur ingebed is, kom vier dramatiese Amerikaanse dames daar verby.  Ek kan sien hulle dink ek is so eienaardig soos wat ek dink hulle is.  En so kom my toposkoop bewonder-sessie ook tot ‘n einde.  Ek hardloop maar weer verder na die agterkant van die berg toe en dit is toe dat ek een van my eerste foto’s neem.

Rooi_blom_een

Ek wens ek kon ‘n interessante mediese storie of iets oor hierdie rooi fynbosblommetjie vertel, maar my kennis oor blomme is so skaars en min, soos my pa sal sê soos hoendertande. Paar oomblikke verder ontdek ek  ‘n ander wêreld, as daar nog ‘n wêreld op Tafelberg is.  Heel ander plantegroei omring my en ek stop toe maar elke twee minute om weer ‘n blom of drie af te neem.  Dis ook hier waar ek toe die Hely-Hutchinson- en Woodhead-dam in sig begin kry, die dat ek sê ‘n ander wêreld gaan toe oop.

Ek wens ek kon die blomme benoem, maar ek sal maar vir my professor of vir Chris moet vra.  Die draf teen die steilte af tot by die voet van die dam op die berg kry ek ‘n wildbewaarder en drie hippies wat hy touwys met iets probeer maak, hy wou nie meer uitbrei toe ek hom komplementeer oor sy mooi tou, maar dat dit te kort is vir klim nie.  Ek het so idee hy dra dit rond om soos Bear Grylls te lyk, maar ek wou maar nie meer uitbrei nie.  Ek hol net verder. Later kry ek ‘n mooi foto van altwee damme langs mekaar geneem.

Elke dertig treë besef ek hoe geseën ek is om hier te kan hardloop, maar my bene verlang terug na die Vrystaatse plak vlaktes, want hulle sukkel om by te hou oor hierdie steiltes en bulte van die ondergeskatte groote Tafelberg.

Dis nou hier waar ek sit, een uur die oggend, so ek pause my storie en sal dit later klaarmaak as ek weer voel ek wil iets neerskryf.  Daar’s nog ‘n foto en ‘n storie of drie wat kom in episode twee.

SOP 1 Admin page

Logging in to your email address:

Navigate to the following web address:

username:  example@djmedquip.co.za
Password:    Exampl&2000$
Processing orders:
To login to DJ Medquip admin page:
open your web browser (Internet explorer, Chrome or Firefox) on a Desktop or Laptop type computer and type in the address bar: djmedquip.co.za/wp-admin and press enter.  The following page should appear:
Inline image 1
Insert the username and password as supplied by the website administrator:
username: exampleuser   (kindly note this is not an email address)
password: ##########
Then tick the box “I’m a human.”
Please note:  Whenever accidentally trying to log into the web site with the wrong username and password do not click “Log In” within 10 seconds again.  You need to wait at least 10 seconds before trying to log in again. This is a security feature to prevent unauthorized entry.
Also: If you have failed to login three times with the wrong username and/ or password, your IP address will be flagged as a threat to the web site for 1 hour and you will not be able to gain further access from the same computer.
The following page will then be diplayed if successfully logged in:
Inline image 3
Note that the only relevant pages for someone processing the orders, or adding and removing products is:
1.  the WooCommerce tab,
2. the Products tab and
4. The Pages tab could also be accessed if necessary to edit a page when you are asked to do so.
 
WooCommerce 
When you click on WooCommerce and wait a few seconds for the page to load, you should see the following screen pop up:
Inline image 4
Here all the orders are displayed which has been placed on the web site.
If the orders are not displayed correctly, click on the “Screen Options” drop-down button at the top of the page to select the columns you want to be displayed.
Some orders you will notice has a grey icon at their left-hand side, although others are marked with a green icon with three dots, yet others have a blue icon.
This indicates the status of the order, of which the most common is:
Grey = on hold Order details can only be changed if the order has the status of “on hold”.
Green = processing (already paid – make sure a proof of payment is available or payment is verified on a banking statement if available)
Blue = order complete   When the order has been dispatched.
To view the order details click on the order number (eg. #2428) which is a link to the order details.
The following screen should be displayed.
Inline image 5
On the right-hand side of the screen is a box named “Order notes”.
This box is used to make either a:
1. Private note (visible on the admin page only)
2. Note to customer (visible to customer and on admin page)
Remember to click on “Add” after the note has been typed.  If it is a note to customer, then an automatic email will be sent to the customer with the contents in the text box.  This is done to inform the client of either an outstanding proof of payment or when an order has been dispatched.
If an order has been placed of which one of the products is not currently in stock, on the items list just below the Title, will be a note in bold: Backordered: 1
This means we do not currently have the item in stock (so please check and confirm this).
This item will then need to be ordered from an applicable supplier.
Dispatching orders
We use a company The Courier Guy.
Their address in Bloemfontein: 36 General Dan Pienaar Dr, Dan Pienaar, Bloemfontein, 9300
Tel: 051 436 4432.
They collect parcels if parcels have been prepared in their supplied flyers and if the waybills have been printed.
To organise a delivery
username: exampleuser
Password: ########
The following screen will be appear:
Inline image 6
This online interface is used to place the courier order:
1. Click on Collections.
2. Click on “Collect Here” if parcel is to be collected at the Office or “Collect Elsewhere” to set the collection address.
3. Select the Service: ECO
4. Insert the Collection address:
       a. If you decide for parcels to be collected at the office, select the first option at the “From:” drop-down button.
       b. Select the second option from the drop-down button: K2014279514 (Pty) Ltd T/A DJ Medquip [BLOEMFONTEIN KIOSK]  if you decide to drop the parcels at the Courier Guy offices’s address.  This will be when you don’t want to wait for the courier, or if an order is only completed after 15h00 (upon which the courier will only arrive the next working day for collection).
5. Insert relevant Collection Notes and Delivery Notes (which is supplied by the client) when applicable.  Most orders are 1kg in mass or less.
6. Click on submit.
7.  On the prompt which asks if you would like to print, click yes.
8.  Click on the Waybill button upon which a .pdf will be downloaded.  – wait a few moments.
9.  The pdf with the waybill can then be opened and printed.
10. Note: 2x A4 pages prints when the pdf is printed.  This needs to be cut in half to yield 4x A5 size waybills which is put into the flyer bag or attached with a flyer holder onto a box, whichever is applicable.
11. All 4 waybills need to be signed.
12.  Before closing the flyer bag or box, confirm that the contents in the parcel are correct.
Tick list:
1. Correct items  (including correct Colours)
2. Correct Client
3. Correct Address
4. Correct Contact number – preferrably cell phone number.
5. Correct email address –  the clients email is used to send updates from Courier Guy Automatically.
13. If the collection is placed online after 12h00, phone The Courier Guy to inform them of the collection which has been logged online.   Tel: 051 436 4432.
If this is done, send the dispatch note to the client with the tracking number as a “Note to Customer” as described earlier.
Then mark the order as complete. There are 3 ways to do this:
1. In the order screen at the near top of the order click on the “Order status:” drop down menu and change it to “Completed”.
2. In the WooCommerce Page where all the orders are displayed, click on the button which has three dots on it. This will change it from “Processing” to “Completed” and send the client the relevant email.
3. In the WooCommerce Page where all the orders are displayed, select the tick box of the order(s) which status has to be changed and click on “Bulk Actions” drop-down button and select “Mark Complete” then click apply.  This can be done to multiple orders at once.
Stock Management
This is done at the “WooCommerce Stock Manager” tab from the main admin page, almost at the most bottom at the left-hand side:
Inline image 7
A page will be displayed with all the stock.
Select a category from the drop-down button “All categories”  then click on the blue button “Show” to organize the results in a specific category to review the stock level.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017

How excited has this article about the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2017 made me?

It explains the breakthroughs that have been made in Chemistry after the development of the electron microscope, since 1975 when Joachim Frank made electron microscopy applicable to reveal sharp three-dimensional structures from twodimensional images.

We have long been past the age of 2D in medical and biochemical imaging, but their discovery and develoment of cryo-electronmicroscopy for 3D images is clearly worth this Nobel Prize.

With the winners’ technique, enzymes are frozen in a water medium after being cooled instantly, making it possible for reagents along with the 3D structure of the enzyme to be visualized by the electron microscope.  This will make it possible to target for example pharmaceuticals more directly at the target site of an enzyme, making amazing drugs to heal illnesses.

Click here to view the original article at Nobleprize.org

 

 

My decision on Pathology

The decision to go and specialize, especially in Pathology, is not one to be taken lightly. Consequently I have given this decision a considerable amount of thought.

The dream started as a child still in primary school in Parys, Free State. As a budding and enquiring young scientist, I asked my father many questions about this and that, but one of the main questions which I asked was: Why was there no cure for HIV?

The question elicited many further questions which my father needed to answer for me, but one of them was about how would I go about finding a cure for HIV.  His advice included being very thorough in Biology, Chemistry, and especially Biochemistry. This sparked several thoughts in my mind and whenever I came across anything being related to Biology or Chemistry, I’m interested to read more, inquire more and find out more.

So I studied medicine because of an unquenchable desire to learn more about the origin of disease.  Although being well at Mechanics and Mathematics, I decided to embark on the journey of becoming a physician.  As a student I was fascinated by Medical Biochemistry, which we had as a subject from second semester.  I spent my afternoons and nights reading up and studying protein structures in 3D format on PyMol using the Protein Databank as reference and going through the amino acids in sequence trying to figure out why the protein looks as it is, why it functions like it does and how the one viewed is different from the one in our textbooks…

Medical Biochemistry and the Roche Poster of Biochemical Pathways enticed me so much when I saw it at the entrance of the Biochemistry Department that I put two versions of it up in my room when studying so that I could view the bigger picture.  In second and third year I was quite thorough at Medical Biochemistry and I enrolled at the University’s  Tutor Program and tutored the year-younger students in Medical Biochemistry as well as Physiology.  This granted me great pleasure, as well as something extra in the back pocket as a student.

My visit to China CMEF – Medical Equipment Fair

It has been some time now since being back from my trip to Shanghai,  China, in May,  visiting the China Medical Equipment Fair, the second largest Medical Device Expo in the world. I think it is worth mentioning some interesting points.  The reason for my visit was mainly to visit some of the manufacturers of medical equipment, learn more about the Chinese culture and browse through some of the newest technologies available.

After being back in South Africa I realized how much I have learned about the people in China.  The general impression I had about people there are that they tend to do things fast and not necessarily with precision in mind, but rather to get as much done as possible. This has come as a revelation of some kind and it was enlightening to realize why. The population in China is around 1.7 Billion. The population in Shanghai, the city where I spent most of my time, is around 27 Million. That is more than half the population of South Africa in one city! To keep things organized in such a huge city obviously needs on an individual as well as on community level a sense of respect for oneself and another, self-responsibility as well as the ability to get things done as fast as possible. The possible reason why, in general, things are done sometimes in a suboptimal quality though, is because to compete in such a large and diverse environment, an individual (whether a company or person) must get things done before the other individual.  This makes the startup individual or company a certain urgency to get the products out there into the market.

I have realized though, that the Chinese definitely has a huge proudness in their work.  With my visit to China Medical Equipment Fair, CMEF in 2017, I have realized, how with the proper praise, encouragement and clear communication, one can create amazing business opportunities and exceptional quality of products.