The weekend of December 8 & 9, I had a dull headache that just wouldn't go away. On Monday at work, I asked the school nurse to check my blood pressure. It was 180/110. She told me to go to the doctor. I was able to see the Doctor that afternoon. He said I was hypertensive so prescribed a high blood pressure medicine for me.
I was surprised at this because I have never had trouble with my blood pressure before. My Mom had high blood pressure and suffered a couple major strokes and a few mini ones.....thankfully she only experienced less stamina after them. So anyway....it still didn't sit well with me. One of the side affects of some meds is coughing. Well that was frightening in itself. I'm a cougher anyway.
Now I get to monitor my blood pressure morning and night. It's almost as bad as weighing myself. I don't like the numbers and it is another measuring tool in life which I HATE!
Next comes the treaded Winter cold that so many people got. Mine became full blown while we were in St. George for Christmas. I coughed all night and each day my blood pressure continued to rise. Finally one night my BP was 190/110. So off to the emergency room. He doubled my dose and sent me home with narcotic cough suppresant and pain pills for my headache. I slept like a baby the rest of the trip.
I'm still coughing. Went to the doctor that started me on the meds and he referred me to a cardiologist because I had irregularities in my heart. Come to find out I have a very slow heartbeat (like my Dad). That was the irregularity. The new doctor prescribed a different med that doesn't make you cough. My numbers are still not great, but today and yesterday I am finally experiencing a slight improvement on the power and intensity of my coughing attacks. I HATE TO COUGH. This doctor did say I have a Happy Heart because a slow resting heart beat is good. That was nice.
So I'm ackowledging that my weight probably doesn't help my blood pressure, but I'm 99.9% sure that the stresses of home repair, house selling and moving are the biggest contributors to life's stresses. I don't feel stressed because I have taken a back sit and wait until I see it attitude.....but maybe it has been stressful. I have within the last few weeks come to the realization and commitment to stop complaining about how long things are taking and not coming to pass as quickly as I wish. I can hear myself complaining to my Doctor and someone else fairly new in my life and I thought - What an idiot I am. Shut the heck up. You have a wonderful life and an amazingly wonderful husband. Needlesstosay, since that moment I have been feeling tons better.
So everyone quit complaining and be grateful for the wonders of each day. Your health (eyes, ears, nose, touch) children, spouse, friends, employment.... the list is endless. Let's be grateful and be good to your heart in health and attitude.
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4 comments:
Glad to know you are getting your BP under control. It's totally understandable that when you don't feel good you fall into a negative rut. But your venting to the doctor seemed to help, so who cares that he knows you more personally than when you first met him. Means he is doing his job. ;) I will quit complaining and I am grateful for the wonders each day brings!
I knew you'd had a bad cough, but I didn't know the rest of the story. I'm glad you've seen a bit of improvement over the last couple of days.
Thanks for the reminder to be grateful for all of the little things. I remember hitting the "I am thankful for my body" section in the sunbeam manual last year, and thinking why can't we combine some of these lessons. But then I realized that I really should think about why I am thankful for my hands, my eyes, and my ears instead of lumping them all together.
Glad you're feeling more like you! It was great having you play for choir. You're such a good musician!
Oh Gayle, I'm sorry you've had to deal with the high blood pressure and the awful cough. Dealing with the blood pressure is stressful in and of itself. But I know that sometimes it will take several months to get things right. And I know that with a life changing health issue to deal with, we put things in perspective, and everything is much more precious. A healthy body, a loving family, making time for loved ones, and looking at life with a happy attitude---you've got the right attitude! Thanks for sharing.
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