Sunday of Lesley

Goooo, Autumn!

A quick update since it's been a couple of weeks!

First and foremost, HAPPY OCTOBER!! I'm thrilled to bits that autumn is here. October is perhaps my favorite month, because we finally get a respite from the scorching heat of summer, and it means apple pies and pumpkin spice candles and...HALLOWEEN! Hooray! And, of course, it means we're right on the cusp of the holiday season and have three wonderful upcoming months.

I was cast in Turandot - hooray! More on that later.

I attended the Fall Choir Retreat - hooray! More on that later.

I spent last weekend at Pilgrim Pines - hooray! More on that later.

I took my appraisal exam - hooray! More on that later.

Aaack, too much to go into detail about while I'm on a break at work!

Mostly in my mind today, though, is my upcoming doctor's appointment. I don't think I ever mentioned it on this web site, but for the past year I've had migraines that gained in frequency and intensity, until I was spending three or four days a week in pain. (Migraines are hard to explain if you've never had them.) They were debilitating and it was affecting my job, my theatre life, my church life, and my social life. I went to two different doctors who more or less listened to me talk, then gave me prescriptions for headache medicine.

So I finally decided enough was enough, and went to my old childhood doctor, whom I trusted and liked. Within 5 minutes he told me the problem.

My blood pressure was 210.

Now, if you're not familiar with blood pressure norms, anything over 140 is considered high. So yes, 210 is insanely high. And very much in league with strokes, heart disease, and kidney failure. Oh, and they cause migraines.

There wasn't anything in my life that really would make my blood pressure that high, which was odd, but he thought it was a combination of the prescription migraine medication and allergy medication. He got me off of everything, and I've been going to his office once a week for screening.

So today it's been two months, and I'm going in for my follow-up with him. He says if it isn't below 140 over 80, he'll put me on medication. I have to admit, I went to Savon last night and took my blood pressure on one of those old machines in the pharmacy, and it was 155 over 90. Which means I'm sure he'll put me on medication, but 155 is still a damn sight better than 210!

Since my blood pressure was so high, he said I should get an EKG and stress test done at some point. I think that's a very good idea! High blood pressure can do an inordinate amount of damage in a very short period of time. (Oh, I can tell you ALL about blood pressure...I read everything I could find on the internet!) I guess there's a lot to be concerned about and a lot that still COULD happen, but I'm so relieved that we found it and it's improving. I'm very optimistic.

Oh, but the other fun thing about my appointment today is that I need to have blood taken (he wants to do a full run-up since I haven't had that done for a couple of years). Which means I haven't eaten since yesterday and I'm STARVING!! It also means I've been drinking water like a fish and...well, you can assume the rest for yourself. I HAVE to drink tons of water, though, or else drawing blood is nigh impossible. I have the teeniest, tiniest veins you've ever seen, and the nurses always comment on that, so that I can't really blame them when it takes two or three tries to get the needle into the vein! It took one guy five (yes, that's right, FIVE) jabs once. I was ready to grab him by his Tweety Bird scrubs and scream, "You have been trained in this, right??"

Well, enjoy your autumn evening, and I will try to enjoy my doctor's appointment!

Posted by Lesley at October 6, 2004 04:41 PM