On Veterans Day, my blood pressure (BP) spiked to 198/122. I decided to go to emergency. Our local hospital calls it the emergency room which is really a misnomer. More like a place you go to wait. I mean, a gunshot wound is more important to treat. As I waited, there was a young lady reading a comic book. I almost went over to ask what she was reading, but decided this wasn't the appropriate time. I got in to the first part.
At the first office, the checked my BP again and asked some questions. They decided to do an EKG on me. No abnormalities were found. They then put me in a room. More like two walls and a curtain where you can hear the other side. The nurse on the other side talked about getting meds from the pharmacy for the patient who had forgotten hers. I wondered how much that would cost and thought what a jerk I was for listening in. Evil, Brent. evil.
The registrar came in and asked me some questions. Most important for them, insurance info. "Are you still with XXX?" She said the doctor would be in shortly. He did come in. He hooked me up to a BP machine and explained how a BP spike is not that bad. That seemed like a strange statement as a BP that is 70/40 over what it should be seemed dangerous. Ah well. He said he'd be back in twenty minutes.
As we waited, I tried to nap. Impossible with the snoring from the other side of the curtain. As I tried, an RN came in to make small talk with us. Since I had already finished The Cask of Amontillado, I engaged in some. I couldn't help but think how much he looked like one of my dad's poker buddies. "is that Aldo?" kept running in my mind. Even after he left.
The doctor came back two hours later. The BP machine he hooked me up to was set to go off every fifteen minutes. Besides being another reason for not being able to nap, it also gave him 8 readings. He still took one more reading. After which, he said we could leave with no meds, but to make an appointment with my primary. I did--it was set for a week later. I went in and my BP was back to normal.
There was no reason given for the spike, but I have one. That is why I'm thankful that I have learned restraint in regards to eating. No more swiss cake rolls at the local store. No more BK fries after open mics. No more double coffee cups at work. I learned my lesson, heart. Thanks for teaching me.
At the first office, the checked my BP again and asked some questions. They decided to do an EKG on me. No abnormalities were found. They then put me in a room. More like two walls and a curtain where you can hear the other side. The nurse on the other side talked about getting meds from the pharmacy for the patient who had forgotten hers. I wondered how much that would cost and thought what a jerk I was for listening in. Evil, Brent. evil.
The registrar came in and asked me some questions. Most important for them, insurance info. "Are you still with XXX?" She said the doctor would be in shortly. He did come in. He hooked me up to a BP machine and explained how a BP spike is not that bad. That seemed like a strange statement as a BP that is 70/40 over what it should be seemed dangerous. Ah well. He said he'd be back in twenty minutes.
As we waited, I tried to nap. Impossible with the snoring from the other side of the curtain. As I tried, an RN came in to make small talk with us. Since I had already finished The Cask of Amontillado, I engaged in some. I couldn't help but think how much he looked like one of my dad's poker buddies. "is that Aldo?" kept running in my mind. Even after he left.
The doctor came back two hours later. The BP machine he hooked me up to was set to go off every fifteen minutes. Besides being another reason for not being able to nap, it also gave him 8 readings. He still took one more reading. After which, he said we could leave with no meds, but to make an appointment with my primary. I did--it was set for a week later. I went in and my BP was back to normal.
There was no reason given for the spike, but I have one. That is why I'm thankful that I have learned restraint in regards to eating. No more swiss cake rolls at the local store. No more BK fries after open mics. No more double coffee cups at work. I learned my lesson, heart. Thanks for teaching me.