title explained

Onward and upward! something that you say in order to encourage someone to forget an unpleasant experience or failure and to think about the future instead and move forward.

My e-mail: jjmiller6213@comcast.net

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

I'M HERE! I'M HERE!

I don't post on Saturday or Sunday.  You all need a couple of days respite from my ravings!

I got my absentee ballot for the Michigan Primary.  I haven't even opened the envelope because.....I haven't a clue whose name to put my "X" next to.  What a conundrum!!

I really am sickened by Mr. Trump's crude and vulgar language.  The people that are angry at our government like him.  That doesn't mean he would make a good President--he has no experience governing.  I adore Dr. Ben Carson, but I won't vote for him.  He has no governing experience either.
===================

I think I have self diagnosed myself again and found the reason for my light-headedness that I have every single morning.  Another reason I schedule all my appointments after 2:00--I usually feel terrible every day until about 1:30.

I take all three of my high blood pressure pills plus my anti-depressant when I get up.  I started wondering what would happen if I spaced them out during the day.  That seemed a bit better, but.....so I Googled when to take them and all it said was, "take at the same time every day."  It never said to take in the morning.  Then, I got a call from one of my high school gal pals and she said that she takes ALL her meds at bedtime--because------they make her so light-headed and dizzy during the day that she has fallen a couple of times.  Now, she is a retired nurse so I figured....why not.

I started Saturday night and took them at bedtime.  I woke up Sunday and left like a new woman all day long!!!!!  Yes--one of them is a diuretic and so I had to get up at 3:00 and pee, but I will put up with that to feel so much better.

When I went to the doctor today for my Wellness Check, I asked him if I had to take all my med in the morning, or if I could take them later in the day, or even at bedtime.  I DID NOT tell him I had already started doing that.  He said it would be fine.  Hee hee hee

Then he looked at my blood work results, turned to me and said, "If all I had to go on were the results of your blood work, your blood pressure and your medical records, I would say, "this is a healthy, fifty-five year old woman'."

I smiled because I had already check the blood work results and knew they were good.  Then he asked, "What IS your age?"

"Seventy-six and a half."

He shook his head and said, "You are amazing.  Keep on doing what you've been doing.  Get outta here and don't come back for six months!"

He has always insisted that his older patients go in for a check-up every 3-4 months.  He and I have always fought about this.  "If there is nothing wrong with me, why do I have to come in more than once a year?"

"Because I like to keep track of you and make sure you're all right."

So today, when he said six months, I smiled and nodded and figured, if I can get away with it, I'll go back next February.  HAH!!

I have only lost 1/4 inch since I was 18.  I am 5'10 1/4" tall, weight 162# and my BP was 130/62.

To my way of thinking, all our health issues, and problems are due in large part to our genetics.  My ancestor's ate anything they wanted= eggs, real butter, red meat, potatoes fried in bacon grease.  None of them were overweight.  Of course, they worked hard and needed the fuel, and they DID die of heart disease in their late 80's or 90's.  (Wink)

None of them drank alcohol.  When I say that to people, they say back, "Oh, I don't drink either.  Just a little wine once in awhile."  NO!  I mean alcohol never even touched the lips of my ancestor's.  I come a long line of Teetotalers and Temperance Union members.  Does that have anything to do with it?  I have no idea.

As long as I have smoked, I should be dead a long time ago.  Of course, I have never inhaled--that may have something to do with it?

None of my ancestor's ever had cancer.  Yes, my son has it, but it isn't based on a genetic factor.  Who knows?

So the doc says, "Keep on doing what you've been doing."  So that means, a candy bar everyday.  Potato chips, Diet Pepsi, smoke a half a pack of cigarettes and get very little exercise?  I don't think he meant that!!!!!!  <but if he insists> (Sorry, I am being a smart a**)

All I do know is that TODAY I am as healthy as a 55 year old female.  Tomorrow I could drop over on my face, dead of a heart attack.  My preferred way to go, actually.  At my age, I know how quickly health matters can change.
===============
We had quite a bit of snow last night.  I didn't get up very early and when I peeked out the window, all the snow in my drive had been plowed out AND my car has been swept off.  An hour later, I heard a Snow-blower and there was John, heading back home from clearing every one's drive on this street!  He is such a lovely man.  I called to thank him and he was in a rush to get to his volunteer job at the nearby elementary school.


18 comments:

  1. John is an angel even if he does make chili with with beans that aren't cooked as soft as you like them. LOL

    Do you still smoke? I couldn't figure it out? It's a nasty habit but not inhaling has got to make a major difference in lung damage, or lack there of.

    I have my MI ballot, too, and don't have a clue who I'm voting for either. As a Republican your choices are harder and I don't envy you. I'd probably go for John K. if he's still in the race by our primaries. I understand that people don't like the direction our country is going in but a Trump presidency would be like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

    I'm glad you changed your blood pressure meds to night time. I'll bet you could take your "water pill" in the morning and the other BP pills at night and be fine. They don't usually make you dizzy. My doctor never wants me to take mine at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Jean--I still smoke. Not much and use the E-cigarette too. Can't afford to smoke real cigarettes. I only smoke in my house and my car, NEVER in public or in front of people/family/friends. It's like it has become my dirty secret and I feel a lot of guilt about it, actually.

      Delete
    2. You smoke in secret. I eat in secret. I won't tell your secret and you don't tell mine. LOL

      Delete
  2. I've always taken my meds at night. Don't know why, just do.

    Looks like Trump and Bernie did well at the NH caucus. But, Lordy I wouldn't want to vote for either of them, and darn sure not Hillary. ugh

    I have to go every 3 months to my primary because of one (Xanax) of which I only take one at night.

    About the political arena, though, I think I read that people don't think Rubio has had enough experience, but neither did Obama (did he).

    Glad you got a good report from the dr. Sheesh, I seem to be all over the place in my comments. Well, it is after midnight! :)
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The more I asked others about when they take their meds, it seems most take them at night. I thought I had to take them in the morning so they would calm the BP during the day. Not true! That med stays in our bodies and works great 24 hours, no matter when we take them. I can't tell you how great I feel now!!

      Delete
    2. I'm SO glad you are feeling better. YAY
      xoxo

      Delete
  3. Or, maybe it was that other one (can't think of his name).

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd been feeling dizzy and light-headed, and sleepy tired every afternoon. I decided to start monitoring my blood pressure and when I went with hubby to HIS drs. appt, mentioned to her that my BP was down to 95/55 a great deal of the time. She almost fell of her chair, and said the brain needs two thing to function....blood and sugar, and it wasn't getting enough blood with that low a pressure. That scared the heck out of me, so I continued with the water pill, but we cut the 40 mg of quinapril to 5 mg, and things have been great since. Good BP, and I haven't needed a nap in weeks!
    I am envious that you have a ballot for your primary....Washington went to the caucus system a few years back, so unless I find one and get myself there, I don't get a say-so. I think that sucks. Even tho, like you, I am in a quandry as to who I'd vote for.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I went through that last year Kathleen! BP 100/50 with a pulse rate of 45!!! I was like the walking dead!! So glad we both got it figured out! I would never do very well in a caucus State. I have no desire to meet somewhere and stand around in my group. Here, it's just a regular ballot like the one for the election, but we have to declare which party ballot we want. So my ballot only has Republicans listed. I still have no clue. I'm a Moderate--a Centrist and we don't seem to have anyone like that, other than Bush and I don't see him beating Hillary.

      Delete
  5. I kind of like a lot of things Trump is saying although I wish he wasn't such a clown, and a little more eloquent! That being said if he is the Republican nominee, than I will be voting independent once again! Gah! I hate elections anymore. Seems like we never have anyone really good to vote for! Glad you are so healthy, lady! Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The campaigns now remind me of the ones I have seen on TV from the late 1800 and 1900's. Candidates calling each other horrible names, paying people to smear them, even duels. There seems to be no civility in our society at all now--especially politics.

      Delete
  6. I need a John in my neighborhood to do my driveway! He does seem like a good soul.

    I don't even wanna talk about the election....I'm sick of the bunch of them! (Especially Trump)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Why don't you just space your BP med's over the day.. one in the morning noon .. and night? Do this at the same time every day. Three of them at once seems like a lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanie, I did that for a couple of weeks and it did help a bit, but--at bedtime works great. I haven't had one dizzy spell or light-headed since Monday!!!!! It is such a relief!!

      Delete
  8. Isn't that amazing? You'd think the nurse or doctor would suggest that first. I always take my two at night ... plus all the vitamins and supplements. Should I ever be on BP stuff, I'll do the same!!! THANKS for figuring it all out!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I wish John lived on my street. :)

    I take all my vitamins at night because they make me feel nauseous in the morning. So glad it worked for you. You are right about how quickly our health can change in later years. Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete