The previous standard for doctors was to medicate to manage blood pressure with a target of less than 140.
Note: serious and accurate information up top and then descending into decadence to close. Or just scroll on down to The All Decadent Part. The BP information is important at any age but, on review, there's a bit of decadence in there as well. So, it's a historical document ... this is what happened.
The systolic reading is the upper value in your blood pressure. Typically it's about 120/80 (i.e. systolic is 120) and mine was stable until about forty as I got a free blood pressure test every time I donated blood and that was every two months. I never felt it was all that heroic as, wtf, I was getting something out of it.
No idea, really, what got the family fired up on donating blood but we pumped gallons of it between us. It amused my sister that they made her walk around the block a few times to get her blood pressure up enough to let them draw the blood. It was often a circus as three, four or more would go up there at once. It may not seem so but it was a good time doing that.
Note: there was drug abuse happening in, well, all of us but it was religious thing not to have anything floating around your blood when you donate. Part of the reason was selfish as we didn't want to get busted. Follow it through. They've got your blood. They will test it. We had no idea if that were true but ... it was a good enough reason, man. When you got busted back then, you got busted hard.
At around forty, the blood pressure started going up so that started off the medication. Fortunately, doctors have never prescribed a beta blocker as that can exacerbate problems with COPD, emphysema, etc. The situation now is what's the appropriate med for the circumstance as the dosage has held generally constant for over twenty years.
In the latest debacle, my blood pressure was still a little over 140 when they sent me back here. Apparently the doctor was not familiar with the report from the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute : Landmark NIH study shows intensive blood pressure management may save lives (I knew about it before I went into the E.R. and that's specifically why I did)
Therefore, managing it to stay less than 120 is the first topic on Thursday. As of this minute, I'm still afraid to discover what it may be. Every indication is it is still high but confirming that will start a panic and it's bad enough already. The doctor is confirmed and things proceed from there. Meanwhile, stay cool and lie down a lot.
(Ed: how can you tell?)
There's pressure in my head and it goes up/down. Ringing in my ears gets worse. The problem is multiple things can cause that. Panic will do a handy job.
There may be some thought this ignores the problem but it does the best I can with the medical facilities available to me. The E.R. was not particularly useful for any more than information and the Veterans Administration is inadequately funded by Congress. It's fortunate I had set the appointment three months ago and that it's coming up on Thursday. Without that in-hand, there would be a substantial problem and most likely the only move then would be to go to the VA emergency room in Dallas.
There is no formal medical insurance nor is there any way to get it. People go on and on about the Affordable Care Act but I know this much: I've never seen it. The GOP killed the public health option of it and, sure, thanks for that.
The All Decadent Part
There is one stoner lesson in this one as we were stoners then and at least one of us still is. Tinkerbell and I but unknown who else went up to drop a pint of blood. All's good as we're young and healthy so after that we'll blow a joint and enjoy some sunshine, take it easy. This seems like a good plan so we take care of business at the blood bank and then head back to Hosea which is possibly becoming recognizable to regulars as the site of quite a bit of devilment at that time.
`Twas brillig and, yeah, it was really brillig so that made a peach of a time to sit out in the sun to hang out, looking beautiful in those RayBans, and stoned as any monkey ever hoped. So that was a great little jam but even then you get toasted if you stay out there too long. Tinkerbell stood up to go inside.
Note: serious and accurate information up top and then descending into decadence to close. Or just scroll on down to The All Decadent Part. The BP information is important at any age but, on review, there's a bit of decadence in there as well. So, it's a historical document ... this is what happened.
The systolic reading is the upper value in your blood pressure. Typically it's about 120/80 (i.e. systolic is 120) and mine was stable until about forty as I got a free blood pressure test every time I donated blood and that was every two months. I never felt it was all that heroic as, wtf, I was getting something out of it.
No idea, really, what got the family fired up on donating blood but we pumped gallons of it between us. It amused my sister that they made her walk around the block a few times to get her blood pressure up enough to let them draw the blood. It was often a circus as three, four or more would go up there at once. It may not seem so but it was a good time doing that.
Note: there was drug abuse happening in, well, all of us but it was religious thing not to have anything floating around your blood when you donate. Part of the reason was selfish as we didn't want to get busted. Follow it through. They've got your blood. They will test it. We had no idea if that were true but ... it was a good enough reason, man. When you got busted back then, you got busted hard.
At around forty, the blood pressure started going up so that started off the medication. Fortunately, doctors have never prescribed a beta blocker as that can exacerbate problems with COPD, emphysema, etc. The situation now is what's the appropriate med for the circumstance as the dosage has held generally constant for over twenty years.
In the latest debacle, my blood pressure was still a little over 140 when they sent me back here. Apparently the doctor was not familiar with the report from the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute : Landmark NIH study shows intensive blood pressure management may save lives (I knew about it before I went into the E.R. and that's specifically why I did)
Therefore, managing it to stay less than 120 is the first topic on Thursday. As of this minute, I'm still afraid to discover what it may be. Every indication is it is still high but confirming that will start a panic and it's bad enough already. The doctor is confirmed and things proceed from there. Meanwhile, stay cool and lie down a lot.
(Ed: how can you tell?)
There's pressure in my head and it goes up/down. Ringing in my ears gets worse. The problem is multiple things can cause that. Panic will do a handy job.
There may be some thought this ignores the problem but it does the best I can with the medical facilities available to me. The E.R. was not particularly useful for any more than information and the Veterans Administration is inadequately funded by Congress. It's fortunate I had set the appointment three months ago and that it's coming up on Thursday. Without that in-hand, there would be a substantial problem and most likely the only move then would be to go to the VA emergency room in Dallas.
There is no formal medical insurance nor is there any way to get it. People go on and on about the Affordable Care Act but I know this much: I've never seen it. The GOP killed the public health option of it and, sure, thanks for that.
The All Decadent Part
There is one stoner lesson in this one as we were stoners then and at least one of us still is. Tinkerbell and I but unknown who else went up to drop a pint of blood. All's good as we're young and healthy so after that we'll blow a joint and enjoy some sunshine, take it easy. This seems like a good plan so we take care of business at the blood bank and then head back to Hosea which is possibly becoming recognizable to regulars as the site of quite a bit of devilment at that time.
`Twas brillig and, yeah, it was really brillig so that made a peach of a time to sit out in the sun to hang out, looking beautiful in those RayBans, and stoned as any monkey ever hoped. So that was a great little jam but even then you get toasted if you stay out there too long. Tinkerbell stood up to go inside.
And immediately started to topple. I'm thinkin', holy shit, she's going down. I do believe I did manage to break her fall and she was ok once she stabilized. We had never considered what happens if you drop a pint of blood and then blow a joint. Tip: don't do it.
(Ed: Tinkerbell is the same sister you took out for skydiving and nearly got her killed that time as well?)
Yep, same sister. That time she was leaking some blood and I was seriously thinking, man, she's hurt bad this time.
Nope, she wasn't. She whacked her head on her knee when she landed so she was kind of concussed but she was alright after she could collect herself.
Cadillac Man jumped that day as well and for some it's only necessary to do it once to overcome that personal challenge. After that once, it really doesn't accomplish anything to do it again since it mostly is just for the thrill after that.
My own choice had been to watch and I have no idea why this choice or to get onto the aircraft to do it too. It probably had something to do with the camera and one of the other experienced jumpers asked me what's happening. I said I wasn't going to jump today and he said why not.
The question threw me and annoyed me as go-fasters do not question one another. You drive when it is time to drive and you will pick the time. That's probably the No. 1 Go-Faster Rule. If it's not your choice, you're doing it wrong.
I don't think I ever jumped there again although I did at another place and that was even a novice competition. I would have done well but I failed to heed some advice which was really important. From where you land, you must hot-foot it to some location to close your time. They advised before jumping, before you run, grab the edge of the parachute. Otherwise it will fill while you run and you will have no chance of going forward. I thought I had enough room to get away with just going for it.
I didn't. It was cool, tho. Those were the most satisfying jumps of all because I got a really good arch in my back which gives the right kind of control for free fall. You're the master of all creation at that point as there's nothing but you and the Earth because the parachute hasn't even opened yet. That is one grand experience.
Note: for ALL thrill-seeking, ALWAYS have an exit plan. For skydiving you have a reserve parachute. If the main fails then can jettison it and use the reserve. If you do this too low then it may not save your life but you have a good chance if you follow the rules (i.e. the reserve has to be well on its way to open by a thousand feet or it can't slow you down in time).
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