The only prescription medication I take is 10mg of Lisinopril every day for high blood pressure. My doctor looks at me – lean, fit and healthy – and says it must be hereditary. Another reason the gene pool stops here.
I’m guessing my blood pressure has been elevated since, oh, I don’t know, November 2016? I haven’t been monitoring it at home because I had lymph nodes removed (both sides) during my mastectomy, and I’ve read frequent blood pressure measurements in the arm can increase the risk of lymphedema. However, my oncologist recently said it shouldn’t be a problem, so I’ve been taking my blood pressure at home and keeping a log.
The numbers have been great for months, but I noticed a spike, possibly around the mid-terms or shortly thereafter. You know. Trump 2024 – that sort of thing. Politics can fire me up, but I’m thinking, geez, I’m even doing yoga now. I guess no good deed goes unpunished.
As I thought this through, I realized I’ve internalized some of the collective anger that has spread like wildfire across the United States. While I have a good life and think, oh, I’m happy and chill, and it’s not like I’m storming the Capitol, when I get in the car and someone tailgates me, I spew a stream of venom that would make a Twitter troll blush.
I decided enough is enough. Do not allow the vitriol to sink in. Just don’t. I quit cursing at strangers from the privacy of my car, and guess what? My blood pressure is back to normal. Taking the meds, of course, but normal for me.
So, my latest piece of art. Number 34. Maybe it’s about making peace personal.
I love Artwork #34, Donna. I like how you personalized peace, refused to let cynicism take over and your blood pressue lowered. Win-win-win!
Thanks. I love my little yoga cat in #34.
I can be the absolute picture of phlegmatic calm on the outside and absolutely at boiling point inside. I would love to learn how to stop doing that but, at 65, it may be a little late to teach this old dog new tricks. It’s funny, there’s a lot I’ve been able to learn (and no doubt continue to learn) but this one – the how not to internalise and hold my stress in my body – is not one of them. It’s a total PITA, so I take my hat off to you.
I’ve always felt a degree of smugness that I’m one of only two family members who’ve not had to take blood pressure meds (the other was my father who died 6 years ago), but maybe they have the right idea.
In my opinion, it’s not too late. I’m not saying I’ll get it right every time. I catch myself starting to spew out something awful, and I stop and try to replace it with something more neutral or positive. I don’t agree with Yoda — do or do not, there is no try. Just trying seems to make a difference.
That’s a fair point actually Donna. On re-considering it, I can control anger of the irritation nature, it’s anger due to frustration and powerlessness that gets me every time. Thanks, it was useful to dig into that. I shall do some work on it with my therapist/coach.
Yeah, Yoda could be a bit smug. I’ll be 74 in a few days and this is the best life philosophy I have been able to come up with. I can’t control my opinions about people and things, BUT, I can usually control saying them out loud.
If I didn’t say my criticizing thoughts out loud, then I’m a flicking saint.
I think that’s a pretty darned good philosophy.
My blood pressure has actually been good for the last few years. I was hoping retirement would do that. But I also take medication. The thing is, I don’t know if that’s really making the difference. See, I take a diuretic but mainly to help with vertigo. At this point, I have no idea if it’s helping either issue!! I’ve considered stopping it, but my doctor is hesitant since the combination of meds I’m taking seems to be controlling vertigo. My sense of peace (or lack of it) is primarily due to my parental responsibilities. I get a knot in my stomach every time I get a phone call with bad news. I need to control that better.
Both our parents passed away many years ago. And although I hate to admit it, I’m in some ways relieved not to have those responsibilities. That’s a hard one.
I have an appointment to talk about my blood pressure, but I really think I’ve haven’t been using the machine correctly. Dale showed me today how he does it, and I don’t think I had the cuff on right. When I tried it again, my blood pressure was 114/78!