As I was digesting my bountiful Thanksgiving feast, the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon came on. We laughed our asses off at the comedy and we really loved the holiday parody songs that he did with his guests. Then Queen Latifah came out and talked about her mother’s heart failure condition.
For almost a year, I have had high blood pressure of 196. My chiropractor thought his machine was broken because according to him, I should have been in the hospital. The nurse practitioner that I was seeing said, it’s high and we should probably put you on meds but she quit her practice shortly after.
Last year, I had to go to the emergency room because I stepped on one of my cross stitching needle and got an infection. That doctor said your blood pressure is high and when you are ready to do something about it come see me.
This year, in June, I tried to donate blood. It was a blood drive sponsored by my local Elks lodge and the American Red Cross. This is my way of fighting my needle phobia and it seems to be working. However, on this particular day, the American Red Cross worker turned me down. My iron was low and my blood pressure was high. They printed off some paper work and suggested I see my doctor.
I was devastated, I didn’t have a doctor that I could trust to go running to with this information. I remembered the doctor from my emergency visit and I made the apponitment. I went in and he had me do some blood work. My blood pressure was still at 196.
This doctor prescribed a blood pressure med at a low dose and put me on a strict diet. In October, my blood pressure was down to 129 and I have lost over 100 pounds. My clothes fit better, I have more energy, and I just feel better.
This why this video of Queen Latifah and her mom is today’s video of the week. I was heading towards heart failure, heart attack, or stroke. I had no symptoms other than being tired all the time which I assumed was my depression or tremors.
Heart failure or heart disease can effect anyone at any age. I can not stress how important it is to get tested, to talk to your doctor, or to just make some simple lifestyle changes.
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