So ever since my failed attempt to give blood last week, I have been

• exercising
• limiting Coke
• limiting junk / fast food
• drinking more water
• checking my blood pressure

Today I had a doctor’s appointment with my PCP.  Dr. C is pretty cool. He’s quick with a joke and a smile, friendly and generally seems to know what he’s talking about.  And he’s big on notes…if you go in for a flu shot, you’ll leave with one of his very neatly written notes on what happened during the visit and what should happen after. No excuses that you didn’t remember; he’s got you covered.

My blood pressure today? High again.   I told him about trying to give blood and that my bp was 140/110 that night.  He was mildly concerned and we discussed ways to get it a bit lower.  First, I’m to continue with the exercising….that’s his big thing – fitness, not weight.  His theory is if I’m exercising, the weight will naturally come off – he wants slow and steady.  Of course, watching what I eat (though he made me promise not to stress out about it or that would have an adverse affect on my bp!).  He started to tell me to reduce my stress, but then laughed and said that he knew better. That cracked me up. And then he took some blood.  A mere three vials, but he’s running the ER special (CBC, Chem 7 hehe) as well as thryoid to make sure it’s not something wonky.  And then? He wrote me a prescription.  BP meds. Lowest dose available, but still.

And if I keep working out and eating better?  I’ll possibly be off of them again with 3-6 months.

Now I have a goal.

And I need a pill organizer, because he also made me promise to take my vitamins and calcium supplements every day.

Getting older sucks. But at least I have a doctor who makes me laugh and takes away my worries…all for a mere $20 copay.