194

That is what my blood pressure was at when I went to give blood today - 194!!!! (For those who may not know - 120 is normal - 160 is high - 190 is pushing explosion or something).

To clarify - I don't mind giving blood at all. Needle - no problem. Blood - who cares? In fact, when I was done giving blood I could have jumped off the bed and left (but they make you stay for a cookie and coke, etc). I have given blood like 10 times - never fainted - never had a problem - always feel good during and after - but my BP is often high.

What I don't like is just the "getting there" part - all the sitting and waiting and then all the questions - poke your finger - go here - go over there - go behind this divider thing and sit at this table while a nurse asks you some very personal questions that will either be just embarrassing or borderline lewed and crude (either way - my Blood pressure is going up). :)

If I could just walk in, lay down, give blood and leave - I would be a superstar.

Anyway - as I said - rushing to get there - 90589034589 things to do - go through the process - 194! She asked if this has happened before - I said "yes - one other time I came to give blood" - told her about family history of BP problems - etc. She was really good. Said I could not donate in that state (the pressure would shoot the needle right across the room) so she said that she would ask the rest of the questions and then check it again - this time it was under 160 (so I could donate and I avoided being sent out to have a cookie till I calmed down - that would have been really embarrassing)

Anyway - I told her that I thought it was "spikey high"- normally I think I am in the "below normal range". I had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours a few years ago (I was having chest pains) and the reading all came back great - low pressure almost all the time - a few spikes.

She then told me that I should get a BP monitor for home and take it a few times per day - if it is still high go to the doctor. Oddly enough, Sari stole one from her parents one time (thanks Dave and Marilyn) and so I checked it at home - 123 over 60 - back in the "good range". So I am going to keep an eye on it and try to cut out some of the stressful things in my life - cut down on coffee - exercise more - etc.

Maybe I need a vacation - or a "paid stress leave" (as Lenny suggested). A hot holiday is good for lowering BP don't you think? The heat thins your blood I hear. If the church paid for it and I did not have to worry about that part I would be really relaxed. Alternately, I ran into a buddy at the hockey game tonight - a guy from the race track named Trevor - he and a bunch of guys are going the NASCAR Stock Car race in Vegas this weekend - Vegas would do something to my BP! :)

Any of the above options would be fine. I will send out the petition later in the week (if it does not stress me out too much). :)