If you’re over 70 with high blood pressure, WATCH THIS

HAIR CUT AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE!

MID-WEEK.  If I'm not careful, the week gets away from me and I have very little to show for it.  Quicker than a jack rabbit running out of sight, the week has vanished.  

SUNDAY.  Day of REST.  Recovering from horrific round of flu.  Body still so WEAK.  Wowzer.  
 ☕   ☕   ☕  HUBBY gave up COFFEE.  With this round of flu, he said his coffee tasted AWFUL.  Made another cup.  Same thing.  Said he was giving it up.  Shall see.  For him to give it up means something as he drinks it all the time.  Addicted to it.  ☕  The last time we were at SAMS, they had stopped selling the brand of coffee we have bought for years.  Why they stopped, don't know, but it contributed to him wanting to give up buying coffee altogether.  The straw that broke the camels back in a good way. 🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪🐫

💇Haircut was squeezed in.  Washed my hair at the kitchen sink, combed it and went to town trimming it with a straight across cut at ends.  Took close to 4 inches off making my hair when dry so much shorter I cringed.  It'll grow back, but until it does I have a shorter do for the HOT WEATHER that is coming.

MONDAY, we went to the doctor's office to get checked for
C O v I D.  We were negative.  I didn't want to do a AT HOME TEST.  We have done this before and got a negative before getting checked at the doctors with a positive.  Thought I'd save our money and just use the doctor's.  Still having bouts with nausea, but better.  Nausea meds prescribed.    
My blood pressure was too high when I went to the docs.  160 over whatever.  They did an 3 time averaging later on and it was better.  Still high.  
When I was there I completely zoned out about not drinking caffeine 30 minutes before going to doctors as caffeine raises blood pressure.  Also do not take BP when you have a full bladder.  I did.  I walked into the office having had a large glass of iced tea and a full bladder.  I wasn't asked when was the last time you had caffeine?    
Feet should be planted flat on the floor when getting BP checked.
Ones arm should be at heart level when taking BP.  Mine was dangling.  
Should be quiet for at least 5 minutes before BP taken.  Not.  
No moving or talking during BP reading.  
When an ELDERLY person that has not been trained as a nurse has to instruct the nurse how to take proper BP, I have to scratch my head.  Hello somebody.  But they're the ones with the degree.   
Many are placed on blood pressure meds when they shouldn't have been.  Clear my throat.  
Also, when you have a potassium deficiency, your BP raises.  Have you ever been asked or checked beforehand of having a potassium deficiency before going on blood pressure meds?  I haven't.  
I have never been asked if I had caffeine before coming to the office for a medical appointment. Have you?
When taking a water pill or diuretic, it depletes potassium from you.  Electrolytes are depleted. When having a electrolyte depletion, blood pressure raises.  sigh.    
I hope I can remember to not drink caffeine, not have a full bladder, be rested for at least 5 minutes before the cuff goes on the arm and have my arm at heart level.  Feet planted flat.  No talking or moving during reading.  Never have material between your arm and the cuff.  Skin contact required.  Correct size cuff used.    

Take BP at HOME and record the measurements.  I do.

🗑🗑🗑🗑. With feeling ill, I still managed to shred more OLD PAPERS!  and emptied a laundry basket full of them.  As I emptied the basket, a weight was lifted off my shoulders.  ANOTHER LAUNDRY BASKET emptied.  PTL.  

TUESDAY, Daughter had surgery for a ovarian torsion.  First time I HAVE EVER HEARD OF THIS CONDITION.  Waiting for the path report.  I didn't take this well at all.  My prayers are for her.

WEDNESDAY, I will complete decorations for my Dad's grave and my oldest Brother's.
Some laundry.
Another round of things to donate to charity is finding its way to the front door.
I won't be attending my Grandson's 8th grade graduation in St. Louis.  Not strong enough to travel.  Disappointed.   

Working on a decorated white cross for my Dad's grave.  I remembered that I have a large tub of faux flowers that I can add to the white cross and make a decent grave decoration for Memorial Day.  I had planned on already having this completed, but time got away from me and illness came for a visit.  SLOWED DOWN.  Recovering from the cataract surgeries did not go as well as I thought it would.  Still adjusting. 

I'll hot glue daisies and white carnations on the cross and it will be ready to go.  I found a large patriotic metal ribbon for under $20.oo that we will use for my brother's grave.  When we go to the cemetery, I want to trim the grass around the tombstone and tidy the area up.  I told Mom I would send her pictures.

I'd like to stay in town for a few hours to reminisce.  This is an odd sensation going to Marion with my LOVED ONES gone.  Just a few cousins scattered in the area is left.  All my earthly life I have spent special time in Marion.  Now...not so much.  C O v I D killed many including the way things are done.  It killed reunions for my family.

Some things were not meant to end.  It is unsettling to deal with.  We will return to Marion and I will take my time to soak it all in.  

A NEW GATHERING WILL HAVE TO TAKE PLACE with family members meeting in a different place and time.  

~d  

White Pumpkins Reign

~BEAUTIFUL WHITE PUMPKINS~

I grew up thinking that pumpkins only came in orange.

Not so anymore.

I really like the white ones and green ones, 

light orange and bright as well.

It wouldn't be the first time I didn't know any better.

This has been a difficult week for me....health wise.

My heart has been skipping beats.

Thought it would straighten out, but didn't and so after 11 days I went to my doctor.  
Wore a halter monitor for 24 hours and started taking Toprol.  
Will be reading and studying up on PVC.

Premature Ventricular Contractions.

 Blood pressure way too high.

Felt faint and just over all not well. 

Felt like my heart was doing flip flops.

Did some reading about what can cause skipping heart beat....anything from high blood pressure,
 caffeine, medicines, anemia, stress, low in calcium, 
low in magnesium, low in potassium, etc. 

So I stopped the caffeine, started taking folic acid, a calcium tablet, a magnesium tablet, 
a potassium tablet, an aspirin, rubbing natural progesterone cream on, taking olive oil with honey, 
taking deep breaths and avoiding sodium as much as possible!

Spent the afternoon reading up on how to reduce high blood pressure the natural way.

BEET JUICE is suppose to lower high blood pressure in a hour and a half.  
So tomorrow I hope to go to the Health Food Store and get some.

 If you know of some great ways to lower blood pressure naturally, please share with me.  
Appreciate your help.

I believe that I have some major changing to do when it comes to food preparation 
as well as ignoring some foods.

I knew that anytime you have low in fat food, 

that more sodium is added to the product. 

So the low in fat food with more sodium isn't a good thing for me.

Eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, 

less red meat, and grains is a bonus.  

Drinking purified water a plus.

Exercising would help.

With my Christian upbringing, we didn't follow kosher food instructions.  
That was for old testament Jewish people following the Law.  So I thought.

When Jesus walked the earth, 

wouldn't He have eaten kosher since He was Jewish?

I will be posting more about high blood pressure 

or hypertension in the future.

God bless and may we all be healthier for it,

d