Maybe Crazy

Well, today I had to face the reality of needing a second old-person medication: Lisinopril for high blood pressure. (The other one is Celebrex for joint pain.) I have been in denial for nearly two months, thinking that my blood pressure was just fine despite several high readings. Of course, if I didn't go to the doctor, I couldn't be told my blood pressure was high, so even though I didn't intentionally avoid my doctor, I haven't had a real need to see him. I was supposed to take my home BP checker in to make sure it was accurate; instead it's been riding around in my car with me for at least a month.

Today, though, my son was sick and asked if I could drive him to the doctor. While I was there, I remembered what I was supposed to do with the BP checker. I ran out to my car and retrieved it. Now, to check the accuracy of the machine, I obviously had to have my pressure checked -- twice. It was high. Again. I told the nurse before she asked that I hadn't filled my prescription (it's been sitting on my kitchen counter for nearly two months). I hate to take medicine! But this is beginning to worry me, which can't be good for my blood pressure, so as soon as I left the office I had the prescription filled (free at Publix!). Before I left the office, I had to promise to come back later in the week for another reading.

My evasion technique worked well in the past with my cholesterol. I never took the medicine my doctor prescribed, but my last blood tests showed that my levels were just fine. It's not so bad, could certainly be worse. It's the price we all pay, I suppose, one way or another, for the opportunity to live longer.