The Best of Times and the Worst of Times

Perhaps what has been one of the most aggravating months of my life is finally ending on a good note. After a barrage of Frankenstein-ish pokes and prods, we've got a diagnosis for my freakish event earlier in the month - there's nothing wrong with me - and a second EEG proves that I do NOT have epilepsy or any other seizure activity.

DIAGNOSIS - Hypertension, migraines and certain herbal supplements can trigger temporary spurts in high blood pressure. The regular ingestion of unnecessary blood pressure medication can lower your heart rate to dangerous levels and cause you to pass out ...

It really is that simple.

I'm not trivializing high blood pressure. Every day high blood pressure goes untreated results in damage to your eyes, liver, and kidneys, among other organs, which is why the Fire Chief started all this.

I don't blame the Chief. He was looking after me. But, I'm mad as hell at the doctor who put me on medication that lowered my heart rate to life threatening levels instead of listening to me.

I told the doctor that high blood pressure had to be a symptom of something else. I'm healthy and active. Not a soul in my family had ever had high blood pressure and not even pregnant and big as Rasputia was my blood pressure ever above normal.

But the doctor showed me a film, talked about being over forty, and convinced me that I was in denial. I had high blood pressure. Fine. I took the medicine. And, on January 7th, reacting to the meds, my heart rate dropped so low and my blood pressure sky rocketed so high that I wound up in the hospital for three days.

January has been awful. Grounded from my car while we made sure I didn't have a stroke, heart attack, or seizure, the men in my life had to chauffeur me everywhere. All I needed were a few mothballs, an AARP card, and a pair of droopy stockings to feel more ancient.

One son drives a Frontier pickup. Another drives a Honda. I am the queen of carsickness. By the time I ride four miles in the passenger side of a Frontier or Honda, then crawl across the gravel parking lot, barfing my way to the office doors, nobody can convince I don't have a brain tumor.

But, it's over. I'm fine. I have a medication for migraines that seems to be working well. Two entire weeks with no migraines. That's somewhat of a record for me. No high blood pressure. No blood pressure medication.

And the important things here are -- (1) I'm not dead (2) I've got the Nicholl to look forward to and (3) I've got my car keys back!