It’s the Details that Count
A friend of mine didn’t know he had low blood pressure until he was well into middle age, and then he learned it only by accident.
His doctor of many years was out of town when my friend developed a persistent sore throat, so he went to another doctor. The nurse took him into the examining room and began taking his blood pressure. She stopped and took it again. She frowned and then called the doctor, who was suddenly in his face, asking, “How are you feeling? Are you dizzy? Are you having any trouble?”
“I just came here for a sore throat,” my friend said.
“Are you sure you are feeling all right?” the doctor and nurse asked in unison.
They explained that his blood pressure was dangerously low at 65/40 and that he should be experiencing major effects. After contacting the office of his regular physicians who pulled his medical chart, they discovered that he had always had extremely low blood pressure—a fact his regular physician never mentioned.
This also explained how he got into the army, even though he pumped himself full of caffeine to raise his blood pressure. Thirty years later he found out that he would have failed his army physical had he not drunk thirty cups of coffee!
It’s important to know the details of your health. And the best way to keep track of the details is to ask questions. Ask what your blood pressure, temperature, and heart rate are at each visit. Ask why you are prescribed certain medications as well as the benefits and risks. Keep tract of tests and procedures: when they were done and the results. In other words, keep your own medical record – even if it’s just a folder.
Like my friend’s learned – what you don’t know can hurt you but what you do know can save you.
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Proverbs 2:10
Thank you for reading my post. If you have found it encouraging please consider liking, commenting or sharing it. Feel free to even re-blog – may these words take flight!
If you want more information on how to navigate the medical arena, I have additional insights I’d love to share with you found in the pages of my debut book: Surviving Medical Mayhem – Laughing When It Hurts. To order a copy or learn more go to my website at www.lorettaschoen.com
Blessings for Health & Wellness.