Going to the doctor tomorrow

[Joe Biden 2020]

I've got kind of a worrisome doctor's appointment Tuesday morning at 9:00 am.  The thruxt of the appointment will be about my blood pressure which is high.  I was first diagnosed with high blood pressure in February 2008, but at the time, had no health insurance so I couldn't get any real treatment for it.  Now, we're nearly 13 months later and I finally have health insurance from United HealthCare.  What's worrisome about it is that when I checked it on a home monitor back in early October 2008 it showed a high stage 1/low stage 2 hypertension case which, according to WebMD.com, could basically mean lights out by 35 years old should it not get treated.  Now, I know home monitors should be taken with a grain of salt and sometimes misrepresent the actual blood pressure.  Then, when I got my physical for my job right before Christmas, it showed it was down to a low stage 1.  That eased my nerves just a bit.  I've been trying to watch what I eat and cut down on my soda pop intake and increase my water intake for the past 10 days.  I've lost about 4-5 pounds in the past week.  I just don't know what to expect in terms of HBP treatment.  I don't know what kind of medicine he'll put me on, dont know what kind of diet he'll put me on, if any.  So, I'm kinda nervous.

If you would keep me in your thoughts and your prayers tomorrow, I would appreciate it.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Thank you, friends!!  I did weigh myself this morning after I woke up and I'm up to 5 pounds lost in the past 9 days.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I got back from the doctor this morning around 10:30 CT.  Had a good, short visit with him.  My blood pressure was measured at 154/100 which puts the systolic (top number) in stage 1 range and the diatolic (bottom number) at the border of stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension.  He told me not to worry, first of all.  Then, he gave me some samples of that Diovan to bring down my blood pressure and told me to come back in three weeks and we'll go from there and possibly put me on a real prescription of the Diovan.  I've got an appointment scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 at 8:45 am.  Like I said in my post late last night, I have lost five pounds in the past 10 days, so I'm headed in the right direction, anyway.

And, to answer opebo's inquiry, I'm working for one of the most recession-resistant companies and industries in the country, namely, the energy industry and the company of ONEOK, Inc and its main distribution company, Oklahoma Natural Gas.  I've got my medical and prescription insurance through United Health Care.  Its my first real dose of health insurance since I was under my father's insurance in my schooling years.  That coverage dropped me in December 2004, so I've had nothing for about 50 months.