Sleepless in Louisiana

I didn't sleep last night. I'm not trying to tell you I didn't sleep "much". I'm  saying I didn't sleep at all. When 0300 rolled around I had flipped on the TV for the third time after the midnight hour rolled around. Each time I  turned off the TV, my heart rate picked up and I was wide awake again. Soon 0500 was staring me in the face and I darkened the room once again and closed my eyes. An hour later, the lights were back on again and the husband was stirring. His dentist appointment was at 0700 and he was getting ready to go.

It was time to sneak into the bedroom and try get a few hours of sleep. An 1100 doctors' appointment was going to curtail how much time I had left to get some rest.

All I could think about was what I could be doing if I were out of bed. After another 1/2 hr of sleeplessness, I rolled out of bed and started tidying up the house.

While the husband mowed the lawn, I moved to the patio and put away the bikes, the Barbie car and used the blower to clean off the grass clippings.

Shower time and off to my doctor's appointment. By this time I'm draggin and all I want is to go to bed. Already I'm thinking about the hours I will have to spend waiting in that waiting room.

Not only was I shocked but I was plesantly surprised to find the waiting room empty. This is my first visit to this physician. It was way past time to get a internal medicine physician on board. This is the same doctor that I sent my husband to on a recommendation from a neighbor. The husband was very happy with him; I was, as usual, my suspicious self. This is not a doctor I was familiar with so I was going to form my own opinion after seeing him.

I liked this doctor. He was not in a hurry, spent time listening and when he wrote the order for the medication for my hypertension, he selected a medicine that was inexpensive and directed me to the pharmacy that stocked it. Ten dollars bought a 3 month supply. Shocking isn't it?

My heart rate is at 99 beats per minute. Much too fast which is what is driving my BP up. To bring the BP down, he ordered a beta blocker. I'm not too keen on cardiac meds. I tried to avoid working on the cardiac units. My reasoning was, I like to be able to monitor a sick looking patient. With cardiac patients, they can be smiling at you one minute and go into cadiac arrest the next without any warning. I came home and began to read. The beta blocker will affect the "fight or flight" action of adrenalin. It basically blocks the adrenalin which will slow the heart rate and decrease the BP. I'm good with that. I'll take 1/2 a pill twice a day for two weeks and if my pulse rate drops to a normal rate and my dystolic gets to 80 or below, I will continue with this dosage. If none of the above happens, I will increase the dosage to a whole pill twice a day. For the next two weeks, I'll monitor my BP and pulse rate twice a day and record it for the next doctors' visit.

Beta blockers are used for different purposes. Interesting to note, they are prescribed for people that stutter. It relieves the pressure/anxiety of speaking.

It is not late but I could care less. It's time for me to climb into bed and get some sleep. I'm gonna make up for last night.