Something personally 'freaky'

Today I decided to go to my doctor because of certain symptoms that sort of reminded me when I had them much more severely about 6 yrs ago and I ended up having an interior tear of the carotid artery. My doctor was new to the practice where I had been going but he was pretty thorough. He noted that, taking my blood pressure twice it was too high and had been (after looking at my chart) for quite a few months. I had dismissed it as early as this winter with another doctor since I figured I was big time sleep deprived and had a few stressful years behind me. The doctors I had seen (for other things) has also noted my, at times, high(urr) blood pressure and said that it 'wasn't good'. But never said why, and wanting to prescribe me something while exercising, taking my bloodpressure on a regular basis to get a base reading which, shame on me, I never did. I had visions of taking the kids to the pharmacy's bloodpressure machine thinking, phuh..that's going to give me a good reading. Of course, ding dong me, you can buy those machines which we finally did a few months ago and ahm..tonight took out of the box.
This morning, this new doctor checked me out, figured I probably have nothing wrong with my carotid artery, everything sounded clear, but he said I should take bloodpressure medicine because I could get a stroke! That got my attention and of course, he wanted to take my blood pressure again which I said, why bother, it's definitely high now!!
He also ordered an MRI which I had done before and tonight, I waited for over an hour after my scheduled appointment only to find out that they were going to inject me with this metal based dye for contrast. Whoa! If I had known (all my other MRI's in the past did not include that) I would have scheduled it and taken my husband along in the event I had a reaction. With enough 'freaky' medical things under my belt (Cushings syndrome, now living large on one adrenal gland, sorry Hippa people, I can say what I want, plus this carotid artery thing), I just don't want to take any chances. So anyhow, I have to reschedule and I still feel some of those symptoms even though my doctor doesn't think it's anything related to that but solely the high blood pressure. Well, I'm a 'good girl' now and took my first BP pill tonight. As I was reading the Austin Woman magazine in the waiting room, an add with a local celeb said, I wear red! Meaning, it was an awareness ad for women because the number one killer of women is heart disease and strokes! Freaking me out even more.
Part of me feels rebellious. Good grief, I am 'only' 42 (and yes, for you who are younger, you'll get there soon enough, don't blink) and I don't want to pop pills for the rest of my life. I told the doctor I have a hard time swallowing pills and in this multiple doctor practice, most of the people are geriatric. I told him, I'd have a hard time as an old lady swallowing ten or so of those horse pills they need to take, yikes! So he found me the smalles BP pill which I was able to take with a big 'swig' of yoghurt. Sure, laugh away. After my son's birth, all the women were drugged up looking totally out of it, me.. I took a children's liquid tylenol and the nurses thought, doesn't she need more?
I'm good with pain, but swallowing pills? I'm impossible..
oh well, I think I might have to really work on thinking happy thoughts (what, no more political posts?), meditating or gee..yoga! No more coffee, well, the doc did not say that, he said no salt but I hardly use salt when I cook, and my husband informed me (who's taking BPpills as well)no sugar..
pass me the carrots!