Bridget Confronts High Blood Pressure

Yes, dear blogfriends.  Apart from being busy, I faced high BP for the Nth time.    Short history:

• Dad died of a stroke
• First encounter of high BP, 1992, P.E. in DLSU-Dasmarinas.  Collapsed after doing the mandatory run of the gym’s perimeter.  Weight back then was 220lbs, waistline: 40″.  Was ordered to watch my diet and lose weight. Was not a smoker back then.
• Second encounter, 2003, Sta. Rosa Teens Healthquarters (previous project).  On my way home, I felt my shoulders, nape, and back become heavy.  Then my heart started racing, I was catching my breath.  When I reached home, I was alone.  I called my colleague in the project who is a nurse and who happens to be our neighbor (thank god).  She took my BP:  160/125.  Calcibloc time. Weight back then:  190lbs, waistline: 34″, heavy smoker

And after our last regional sharing session, our last event for my current project, I encountered the same symptoms.  But still, I went to a whole-day meeting.  During the meeting, I felt dizzy and participants during the meeting called the technical specialist who is also a nurse (good thing i’m involved with a health projects–doctors and nurses are around).  My BP:  130/100…after the meeting, they checked it again:  130/112.  I was panting and my heart was pounding like crazy.  And I still had to go home to Laguna…from ORTIGAS!  Ugh.  I had to take Catapres.  That made my BP go down…to a level that made me woozy.  Fell asleep the entire trip.

Epiphany, darlings.  Epiphany!!!!  Let me share this email I sent to our team earlier:

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Dear Team Zaturnnah, (yep! we are all gay in the team. hahahahaha!)

I heard the Health Conference went well.  I was looking forward to seeing it first hand.  But as everyone knows, age and an unhealthy lifestyle has caught up with me.

I got my findings:  high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.  Hypertension triggered mostly by stress and contributory are fatty foods.  Low fat, low salt diet (although my sodium levels are within normal range) and less smoke plus I need to lose 30 lbs to hit my ideal weight:  150-155 lbs.  I am to take Lipcuay (Fenophiltrate) for 30 days to pull down my triglyceride and cholesterol levels.  I still have to take Natrilix (Indepamide) for the next 4 days to stabilize my blood pressure.  As of today, my blood pressure is 110/80–which is good. (Although I think its gonna be high again because mother is in the hospital, confined for 2 days, she had lots of findings that i just wish a smile would be enough.)

I emailed all of you because only now did it sink in–what Eric and I were laughing about.  I was so concerned about the health conference but Eric jokingly said, “Health conference-health conference, you’re not taking care of your health naman.”  We laughed so hard but when I was getting dizzy from the fluctuation of my BP, feeling woozy about the meds, and seeing my mom in the hospital, I said to myself, Eric’s right.  All of us should take care of our health.  We are guardians of health whose goal is to increase health-seeking behavior.  But we half-jokingly, half-seriously tell each other BAWAL MAGKASAKIT…KASI MARAMING GAGAWIN.  What’s that, di ba? Let’s practice what we preach.  Have your check up.  I am proposing that from now on, let’s be serious about our planned health activities.  I am actually very excited to join badminton and the smoking cessation (smoke-free? hehehe) program.  I want us to live by what we teach that a healthy workforce is a productive workforce.  Hell, we are productive even when we are sick!  What more if we are healthy, right?  So, I enjoin you, fellow beauty queens…(cue grand orchestra music as background)

Let us all join hands in staying fit and being healthy.  As one of the more popular Goddesses once said so eloquently, “Sa PBSP, ganda lang ang puhunan namin.”  I would like to add:  “If beauty is our main investment, health is our armor towards bringing this beauty to our organization, our community, (meaningful pause)…and our nation…thank you…and mabuhay!  (cue applause, cue grand exit music and confetti, blows kisses to left, right, and center stage, then walks out to the left…sideways…waving…with a smile…)

JEROME

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I love you, guys!  And I missed you too!!!! (hugs and kisses to everyone)