Ruminations of a Small Town Mountain Boy: A Comic Look at a Serious Issue

Friday, January 9, 2009

A Comic Look at a Serious Issue

Image by oxy63n via Flickr

I am being forced into a healthier lifestyle, whether I need it or not. Last weekend, Blinda had a sinus infection, and ended up paying a visit to the doctor. Low and behold, it was determined that she now has high blood pressure. The doctor set her up on some medications for blood pressure, and told her that she needed to start getting some exercise, and stop using salt, along with a few other dietary requirements.

Naturally, she took her doctors suggestions to heart, and has started the effort of changing those little things that will make all the difference. She has found a treadmill on Craig’s List, and we went to purchase it this evening. I know your all saying “treadmill?”. She and I are very different in many ways, She is NOT and outdoorsy type of person. So we jumped in the truck, and went to look at the treadmill. We ended up purchasing it of course.

So far the exercise has been quite rigorous, for me at least. I managed to manhandle the dam thing around to the back the truck, and get it loaded up with out losing my breath. Getting it out of the truck and then into the house was quite another thing. I struggled to get it up the steps of the front porch, pausing to ask if she was sure she didn’t want to leave it there so she could have the feeling of walking around the neighborhood. With the glare I received, I quickly determined that was a resounding NO. So I dragged, hoisted, and shoved it through the front door. Then around the computer desk, and finagled it through the extremely narrow door to her craft room. Once I got it all set up, I told her that all of her exercise was wearing me out.

Lets move on to diet, and my favorite companion for just about any food, salt. I can already see that I will be forced to forgo come of those more pleasant of the comfort foods. I guess its good for me also, for my system has been revolting against my culinary delights for some time now. The largest problem for me though will be hiding the salt shaker from Blinda, and not letting her see me liberally dose my food. I will for her sake, but you know my blood pressure is still 120 over 75, as it has been for most of my life. How do I know, why I sat down in that little chair at Wal Mart while we were getting her prescriptions filled and let it squeeze the crap out of my arm.

I suppose I will have to go to the doctor sometime and get my vitals checked properly. The last time was a few years back when I almost passed out at work due to a serious case of walking pneumonia. I’m one of those people who refuses to go to the doctor unless I am dying, lost an extremity, or Blinda tells me to.

All in all, lowering her blood pressure so far has been good for me also, I guess.