I'm so pleased with how well things went this morning visiting our new dentist. It was a much smaller office, and that has advantages, such as no waiting 9 months to get in for your 6 month check up. Plus, we were not separated by different floors, wondering where in the building we all were. This dentist is right in our hometown, so we didn't have to drive far either.
I called yesterday and scheduled 3 of us for today. Checking my calendar I could see it was almost a year ago since we'd last had a cleaning, but that was mostly because we did not have dental insurance during DH's layoff. I was expecting cavities but we all came out great!
The homeschool stigma wasn't too bad. "I thought your 14 year old son was so well spoken, and then he told me he homeschools, so I thought, ahhh.. that's why. Homeschoolers are around adults most of the time, so that is why they speak like them," I was told by our new dentist.
I explained how my boys actually have several friends who go to school and several who do not. Its true they have no difficulty speaking with grown ups, and I'm sure that is due to how they were always around people of different ages, not just a room full of peers, but I still cringe when I hear homeschooling stereotypes. I know homeschoolers who are shy and who are extroverted. Every person is different, with their own personality, whether you learn at home or at school.
The one thing that did not go too well this morning was my blood pressure check. I was stunned it was so high. I have been doing so much walking, and usually when I exercise it's always in the safe range. I suppose it could have been the fact I was at the DENTIST and I knew our insurance had a deductible and copay, but I'm alarmed it was up. I will have to schedule a doctor's appointment and make sure my bp is okay. Maybe it was the allergy medication I've been taking too? I have found in the past, OTC drugs have that kind of effect on me. I won't take the Loratadine for a few days and we'll see what my pressure is Monday.
Its frustrating to feel you have been taking steps, (literally), towards better health and then to hear the news your blood pressure is 160/102!! I want to scream, but I won't. Getting angry will only make it go up more. LOL! Seriously, I have taken salt out of my diet, I walk 3 miles a day and I eat my veg. It should be back at 120/70. I do not, do not, DO NOT, want to go on blood pressure meds.
6 comments:
Glad you liked your new dentist + everyone had no cavities. Yay!!! Sorry to hear about your bp. Hopefully it was just from the stress of being at the dentist.
Good news with the new dentist and everyone's good report! When my blood pressure reading is high, I make the nurse do it again. Every time I ask (politely) for her/him to re-do it, it is lower... every time. Sometimes they just get a bad reading. I know where mine is "normal" for me, and if it is off, I ask for another reading. My response is usually... "Oh my, that is too high for me. Would you do it again, please, just to make sure?" They always do, and it is always lower. Sometimes they are in too big a hurry. Don't panic until you know for sure!
Great news about the dentist. :o)
You're right about homeschooled children and the personalities. They are all different. :o)
About the BP, I bought a BP cuff a couple of weeks ago so I could keep tabs on mine. It was borderline high during my life insurance exam and since my dad had hypertension we thought it best that I pay more attention to it. I began researching foods that would help lower bp and I think bananas and cantaloupe were on that list. Brisk exercise and weight loss are great things along with avoiding sodium. It's amazing how pre-packaged foods have so much sodium in them. :o( I don't use a lot of salt at home, but things I don't make myself can be drowning in sodium. <2000mg per day was recommended yesterday by our diabetic nutritionist.
Keep on keeping on girlie!!!! You'll get that bp down!:o)
That is great the you like your new dentist and that everyone did so well. Your bp is very high, I hope it was only because of the stress of going to the dentist. Happy to hear that you will be going back to be sure. No need to worry about it for now.
Dawn, I think you're doing all the right things health-wise and something's gotta give eventually but man it's hard in the interim, isn't it? ((((hugs))))
Glad that no cavities! that is just awesome.
Praying for you on the blood pressure. I think you are doing great on making the small life changes in your life. Just keep looking forward, no looking back.
Post a Comment