kathryn
Cathlete
I had to go to see the doctor on Monday, because while clearing up my back yard a bit, I ran into some poison ivy (my arch nemesis!). This time, I thought I'd seen the evil weed before it saw me! No such luck. The first 3 days, it looked like it was staying localized on my arm, then the systemic stuff happened, which is par for the course for me these last few years--except last summer, when I managed to avoid it. I knew by Monday that I'd need steroids, so I called in just for that.
In the doctor's office, the nurse took my blood pressure : "106/60...that's excellent!" (Did I hear a bit of envy in her voice? LOL!). I was quite pleased.
On Tuesday night, one of the possible side-effects of prednisone (hate it! but I seem to need to use one evil to chase another!) kicked in: insomnia, and a brain that just WOULD NOT SHUT UP! It was like an arcade game of ping-pong was going on in my head, with ideas bouncing back and forth against the inside of my skull.
The good news: I came up with some really good ideas for my classes and future presentations (I now have notes on 3 new presentation topics). The bad news: though I laid in bed almost the whole time (except for some note taking to get the ideas out!), I didn't get to sleep until after 6 a.m.!!
While I was lying in bed, at least relaxing as well as I could (the body could, but the brain...AARGH!), I looked over at my alarm clock, and the red LED lights showing 5:30+. As I watched the minutes tick by, I thought it might be an a propos time to do a resting heart rate (lying in bed before getting up is supposed to be the best time to take it).
So I started counting "1, 1, 1" (hang on, it gets better, LOL!), until the minute changed, and I went on to "2, 3.." (see, I told you it would get better!). I counted every beat (heck, why go with the "15 seconds times 4" or other such thing, when you seemingly have all the time in the world to do the job?) and came up with 44 . I was astonished! That's kind of athlete level, isn't it? (I guess power walking and eating a mostly-clean vegan diet does good things!).
Then I got to thinking : if my heart rate is that low, AND my blood pressure is low as well, how in the heck is oxygen getting to my brain? LOL!
Is there a 'too low" blood pressure/heart rate combo?
Or do I just have super-clean, shiny, squeaky blood vessels?
Not bad for 51, I'd say.
(Note: as you may have noticed, another side effect of the prednisone and it's brain-stimulating activity, is wordiness! I hate the drug--though I'm telling my body that it will do what it needs to do, then gently leave my body without doing any harm---but I can definitely see the appeal that certain mind-stimulating substances have for some creative types: artists, writers. Wonder if I can find some healthier thing--like mangos?
--to do the same thing?)
In the doctor's office, the nurse took my blood pressure : "106/60...that's excellent!" (Did I hear a bit of envy in her voice? LOL!). I was quite pleased.
On Tuesday night, one of the possible side-effects of prednisone (hate it! but I seem to need to use one evil to chase another!) kicked in: insomnia, and a brain that just WOULD NOT SHUT UP! It was like an arcade game of ping-pong was going on in my head, with ideas bouncing back and forth against the inside of my skull.
The good news: I came up with some really good ideas for my classes and future presentations (I now have notes on 3 new presentation topics). The bad news: though I laid in bed almost the whole time (except for some note taking to get the ideas out!), I didn't get to sleep until after 6 a.m.!!
While I was lying in bed, at least relaxing as well as I could (the body could, but the brain...AARGH!), I looked over at my alarm clock, and the red LED lights showing 5:30+. As I watched the minutes tick by, I thought it might be an a propos time to do a resting heart rate (lying in bed before getting up is supposed to be the best time to take it).
So I started counting "1, 1, 1" (hang on, it gets better, LOL!), until the minute changed, and I went on to "2, 3.." (see, I told you it would get better!). I counted every beat (heck, why go with the "15 seconds times 4" or other such thing, when you seemingly have all the time in the world to do the job?) and came up with 44 . I was astonished! That's kind of athlete level, isn't it? (I guess power walking and eating a mostly-clean vegan diet does good things!).
Then I got to thinking : if my heart rate is that low, AND my blood pressure is low as well, how in the heck is oxygen getting to my brain? LOL!
Is there a 'too low" blood pressure/heart rate combo?
Or do I just have super-clean, shiny, squeaky blood vessels?
Not bad for 51, I'd say.
(Note: as you may have noticed, another side effect of the prednisone and it's brain-stimulating activity, is wordiness! I hate the drug--though I'm telling my body that it will do what it needs to do, then gently leave my body without doing any harm---but I can definitely see the appeal that certain mind-stimulating substances have for some creative types: artists, writers. Wonder if I can find some healthier thing--like mangos?
--to do the same thing?)
