Everyday Randomness

I tried to go to sleep early tonight, but it’s not happening.  This isn’t one of my usual bouts of insomnia.  I’ve got a lot on my mind tonight that’s keeping me awake.  I’m worried to death right now about grandparents.

First we found out Hubby’s grandma had another heart attack. She had one 3 weeks ago that sent her in for more tests.  That’s when the doctors discovered both sides of her heart are blocked.  They gave her a week to live then, but she pushed on.  Three weeks later we were told she wouldn’t make it through the day today.  They’ve kept her sedated to keep her from moving around too much while they give her medication to help with the blockage, but she had another heart attack.  She’s still with us tonight (or was the last I heard around 10pm), but I’m not expecting good news in the morning.

On top of that my mom had to take my Grandma to Urgent Care last night.  She was complaining about her knee.  This knee has been giving her trouble for a good month now, and it finally got bad enough to force her to go to the doctor.  My Grandma will do anything to avoid a doctor.

Well the doctor gave her medication for the knee and said it’s arthritis.  What he’s really concerned with is how high her blood pressure read.  I’m not exactly sure of the exact reading, but her systolic was over 200.  A normal systolic pressure is no higher than 140.  Of course the fact that she’s in pain would push it higher than normal.  She gets really stressed out and upset over going to the doctor, so that doesn’t help either, but neither of those things should push it that high.

He immediately put her on hypertension medication and told her to come back in 2 weeks.  He didn’t discuss her diet, her lifestyle, or anything with her, and that kind of pissed me off.  He didn’t ask if she has a way to check her blood pressure at home or anything.  As soon as my Grandma called me tonight to tell me all this I took it upon myself to get her healthy.

I printed out a month’s worth of charts where she can monitor her blood pressure everyday.  I showed her how to use the blood pressure cuff she already has, but it’s the semi-auto type.  I’ll have to walk up there every morning right after she wakes up to take her blood pressure for her.  I tried to show my Grandpa how to do it, but he was just confused.  I’d rather do it myself anyway.  That way I know she’s actually checking it everyday.

I also printed out a bunch of information for her on hypertension, lowering your blood pressure by changing your diet, stuff like that.  My Grandma doesn’t use a lot of salt, but she doesn’t think about how much salt is in canned foods and other processed foods.  She also tends to order a lot of cured meats like ham and bacon when we go out to eat anywhere.  And of course the woman has eaten mainly fried food everyday of her entire life.  My Grandpa is trying to do his part.  He hid the salt shaker.  lol.

Poor guy.  He’s so worried about her right now, and I know that’s not good for his health either.  He promised the doctor he would never argue with my Grandma again if it will make her healthy.  He doesn’t understand that their little nit picking at each other (in a very playful way) isn’t causing her blood pressure to skyrocket.  I honestly believe my Grandparents are one of those couples who will leave us at the same time.  If one goes the other won’t be far behind.  Neither of them will be able to live without the other.

I’ve never thought about my Grandparents this way.  I guess I’ve always thought of them as being here forever because they’ve always been right by my side.  In adulthood I’ve been closer to my Grandparents than either of my parents.  Maybe it’s just that I don’t think about how old I’m actually getting, and I don’t realize how old they’re getting now.  I just expect them to be there forever.  Tonight all this really hit me, and I had to have a good cry over it.

It’s hard enough losing Hubby’s Grandma.  We’ve been able to prepare for that because we’ve known it’s coming, but all this with my Grandma just hit me so hard.  I lost my Grandpa on my Dad’s side when I was 7 years old to a brain tumor, but other than Hubby’s other Grandma and a friend who died in a wreck, I haven’t really lost too many people close to me.  It’s definitely an eye opener, and it really makes me take a second look at my own life.