What if you went to the doctor for pain in your wrist and the doctor took your blood pressure? You’d expect that, right? What if he took your blood pressure three times? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

First he put my hands and wrist through some fairly tortuous exercises to try to determine where the pain was coming from. He managed to rule out tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s an inflammation on the back side of my wrist that radiates up my arm, and there’s nothing to be done except rest it when it hurts and use ice and an anti-inflammatory when I need it.

So I came away much less worried about the pain in my wrist. In fact, I asked him if there was anything I couldn’t do, because I really need to get some yard work done. He sort of shrugged that off. “Let the pain be your guide,” he said. In other words, work till it hurts. I liked hearing that a lot, because it’s what I wanted to hear. That’s exactly why I asked the question, so that he could tell me to go ahead and do what I felt like, as long as I felt like it.

This blood pressure thing, though, is a little disturbing. I knew I’d be a little nervous going to the doctor in the first place, and it didn’t help that I drove past the place no less than five times before I found the parking lot. It was supposed to be so easy to find, but it really wasn’t. In fact, I never did see the sign; I just guessed which parking lot it might be, and I nailed it. I think I’ll find it a little easier next time.

However, he wasn’t about to accept that as an excuse for high blood pressure. He said he knows there are stresses in a person’s life that have nothing to do with visiting the doctor. And oh, isn’t he right about that!

Anyway, I have to go back to their lab Monday morning for a blood test, so it’s good I won’t have to hunt for it again. Oh, he’s testing me for all kinds of things. I have a list, but it’s all in indecipherable code known only to the inner circle (and more experienced patients, I suppose).

He also wants me to lose weight, cut out caffeine, and get some exercise. He asked me if I got much exercise, and I said, simply, “No.” I didn’t see any percentage in lying about it, but now I have to change that, because he told me to. I go back in three or four weeks, and he’ll want to see some improvement. So, in fact, will I.