This isn't good for the bloodpressure!

The adage that the caregiver has to take care of themselves first..........or they can't give good care is so right!  Jack has a blood pressure instrument to check his blood pressure on an as needed basis.   Mine is always low, but I decided to check it the other night!

Was I shocked!  The last time I went to the emergency room it was up and at the dr's office it was higher than usual.   Well it was up in that evening too.   I checked on line how to bring it down and then thought about why it was up.

Part is the constant frustration that I encounter all day long.  This morning is a good example.  I wake up a little after 5am and put the coffee on.  Decided to wait to feed the cats since they didn't seem to be making a ruckus so went to the computer.  A few minutes later Jack told me we had an emergency.  This involves a complete shower, change of clothes, dressing of wounds, and other medical treatments.

We just finished the almost hour long session when the lights went on in the kitchen and mother was up.  I had planned to fix biscuits and gravy for her and asked her if she wanted anything else.   No, but you know I have to hurry to get ready for church.  I asked if she wanted to eat first or after she took her bath,etc.  She said before but she really needed to go ahead.   I finished making the gravy and had the biscuits already ready so she could sit down.  I tried to explain that two hours was quite a long time and I thought she would have plenty of time for her breakfast and leisure cup of coffee.  Now she ate, bathed, dressed, and did all the things she had to do by 7 o'clock!  And I asked her what she was going to do for the next two hours since it was still two over two hours before she could go to church.   Well, the answer was she wasn't going to sit and wait, she had other things to do........????

The rest of the time I fed Jack, fixed something for myself, put together the week's meds for mother and Jack,  gave Jack his for the morning and put the rest of the day's where he could get them. 

Did two loads of laundry, and listened to her scheduled reports on the time........each time about 10 or 15 minutes later than the last time. 

 I fed the cats on the patio and those in the barn, walked around the yard and did lots of things to try to calm down.  Only to go back and see she had chosen something old and threadbare to wear to church.  She can't see holes, or even stains on clothing and I have to constantly check things out to be sure she will be decent! LOL

Of course in the middle of this Jack has lost his comb and would I help him look, he suggested the wastebasket where he thought he might have accidentially throw it, and I finally found it in the clothes on the way to the laundry.

After the continued reminders it was time for me to get ready, I am ready and it is only 9 am.  Church starts at 9:30am but we drive across the street because of all the water in the ditches...etc. and there is only one car there.  The church is cold and damp and they have only just lighted the fires.........another reason for not getting there 30 minutes early.

After church which included a baptism and first sunday communion.....one of the  members came up and said I am coming to see you........and my gracious and polite response was "WHY?"

She said just because I want to come see you.  I laughed and said when someone came to see me they usually had something for me to do......and she said no she was just coming to see me.  We both had a good laugh over my "why" answer.

  Now my suspecious mind doesn't work that way.