annoyed

Yesterday I had a 20 week check up for my little man. (woo hoo! - half way there). They started out with the routine blood pressure check. I have always (knock on wood) had really good blood pressure whether pregnant or not.

Some of my early childhood memories are of seeing my Dad pull out his little blood pressure machine and sit on his bed taking his blood pressure. He was always taking his blood pressure and he always had good blood pressure. My Mom and hubby do not have such hot blood pressure - I think some of that is heriditary especially with Michael when he was working out in the Marines and still had high blood pressure. So, the last time I went to the doctor I noticed it was a little higher than it normally is for me. They chalked it up to being a problem with the machine and said it was probably a little lower. So, imagine my surprise when they tried to cut off my circulation in my arms for about 15 minutes yesterday. They started with the left arm. It would let air out and then start squeezing again. Then it would let air out incrimentally and give a no read. So, they would do it again. Same thing happened. So, lets try the right arm. Same thing - no read. Finally on the 4th round they got a reading : 151/81. WHAT? That is way higher than any reading I have EVER had. I let my doctor know that I was concerned that it was so high for me.

They surprised me then by giving me the lovely orange beverage that is given to read blood glucose levels. I wish they would have told me I was having that test before I came. Anyway. I took the kiddos into the back waiting room and started my 1 hour wait. The nurse then pulled in the blood pressure machine to do another round. She started by manually taking my blood pressure (she didn't let me know the number). Then she tried again with the machine. Two times on the left side. Nothing. Now it was on to the right. FINALLY! A new read. It was 108/53. WHEW! Then she told me that this was the same thing she got on the manual one she had done. Crisis averted.