Health.. and Safety

  I have just come back from a visit to the Doctor; not, I hasten to reassure my faithful readers, because I am ill but rather because I`m not.  Let me explain.
  A couple of weeks ago when Kim was in England with Alyson, I began to feel a bit headachey in the mornings and also had a nagging pain in the lower ribs. Now, one of the side effects of Atenolol, which I take for high blood pressure is that I don`t get headaches, so this symptom seemed to me a sign that my blood pressure was creeping up. A while ago, we bought a spig or blood pressure measuring machine in case we wanted to monitor ourselves, and rather unwisely I tried this out with alarming results. Rather than worrying myself into an early grave, I visited our local Doctoress with my machine and demanded a comparative test plus a diagnosis on the rib pain. I dare not do this kind of thing when Kim is in residence as she worries even more than I do, a confirmed hypochondriac.
  Our Doc is a good sport and agreed to this bizarre suggestion. Her machine gave a more reassuring result and she said ours was reading a couple of points high. The pain was easily dismissed as a rib strain from heaving things about. A good result, still it might have been serious, even hypochondriacs get sick! In fact she said she would increase my blood pressure tablets slightly to bring the level back to normal, which has since done the trick. However, I did not escape scot-free as she said I had not had a blood test for a year and prescribed one, which was carried out last Tuesday.
  Today, a formidable report arrived through the post and after poring over it a while we decided to take it to the Doc`s for deciphering. She interpreted it, liver ok, heart ok, kidneys ok, pancreas ok,prostate within limits etc. nothing to worry about in total. She also re-took my blood-pressure which has returned to its usual excellent level. We were able to come back much reassured, and I am now hopefully certified to carry on in good health. The French system is a thorough one and reckons to catch problems early, when something can be done about them. Perhaps this is why the French have the longest life-expectancy in Europe!
  Bye for now, going to enjoy the sunshine.