Having noticed a touch of tunnel vision and blood pressure reading of around 230/195 I thought I might take up my doctors plea to have a new 24 hour monitor check done at their surgery.  As this generally means having your upper arm squeezed by what sounds like a pneumatic drill pump at hourly intervals, I decided to go for it over the Easter holiday so I would not have all the inconvienience and noise while I was at work.

Not expecting a great deal, I called into the empty surgery(is it ever full?)  and mentioned to the receptionist that the last time I saw the doctor they asked me to arrange a 24 hour blood pressure monitor. ‘When was that?’ she asked.   ‘Last time I saw them, probably been a couple of months can never get an appointment…..’

‘So it’s not urgen’   ‘Not to me…. it is the doctor that wants me to have it done, and they’ve been asking for months…’

‘I can do an appointment with the nurse on 11th April…’

‘Which is what day?’   ‘Wednesday….1100hours’

‘I’m off all this week and I will be back at work by then so it really isn’t any good.’

‘Well I’m afraid it’s all I’ve got’

‘Too bad, probably the vest chance the doctor had…..’   At this point I turned and walked out of the surgery leaving her to feel indignant and in need of a sit down with a hot drink.

I shall mention this to the next doctor that starts on about checking my blood pressure.