Like a Mosquito, She Says
Here we are, five days later, reading 121/80. Can this be done on sheer willpower, diet, and exercise? The medical establishment gives us an emphatic No! And once you start on the medication, it is a lifetime requirement, they tell us. Ping has monitored my blood pressure closely for five days, and now shares my belief that it can be controlled without medication. I don't have to say anything now - the brown rice is always there at mealtime. She brings it to the office for my lunch, and serves it at dinner.
And it does take willpower. We should stop for donuts, Ping said as we drove Cici home from school yesterday. No donuts for you, I said. She had a card up her sleeve and she played it. But Cici wants some donuts, she said. I immediately pulled into the donut store parking lot as Cici and her friend laughed from the back seat of the car. I will go inside with Cici, Ping said. No, Cici said, I want Papa to come with me. She expected from past experience that I would buy a dozen donuts to get the price break, and she was correct.
The girls enjoyed their donuts, but I wasn't tempted. No sugar allowed, I have decided. Since I also gave up drinking coffee, giving up sugar was a lot easier.
Wake me in thirty minutes, Papa, I want to take a nap before studying. I knew Cici was tired because she said she fell asleep in her first two classes of the day. I dutifully tried to wake her half an hour later, but she was out cold. I tried again half an hour later. Same result. After two hours, I was able to wake her. She sat on the sofa hugging Mama, who was laughing at me. Cici didn't know you were trying to wake her, she said. You are too nice to her, speaking in a soft voice and calling her Sweetie. You are like a mosquito, Ping said laughingly, which is why she didn't wake up.
Maybe so, but I wake her every morning and I have a feel for how tired she is. My feeling was that her body desperately needed a couple of hours of sleep, so I wasn't too insistent about waking her. But because of her nap, she missed our evening walk. Ping and I walked as a light rain fell on us intermittently. When we returned to the house, Cici was working away on her homework. Papa, she called, I missed only two questions out of 45 on my chemistry test today, and I think I also did very well on my English test. I am so proud of you, I told her. I know how hard and long you studied last night.
The mosquito was successful on the first attempt this morning, I told Ping after I woke Cici and she got out of bed a few minutes later. But exhaustion had hit someone else, so Ping said she would sleep a bit longer and drive to the office later this morning. That's okay. She has earned it.
And it does take willpower. We should stop for donuts, Ping said as we drove Cici home from school yesterday. No donuts for you, I said. She had a card up her sleeve and she played it. But Cici wants some donuts, she said. I immediately pulled into the donut store parking lot as Cici and her friend laughed from the back seat of the car. I will go inside with Cici, Ping said. No, Cici said, I want Papa to come with me. She expected from past experience that I would buy a dozen donuts to get the price break, and she was correct.
The girls enjoyed their donuts, but I wasn't tempted. No sugar allowed, I have decided. Since I also gave up drinking coffee, giving up sugar was a lot easier.
Wake me in thirty minutes, Papa, I want to take a nap before studying. I knew Cici was tired because she said she fell asleep in her first two classes of the day. I dutifully tried to wake her half an hour later, but she was out cold. I tried again half an hour later. Same result. After two hours, I was able to wake her. She sat on the sofa hugging Mama, who was laughing at me. Cici didn't know you were trying to wake her, she said. You are too nice to her, speaking in a soft voice and calling her Sweetie. You are like a mosquito, Ping said laughingly, which is why she didn't wake up.
Maybe so, but I wake her every morning and I have a feel for how tired she is. My feeling was that her body desperately needed a couple of hours of sleep, so I wasn't too insistent about waking her. But because of her nap, she missed our evening walk. Ping and I walked as a light rain fell on us intermittently. When we returned to the house, Cici was working away on her homework. Papa, she called, I missed only two questions out of 45 on my chemistry test today, and I think I also did very well on my English test. I am so proud of you, I told her. I know how hard and long you studied last night.
The mosquito was successful on the first attempt this morning, I told Ping after I woke Cici and she got out of bed a few minutes later. But exhaustion had hit someone else, so Ping said she would sleep a bit longer and drive to the office later this morning. That's okay. She has earned it.
Good for you, Lee! I am a firm believer in avoiding artificial substances commonly referred to as drugs. Even a small amount of research shows that they block or inhibit some natural body function, leading to other side effects. Our bodies are finely tuned and designed to take care of themselves. If there is an imbalance, you need to fix the underlying problem, not treat the symptoms. Food and herbal remedies are surprisingly effective in restoring balance, if you have the right information. Stay healthy!
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A five day sample isn't enough to base the rest of your life on!
However, I do believe that the way one lives their life has more to do with their health than what pills they take. So - More power to you Lee!
Don't forget to tell Angela that those of us on the other side of the screen are proud of her too!
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Make it six days, Smitty. 121/80 this morning, with similar normal readings yesterday and last night.. I think we are on to something here.
Angela and Ping blush when people talk to them about the book or this blog, but they seem to appreciate it after growing more accustomed to it. I will pass your comment along to Angela, as I always do when someone says something about her.
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