September 19, 2024: My Blood Pressure, My Doctor （血圧とかかりつけの先生）

 It has been a year since I had a record high blood pressure of 180. It was a reading at the hospital I went for my regular health check. It was so high that I was not allowed to have barium swallow test. It confused me so much that I rushed to a doctor near my home. Then, I was told to take blood pressure tablets. Since then, I followed the saying, and I have been taking them every day. And I reached the first anniversary the other day. In other words, it was the day of my first check-up since I began to take the tablets.
 I was a bit nervous about having my blood pressure taken. First, I did it with a blood pressure monitor and then, I had my blood pressure taken with a manual one. The result was about 160 and 145, respectively. They relieved me very much. In particular, I was very happy with the 2nd result. It was close to the readings taken by my doctor near my home. It was thanks to my doctor.
 But I still have to do a lot for my blood pressure. I have found a big difference between them and the readings taken at my home after I wake up. My blood pressure is always less than 130 at my home and much less than the readings at the hospital and my doctor. At my doctor, I have always shown him the daily readings at my home and then, I have it taken with a manual one. Then, the reading is always higher by around 10 than those at my home. I have always been disappointed with it, but he always says to me, ‘ Don’t get disappointed so much. You do not have to worry about it. It is not a serious problem.’ What he tells me is the best medication to lower my blood pressure. When he says so, he looks so confident that he always reassures me very much and makes me rely on him.
 I really appreciate his efforts and being near me.

　「180」という記録的に高い血圧がでて、1年になります。これは、定期健診の病院で出た記録です。あまりに高かったので、バリウム検査は受けられませんでした。また、あまりの高さに困惑して、自宅近くのお医者さんに駆け込みました。すると、血圧の薬を飲むように言われました。それ以来、指示に従い、毎日飲み続けています。そして、先日、その一周年を迎えました。すなわち、血圧の薬を飲み始めて初めての健康診断の日がやってきました。
　血圧を測るときは、少し緊張しました。まず（自動の）血圧計で測り、次に手動で測ってもらいました。結果はそれぞれ約160と145で、とても安心しました。特に2回目の結果はとても良かったです。自宅の近くのかかりつけ医で測ってもらった数値に近かったのです。これは、かかりつけの先生のおかげです。
　でも、まだ血圧については、やることがたくさんあります。起床後に自宅で測定した値とはまだ差があるのです。自宅では常に130以下で、病院やかかりつけ医で測る値よりもずっと低いのです。かかりつけ医では、いつも自宅での毎日の測定値を見せてから、手動で測ってもらいます。すると、いつも自宅の数値より10前後高いのです。その結果に、いつもがっかりするのですが、先生はいつも、「そんなにがっかりすることはない。問題ない。大丈夫。」と言ってくれます。この言葉が、血圧を下げる最高の薬です。そう言ってくれるときの先生は、とても自信に満ちていて、その表情をみるといつも安心し、頼りがいを感じます。
　先生の取り組みと、そばにいてくれることに本当に感謝です。