I escaped death yet again!!!

I woke up on a certain day in June  of 2012 with watery eyes, some sort of pressure at the corner of my right eye, a blurred vision and sharp pain in my right eye. I checked it out in the bathroom mirror and it didn't look red/inflamed. I mentioned it to my Mr and he joking said my eye pain is most definitely caused by too much snooping.  I just put it off,after all I used to wear medicated glasses as a young child. Maybe I need to  go see an optician and get another pair of glasses. Two days later, I woke up and could not even look out the window. Looking at bright  light brought discomfort, so I decided to wait till evening and go see an optomologist. Evening came and I decided to  stretch my muscles  and take the 30 minutes  walk to the hospital. I told the nurse I would like to see an optomologist and she seemed not to be in a every good mood (are they ever in a good mood? ).  She murmured "optomologist and you are coming this evening!". I explained to her that bright light was causing my eyes to hurt greatly, that's why I decided to come in the evening. She asked me to go and wait because,  they were other patients there before me. I sat for almost an hour. I kept wondering if the other patients were all waiting to see an optomologist too?why can't she just direct me to the optomologist's office! I walked back to her and asked her when and if I would actually be able to see the optomologist that evening. She answered "Maybe! Sit down let me check your vital signs first". I was pondering "vital signs to see an optomologist!? OK just do and send me to his office"  she checked my blood pressure and had a confused look on her face. Then she checked again and scribbled down something,  stands up and suddenly becomes very nice.  "Madam please relax. Be comfortable. I'll be back". She left and returned with an elderly woman that had CHIEF MATRON tagged on her dress in tow, and yet another  sphygmamometer. The Matron checks my blood pressure with the new  sphygmamometer and gave me a look that simply said "rest in peace". "Are you here with anyone? "" Are you feeling headaches?". "Are you pregnant?". "Are you having nose bleeds? "."Have you been experiencing palpitations?".  "Do you feel weak? ". She questioned.. . " No! I feel perfect. I only took a stroll down here to see an optomologist! ".  I was confused. na wa o! All these plenty questions on top eye pain?!!! Then she gave me the shocker. " You took a stroll down here! Madam your blood pressure is 200/165. From this very moment, you are on admission. Better call home." "whattttttt! 200 over what!??? But I feel well. I have never felt more alive! It's just my eyes!" please find her a bed space the chief Matron bellowed at the nurse. ". Then I remembered my first pregnancy. I had to have an emergency C-section. I was battling pre-eclampsia and my blood pressure was  reading  260/220 ( I swear down)! I felt perfect. I was energetic. I had no headaches. No symptoms whatsoever! One gynecologist was surprised  that I wasn't having convulsions. I didn't even feel  'tired'  like  must women who are 8 months pregnant would feel, yet I was dying! The Matron went to get a consultant and he started asking me questions about myself, family history etc. They wouldn't let me get up. They even threatened to seize my phone because I was 'pinging' lol. I was given an injection that made me weak and quite lethargic. Then they wrote out a long list of medication I should take orally. I called my Mr and he came over smiling until he saw me surrounded by two nurses,  the chief Matron and a  consultant. The only bed space available that evening  was in the male ward. I was monitored right there on the chair and sent home at past midnight when I became 'stable' and instructed to return the next morning before taking any food, to run some blood tests to determine there aren't other underlying factors causing the escalated blood pressure.
I woke up the next day with absolutely no pains in my eye. No blurred visions! Absolutely nothing. I went back to the hospital, ran the tests and my results all came out very good. I was told I was very lucky to be alive, as people pass away with blood pressure not half as high as mine was. I was told I was extremely lucky to be alive. No brain hemorrhage, not even a partial stroke!  I was told that due to my family history , genetic factors play some role in my blood pressure issues. I was advised to make a few life style changes and I was put on medications, which I still take till this very day. My blood pressure varies between 120/80 and 130/80 up until December of 2015 when it went crazy again, after my heart was practically ripped out and turn in shreds. After speaking with the consultant, I excitedly told him how my eye pain had 'automagically" disappeared. He proceeded to explain to me how my eye issues had been caused by the escalated blood pressure. There was I thinking high blood pressure causes only kidney and heart  problems, unbeknownst to me it affects the eyes too!  I was told HBP can cause spots on the retina, bleeding at the back of the eye, damage of the macula and optic nerves and possibly blindness. HBP is the lead cause of stroke. I believe HBP is the cause of all those "He was OK o. He just slumped in the bathroom and died" stories we hear every time. His enemies didn't kill him!  It was HBP!!!  HBP is a very dangerous  diseases that is why it is referred to as 'the silent killer'. I now own a sphygmamometer but I have just been informed that the one I own(the home kit ones you wear on the wrist), might not be very accurate. So I will be getting the ones you wear on the arms ASAP. A word of advice to anyone reading this, please buy a sphygmamometer.  Endeavor to go for an overall check at the hospital monthly . I am still a work in process with my food choices as I have shamefully just eaten an extra large pack of salted peanuts as I was typing this. Most importantly, every single discomfort or pain in the body can be a symptom of an underlying illness. That neck pain might not be because you slept off on the couch. The pain on your arm might not be due to the fact that you hit your arm on the door post a few days ago. Always listen to your body. Unfortunately for me and a host of other people, HBP could be  asymptomatic. So, If I don't check my blood pressure I wouldn't know if it normal or gone over the roof,  as I wouldn't even have a tiny winy bit of headache. Stay alive and Barka de Sallah!!!

I AM THE DUCHESS.