The Perils of Life......

When I was 14 years old, I was in a Jr ROTC unit in Jr High School. This was back when such units existed in Jr High Schools.

Anyway, the first time I had to stand at attention with my unit for an extended period of time, I fainted. I remember getting hot and shaky and sweaty. The next thing I remembered I was on the ground getting lots of attention.

I suppose it made me feel a little better to know that a couple of the other guys crashed just like me that day, but not much. Since that day, I have maintained the habit of fainting at an approximate rate of once or twice a year. For some reason, it has to do with my blood pressure deciding arbitrarily to just go in the tank. It always happens when I am standing, or when I have just stood up from sitting or immediately after getting out of bed.

A couple of years ago, Cindy and I went to a wonderful dinner hosted by a couple in our Sunday school class. There were eight of us at the dining room table. We had just finished a superb repast, when it was suggested we repair to the den for conversation and dessert. I had noticed that I was getting a little hot and shaky---always a warning sign. As I arose, my B/P crashed and I went down for the count. Made a lovely impression on the group, as well as scared the hell outta' them. Oh, and I also dumped my coffee on the carpet as I hit the deck. Lovely.

Anyway, when I came to in about three seconds, I knew immediately what had happened. All I needed was a couple of minutes for my pressure to get back up. But, by that time, with the excitement and fear that I was dying of a heart attack, the paramedics had been called and I was made to ride the ole ambulance to the hospital. Cindy held my hand the entire three minute trip. I guess it was good from the standpoint that I had always wanted to ride in an ambulance.... :)

At the ER, I was beginning to feel pretty good, but they still ran some tests---including a brain scan. Of course, they found nothing. Ha.

Well, today, it happened again. I've been on a low carb diet, which squeezes water from my body. I am also on B/P meds, including a diuretic, which further pulls water from the cells. In the 95 degree midafternoon heat, I decided to walk for 40 minutes. I got home after a nice power walk with the telltale signs of heavy sweating, shakiness and dizziness. Bottom line is I crashed in the shower.

Compounding my problem was Cindy, who happened to walk in as I was trying to get up off the shower floor. She went nuts, which I don't blame her. Let's just say I don't think I'll be taking any more power walks on an empty stomach in the summer heat of Texas again.