DOCTOR ADDAPILL

Years ago I discovered that my blood pressure was high. High enough to begin treatment with prescribed medication. The medication was able to reduce it to an acceptable number.  Over the years doctor visits showed additional pressure increases which resulted in medication increases.  Next visit, still pretty high requiring another medication adjustment. I began to feel that perhaps I might be having one of those” white coat syndromes”) where just walking into a doctor’s office made blood pressure rise.  Not an uncommon thing. To check things out myself I set up a spreadsheet on my computer to record my daily blood pressure readings for an entire month to closely monitor  My readings disclosed that my average pressure was a about 120 over 80.  I brought my spreadsheet to my next visit to help the doctor to see what was going on.

Why the hell is my pressure 150 over 90 when I visit you Doc, I asked?  What happens now, does he check my spreadsheet that was developed using the blood pressure machine he had recommended?  Does he take my pressure several times waiting between them?  No, each time over the years  Dr. Addapill just ups the dosage or finds  an alternate pill to add to my growing arsenal of medication.  Including his prescriptions, my cardiologists, my urologists and my  rheumatologists, I’m currently taking 71 pills a week.  And that’s not even counting Tylenol  and vitamins.  Scared the hell out of me after I took a count.  It would be nice if once in a while they would take away one of the old ones from the arsenal.  It’s beginning to be a major chore filling up those damn little plastic containers every 7 days.  My fingers are getting tired. Anyone else having similar experiences?

But on the upside I’m 85 and still alive.  I’d like to think it’s because of all these damn pills.

Recipe:   Here’s one that is very simple and easy to make, but you’ll be happy with the results.  A plate of these seems quickly disappears at parties.  Give them a try.

Ham Roll Appetizers

3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. salad dressing or mayonnaise
8 oz. thinly sliced ham (Krakus ham is perfect shape for this recipe)
Olives for garnish

Mix first 4 ingredients. Spread on ham slices and roll in jelly roll fashion. Slice into 3 or 4 pieces. Top with 1/2 olive, using a decorative toothpick.