Doctors' Orders
A Wake-Up Call To Take Better Care Of Myself
Going to the emergency room was not on my bingo card for yesterday.
My trip to the new doctor took an unexpected—and honestly, pretty scary and surreal—turn. One look at my blood pressure and the doctor referred me to the ER, fearing I was on the verge of having a heart attack or stroke.
Other than a little tired and short of breath, I felt fine. But my blood pressure told a different story.
If I’m being totally honest, I have been feeling a bit “off” lately. Nothing specific, but I think too much stress, too little sleep, and too many pounds left me exhausted and a bit overwhelmed. I told myself I’d slow down tomorrow. I’d eat better and get back to the gym next week. I’d check in with a doctor next month.
But my body had other plans.
Long story short: I spent a few hours in a local emergency room, my blood pressure being treated and monitored by a team of stellar medical professionals.
I did my best to keep the mood light and airy. No need to add any more stress to the situation, right? My best friend surprised me by showing up and keeping me company. While I had told him there was no reason to come—nothing to see here—like a good friend, he heard through my bullshit and showed up for me in ways I only sometimes can show up for others. (Thank you, Nerrrd!)
A battery of blood tests, a trio of medications, and several heart-to-hearts with the doctor about diet and lifestyle changes I need to make to live a longer, healthier life later, I was discharged and sent home…with loads of paperwork to read and share with my physician.
My diagnosis? “Malignant hypertension.” Not a cute “keep an eye on it” situation—this was a “you need to take this shit seriously now” situation. I’ve always known health is important. But like so many of us navigating stress, ambition, hustle culture, and just the daily grind of life, I hadn’t prioritized mine. The ER didn’t just give me meds and send me on my way—it handed me a massive wake-up call.
I’ll admit—it’s humbling (and a little embarrassing) to admit I let things get this far. But I’m sharing this experience in case someone else out there needs the reminder: your body doesn’t care how busy you are. It doesn’t care about your deadlines, your to-do list, or your big plans. If you don’t take care of it, it won’t take care of you. Eventually, it will force you to stop.
So here’s my new plan and priorities:
I'm listening to my doctors more.
I’m listening to my body more.
I’m adjusting my diet.
I’m slowing down when I need to.
In fact, I’m taking the rest of today off to catch up on some much-needed rest and do some reading on how to reduce sodium in my salt-infused diet.
This was my big warning. My red flag. My moment to reframe “health” not as something I’ll deal with later, but as something I live with every day.
Because, as much as I liked the people there, I don’t want to end up back in the ER.
If you’ve been ignoring your own signs, please consider this your friendly reminder: Don’t wait for the ER to be your wake-up call too. Take care of you, boo…
Thank you for being a friend!
Clint 🌈✌️
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ON THIS DAY = MAY 8
BIRTHDAYS
1828 = Henry Dunant = Swiss businessman, activist, Red Cross co-founder, and first Nobel Prize laureate 🌈
1906 = Roberto Rossellini = Italian director and screenwriter
1911 = Robert Johnson = American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1913 = Bob Clampett = American animator, director, and producer
1919 = Lex Barker = American actor
1920 = Saul Bass = American graphic designer and director
1920 = Tom of Finland = Finnish artist 🌈
1926 – David Attenborough = English environmentalist and tv host
1926 = Don Rickles = American comedian and actor
1930 = Gary Snyder = American poet 🌈
1938 = Jean Giraud = French author and illustrator
1940 = Emilio Delgado = Mexican-American actor
1940 = Ricky Nelson = American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
1940 = Toni Tennille = American singer-songwriter
1940 = William B. Jordan = American art historian
1953 = Susan Feniger = American chef, restaurateur, and author 🌈
1954 = David Keith = American actor and director
1963 = Michel Gondry = French filmmaker
1964 = Melissa Gilbert = American actress and director
1972 = Darren Hayes = Australian singer-songwriter 🌈
1975 = Enrique Iglesias = Spanish-American singer-songwriter
1981 = Stephen Amell = Canadian actor
1988 = Trisha Paytas = American media personality
1989 = Jessica Platt = Canadian professional hockey player 🌈
1989 = Nyle DiMarco = American model, actor, and activist 🌈
EVENTS
1835 = The first installment of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales is published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1886 = Pharmacist John Pemberton first sells a carbonated beverage named "Coca-Cola" as a patent medicine.
1970 = The Beatles release their 12th and final studio album Let It Be.
1976 = The rollercoaster The New Revolution, the first steel coaster with a vertical loop, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
1980 = The World Health Organization confirms the eradication of smallpox.
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
PORTRAIT + QUOTES OF THE DAY
“My whole life long I have done nothing but interpret my dreams of ultimate masculinity, and draw them.”
Tom of Finland
“In those days, a gay man was made to feel nothing but shame about his feelings and his sexuality. I wanted my drawings to counteract that, to show gay men being happy and positive about who they were. Oh, I didn't sit down to think this all out carefully. But I knew - right from the start - that my men were going to be proud and happy men!”
Tom of Finland
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Learning to live. Wonderful learning process, Clint! I rejoice that you see the light and will make important readjustments. (No blame, no shame, remember)
In my youth, I used to believe that my body was there to stop my brains from trailing on the ground when I moved. (How intellectually arrogant! My body was handsome and attractive, though I never worked on it.)
My body is now my beloved friend, truly a part of me now. Yes, I admit that I still do things that are detrimental to my body. Try to be kind and considerate and grateful to it - on the whole it looks after me well in return. Later this month, it will be 78 years old. So many people of similar age keep dying. That isn't as concerning as the deaths I witnessed in younger men about 35 to 40 years ago. It still can foreshadow my own mortality, though. Self love, self care are important.
Thanks Clint, especially for the "nothing to see here" biggest laugh of the day. It's best to remain calm under all circumstances, and blame Naranja Pendejo, the malignant source of all our hypertension.