Doctors' Orders

A Wake-Up Call To Take Better Care Of Myself

Photo by Ibrahim Boran on Unsplash

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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Thank you. Yes, YOU, boo!

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

• National Have a Coke Day

• National Student Nurse Day

• Victory in Europe Day

PORTRAIT + QUOTES OF THE DAY

TOM OF FINLAND + DURK DEHNER BY MATRYN THOMPSON

“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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