Blood Pressure: Normal

Whew! I finally picked up the prescription for my blood pressure medication after three days of fretting that I was going to have a heart attack and keel over. It got me thinking about a recent evening out with friends that took place mostly because of Facebook.

One of the best parts of Facebook, I'm sure you will agree, is hooking up with old friends and making new ones. I have made several new friends through an old boyfriend with whom I continue to have a great relationship with. Recently, one of those new friends and her husband came out to Guam and the four of us had dinner. Afterwards, we stopped in at a local watering hole for some adult beverages, as adults are wont to do.

It was there that we ran in to two other friends of said ex-boyfriend, one I knew personally and another I'd only seen on FB, commenting on my former amour's Wall. She and I recognized each other immediately, introduced ourselves and hit it off right away. The conversations varied between different sets within the group, as they do, with three of us women chatting together a number of times.

During one of those conversations, the topic of procuring prescription medication at cheaper prices in the Philippines came up. The newest of my new friends, who is the picture of health I might add, said that she'd been able to fill all of her prescriptions over the counter in the P.I., except for Lisinopril.

"Lisinopril?" I asked, "but that's a blood pressure medication. I know because it take it everyday. Why are you taking Lisinopril? You're skinny as a rail and the picture of health." (I've no doubt there was just that hint of annoyance in my voice, that tone that only a fat woman looking at a beautiful skinny woman can achieve.)

"High blood pressure runs in my family," explains Ms. Guam Universe (who, of course, is also the nicest person you'll ever meet. Those are the worst kinds of Ms. Universes because you can't hate them, in fact, you end up liking them a lot, which is twice as annoying.)

From high blood pressure, the conversation between the three of us went on to include colonoscopies, stress, Valium (to be used for its actual purpose, not recreation), and a love of naps. "Oh my God," I suddenly said.

"What?" clammored my new besties.

"Do you realize that if this conversation was taking place twenty years ago, we'd be talking about who is the hottest guy in here, make up, and shoes? Now, we're all in our 40's and we're talking about high blood pressure, colonscopies, and naps. What the hell? We're old."

(Deep sigh....)

I wonder if this is part of the attraction between younger men and the so-called "cougar." After sex, men tend to fall asleep. If you're with a young woman, she's going to be pissed. If you're with a cougar, she's going to be thrilled and in fact, may nod off before he does. After all, she's going to need a lot of energy in the morning to swallow all those damn pills she has to take these days. Welcome to old age.