When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked?

Everywhere I turned a couple of days ago "stroke" was being mentioned and in particular the fact that it is happening more and more to people of the ages 40 to 50. I am not a medical expert but I did have a stroke at the age of 36. The main concern throughout seems to be that we (by we I shall have to skip a few years and pretend I am 40) all have a high risk of a stroke unless we are mega healthy teetotallers. What struck me is the fact that I know many people who are less healthy than myself 

So why me?

I have never been a person for the what ifs of life. I had a stroke, I can't change what has happened. I have had to deal with it and get on with my recovery. 

Let's talk for a moment about pre stroke me, I was not the healthiest person ever but I was and am a non smoker, I did enjoy a drink of the alcoholic kind, beer or wine rather than spirits, I have been a vegetarian for twenty plus years and although I did not attend a gym or play sport regularly, I did used to walk a lot in my daily routine of getting my daughter to child care and school and to bus stops to get me to and from work. Also having a child keeps you active. I watch many a parent do the fastest sprint they have ever ran in their life chasing their escapee child.  If I was previously a teetotal fitness freak  would it have prevented my stroke? Maybe, but not all of us are that person. Obviously it is a fact that more strokes are happening to people younger and younger and I am so glad that the news and social media are giving this the coverage it deserves. 

Blood Pressure

As a stroke survivor, I would urge all people of any age to get their blood pressure checked regularly, I have high blood pressure which I am now on medication for and must admit in hindsight I wish I had kept a closer eye on this. Unfortunately I have been diagnosed with hereditary hypertension. My blood pressure is now under control with medication. For my own peace of mind I have cut down on salt in my diet, I have lost weight since my stroke through exercise and healthy eating. I must admit though that this has happened without me thinking of myself as being on a "diet" 

If you are reading this, do you know what your blood pressure is? If not, please get it checked. 

I think checking of blood pressure should readily be available to everybody especially with it becoming increasingly difficult to even get a doctors appointment. If we need to tackle people of working age then blood pressure checks should be something that can maybe be carried out in a lunch break for example. 

I have no experience as yet of working after a stroke as I was doing a job that I will call a "get by" job. I did have every intention of studying accounts in the September but I have to admit that my post stroke self does not want to do that! I would really like to do beauty and make up or languages when I am ready to. Medical professionals when talking about my recovery speak in years rather than months or weeks. I don't know, I have exceeded all expectations so far but mentally things are still tough. I do remember when I was extremely poorly in the acute stroke unit one of the nurses, I do not know which one as it is a very blurry memory, asked me what I used to do before I got ill? I thought to myself I am not done yet! Who knows where life will take me but I do know that it can only get better.