Doctor's orders

I bought a blood pressure monitor this evening.

A year ago the BP was fine - 130:85. That was the culmination of years of hard work on diet, exercise & stress alleviation. At the last check (July) it was above normal.

Having felt unwell yesterday, I phoned for a GP appointment this morning. I want an ECG, a stress ECG and the blood checks which go with those. Best they could offer me is Wednesday next week.

I doubt if they do those tests in the surgery, so it will mean a referral to a hospital clinic. Letters. Delays. Weeks.

In Germany - where GPs do nowhere near as well out of the system - I would see my GP the same day, he/she would do the ECG etc in the practice and if that were to show cause, I'd be seeing a specialist within days. Plus I'd be suitably medicated in the meantime...

So having got a bit stressed at being denied access to medical care, I thought a wee walk on the beach would be helpful before doing my first self test. 170:105 was not the result I'd hoped for.

The Blip is the shore at Dysart, looking east. West Wemyss is the village in the distance.