Snapshots of a Modest Life

Health woes

My blood pressure yesterday was 160/110. If you aren't familiar with blood pressure, this means nothing, if you are, you know that this is ridiculously high. I talked to my mom on the phone today and she kind of freaked, not to me, but I can tell by her reaction. My parents are out of town for the time being, and they kind of left me in charge of the house. Seeing that I have two brothers who don't really care what the house looks like, it is an uphill battle to keep it reasonably clean. This has caused me some frustration, which has lead to unnecessary stress, which inevitably raises my blood pressure. I have never seen my blood pressure that high, and it worried me, but not as much as it worried my mom. She talked to my brothers this afternoon and I'm guessing told them to be nice and helpful. Keith cleaned up after dinner tonight without being asked (which NEVER happens). Paul said he would make a deal to cook dinner and clean up afterwards for every day that I went to the gym. The thing is, I would rather not be treated like an invalid, and frankly, it's not fair for either of them if I sit around. Paul has a job, and Keith has had school since I got home, although he gets out tomorrow.

I thing the stress that I'm experiencing is stemming from more than just house work, because I don't mind house work. I still don't have a job, and the prospect of going through that process is stressful, because I hate asking people for things. I'm really independent, which perhaps is why I'm reacting like this to my mom asking my brothers to help out. I'm not an invalid. I can do things for myself, I don't need my brother to cook for me every night. It's not like I'm going to die.

I don't understand why my blood pressure was so high anyway, because I am currently under relatively low stress, especially in comparison to the past semester. And I've been exercising too, a lot, so one would think that would have a positive effect on my cardiovascular health, not negative. I know I'm overweight, and I'm working on that, but come one now, I'm no more overweight than I was this past semester. I guess I'm just a little confused about the whole thing.