island remedies

for the past week or so i have had bouts of dizziness, and headaches.  i thought it was a flu so i just kept enduring it.  one of my nurse friends from canada recommended i go get my blood pressure checked.   i went to see dr. raymond last friday night at around 6:30 while we were waiting for our pizza.  his office is open late so that worked great. i was sitting in a narrow hallway just off the main street in coxen hole waiting feeling woosy and dizzy.   there was all sorts of activity on the streets, people walking around, taxis zooming by, people heading home from work.  all of a sudden there is this guy standing there who sometimes washes our car at plaza mar.  he stopped, stooped down low, and hollered, 'da you mam?'  i hollered back (because that is the way we do things here)  "ya dat me!"    he came sauntering towards me and plopped himself down.  "you seeing dr. raymond?"  i nod.  (not too much because the up and down motion just made me dizzy).   "so what be wrong wid cha?"   "i dunno. i been dizzy lately"  he sat up real straight, got real serious and began to give me the solution to my dizziness.

"okay dis what you do!  you know da naked tree?"

"you mean the gumbalimba tree?"

"ya dat's da one.  you gets a machete, and gets some bark from da back of da tree"

"da back, why da back.. why not from da front of da tree?"

"well you don't want to be wrecking no tree mam!!"

"oh yeah, okay"

"so once you gots da bark, you take it home an' boil it an' makes a tea an' you drink it all up.  your dizziness be gone right quick."

"really?   okay but I think i will just see what dr. raymond has to say"

"well i knows another ting for ya.  you takes a goose egg, maybe even two and puts em in a glass and drink it"

"are you kidding?!  i ain't drinking no goose egg!!.  that be bad!"

"that ain't bad.  that be good. if you don't gots no goose egg den ya use a chicken egg"

"ughhh...  so do i mix it up with juice?"

"no, you don't be mixin' it.  you just take it straight up"

*nb*  you will note that i speak just like them.. not to make fun of them 

but they don't understand good english.  seriously!  *nb*

i told him i would just see what dr. raymond says.  then he looked at me and said, "he be tellin' ya the same ting as me, i bet"

i bet NOT!  :-)  

as it turned out, my pressure was high 145/95 so he recommended i get a bunch of tests:  blood, cholesteral, and urine to see if there was something causing the pressure to go so high.  in the meantime he gave me some meds for the dizziness and told me to take it easy.

what?  no gumbalimba?  no goose egg?   well i guess because that isn't for high blood pressure .. it for the dizziness!!

i have been a good girl.  taking it easy.  i am missing snorkeling.  i admit.   when i told dr. raymond that i was a bit dizzy while snorkeling i wish i could have had a photo of the expression on his face.  it was priceless.  he looked at me with sheer horror in his eyes.   then he told me NO snorkeling until he sees me on monday.

today bob and i went to look at an apartment that we are going to rent for our friends from canada in west end.  i wanted some pineapple so we went to one of the fruit trucks.  the guy asked me how i was so i said, 'mas o menos'  which means more or less.   he looked real concerned and asked what was wrong.  then he said, (in spanish) that i needed oho (garlic) in the morning and in the evening. and then my blood pressure would be perfecto!   i had to laugh when he said that dr. raymond told him that. it was as if he was reading my mind as i was thinking.. i wonder if dr. raymond would tell me that??!

i laughed so hard once in the car.

and um.. yes.. i did have a big clove of garlic with my lunch.

will keep you posted on what dr. raymond says later today.
i am feeling pretty good.  someone pass me that garlic please!!   :-)

so here is the update:  dr. raymond doesn't feel that i should be dizzy with high blood pressure and since there is a nose, ear and throat doctor from the states at the clinic he wants me to go see him tomorrow.  i told him i have had vertigo in the past and i don't get the spinning sensation but still he thinks i should see him.  i left his office somewhat frustrated.

this morning i came to the place of recognizing that i need to lay myself before the Lord. He is the only One who can help me.. truly.   have i been dizzy today?  yes but am i more at peace in the midst of it?
yes.   did i take some garlic??   sure.. why not?!   :-)

i would appreciate prayers as this really is limiting to what i do.  i tire easily and the dizziness is scary.. especially while driving and snorkeling (which i really miss doing on these hot afternoons)

thanks for standing with me in this.
xo