Shocking the doctors

I've participated in two moments, one as subject, one as observer, when doctors were shocked that their patient (me, a friend) was still walking around, given the urgency of treatment.

In my friend's case, he had gone in for a routine eye exam. He wore glasses. This was almost 40 years ago. I agreed to pick him up afterward since he wouldn't be able to drive. He came out of the office in shock: he was diabetic! He already was wearing a bracelet. He said the doc said he couldn't drink any more. Well, he was a big drinker, and this didn't set well. We've got to go drinking, he told me, one more day won't hurt. He was bigger than I. We went drinking. At the bar, I sneaked away and phoned his wife, a nurse, and filled her in. One more day won't hurt, she said, just bring him home safe. So I did. Down the road, he learned to drink and shoot up insulin -- strange to see him in the john, pissing on litmus paper, determining what order the alcohol and insulin would enter his body. He eventually stopped drinking and lived a good while, though he passed a few years ago.

In my case, about 20 years ago I was in Seattle with my girlfriend at the time and had a series of dizzy spells. Back in Portland, I went to the VA -- and registered blood pressure off the charts, 250 over something. Needless to say, I went on BP meds. I mention this because I forgot to take them yesterday and out of curiosity measured the BP this morning before taking meds, and while not off the charts as then, I was pretty damn high. I guess that's what I take the meds.

Sometimes, morbid curiosity, I wonder how long I'd last off meds and drinking again. Too damn long, I figure. I've seen examples of the gods' sick humor before.