I’ve long had a pulse oximeter. Kind of handy for figuring out your pulse rate and O2 saturation.

This is relevant to this story because we’ve recently had someones blood pressure go a little high and hypertensive. Which is odd to us because during the process of getting blood sugar under control it meant no external sweeteners and low to no carbs that we’re conscious of from day to day. The result is someone has lost 30lbs and I’ve lost quite a bit too. Which is why it’s puzzling his bp would be elevated.

But I know and have had confirmed by certain medical people that stress, anxiety, agitation, dehydration etc. can drive blood pressure up.

Anyhow I picked up an inexpensive manual BP kit at Walgreens. The issue is that the stethoscope that is built into the cuff – it sucks. Could not for the life of me pick up the pulse from someones arm. So no way to detect cessation and resumption of pulse.

The interesting part I could clearly see the brachial artery pulsing on his arm. But the blasted cuff covers the spot where I could see it.

So with the stethoscope useless and uncomfortable I thought – the pulse oximeter will show when the blood stops pumping. So used that instead and clear as a bell – when the pulse stopped the display of it froze. Then released and when pulse resumed we got the diastolic number.

As I’ve said before and will say again, necessity is the mother of invention. And there’s more than one way to skin a cat.