Grandma is getting sickly these days. .. her blood pressure shoots from time to time and it is a bit of concern because her frail body sometimes can no longer stand frequent hypertensive attacks.  Since , she does not have a special nurse to take care and monitor her pressures, everybody at home were taught how to do it.   We started using the old but reliable  manual  spyghgmomanometer and it was very challenging and fun learning how to operate  it.   One should have  sharper ears to distinguish the systolic and diastolic sound to be able to get accurate reading aided by a stethoscope.   The inflatable cuff is wrapped on the arm to restrict blood flow and the apparatus is  with mercury to measure the blood as the air pressure is released, you will hear a pounding sound  which is called systolic while diastolic is the last sound that you can hardly hear after the pressure has been released.

We have gotten used to the responsibility of monitoring grandma’s blood pressure and we found the apparatus easy to use.  However, to keep up with the modern and high tech times, the last package that we received includes a digital blood pressure monitoring device sent by an aunt.   Rightfully so, it is handy and very easy to use.. even grandma can take her own blood pressure  since it is automatic and the reading is displayed in the monitor.   But we will not allow the old lady to do that…

Taking her blood pressure regularly is our own simple and sweet way to express how much we care for her.

old and new… both functional