I saw a patient today. A spry 79 year old gentleman sporting a carefully coiffed mane of thick silver hair, a trim build from regular exercise, and a healthy tan from days spent out on the golf course. One of those guys who wants to live forever. He actually said to me– ‘I’m trying to live for as long as I can.” He shows me a vaguely brown spot on his forearm covered with dry excoriations from his fingertips. I think he’s trying to scratch scratch it off. Too hard to tell with all the skin debris how it began its life on his arm. Watch it for now. His blood pressure is also quite high, but it’s always higher with me than it is when he takes it at home. This concerns him too. He presents me with a book of I think hundreds of his blood pressure measurements so that he can prove to me that they’re normal at home. He turns each page for me. I believe you.
