Have you ever been fired from a job?

[Eyeball_Kid]

3. You're right in more than one way.

I've been fired/let go/left under duress many times in my career. Yes, there is always a political element to those, as well as my own idiosyncratic views on work performance, ethics, and professionalism. I also must say that working for employers who rely on "soft money" is also a risky business. But that all aside, your health issue, as you describe it, can wreak havoc with future employment, as you well know.

At times, when I get cursory medical exams, I can use self-hypnosis to keep my blood pressure and pulse rate at an unquestioned level of "normal." Self-hypnosis, for the most part, is another way of defining relaxation and self-awareness rituals for other purposes. Deep breathing and awareness of slow and steady exhalations are the key. Load your internal dialog with words that can cluster around "calm", while exhaling. Give it some practice sessions before the doc's office visit. You can even use the second hand on a watch while taking your pulse. You'll SEE the change.

Best of luck.