Some days are better than others

Some days are better than others

Well, here I am. 59 years old in a few days’ time (the same age as my Mum when she suddenly died from a massive bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism), 42 years post first DVT and 36 years post my own massive bilateral pulmonary emboli which nearly put paid to me too. My left calf is a bit swollen, veiny, and achy due to post thrombotic syndrome and my lungs a bit iffy, especially in the cold, due to scarring from the clots but I’m still standing and very grateful to be here writing this blog today.

I am setting myself a challenge to get a bit fitter, get a bit more active

I know I am far too sedentary. Having a desk-based job doesn’t help, but it shouldn’t be the excuse I use for not getting enough steps in every day, so I am setting myself a challenge to get a bit fitter, get a bit more active, and #StepUpToStopTheClots!

I have a Fitbit, which is my best friend or my worst enemy depending on how well I am achieving my daily goals. I initially had it set at 6,000 steps a day – better than nothing, but not exactly busting a gut! At the beginning of 2017 I upped the ante and put the target up to 7,000 steps a day and at the beginning of 2018 I upped it again to 8,000 steps. Most weeks I am meeting or exceeding this target, although some days are far better than others. So……..now I’m going to up the target again to 9,000 steps and post a photo of my dashboard in here once a week, hopefully showing that I have achieved this goal.

Wish me luck. And I wish the best of luck to everyone who is joining us in this challenge to get a bit more active, raise awareness of thrombosis, and hopefully raise some money for the cause too.

Annya Stephens-Boal
The author

Annya Stephens-Boal

I am the Executive Officer with Thrombosis UK.

I have a family history of VTE, with both myself and other family members having been affected by clots. Sadly, we lost my Mum to a missed pulmonary embolism back in the 1980s.