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Deep Vein Thrombosis, Not Just a Hazard In Economy Class
My mother's father died June 15, 1966. It was my mother's 20th birthday and six weeks before I entered this world. She awoke in the pre-dawn hours and heard a strange noise from her parents' room, but went back to sleep. When she got up he was gone. He died of deep vein thrombosis. As a child and even now into my adult years, this killer of my grandfather has scared me...
I have spent nights awake in my bed sure I was dying due to severe pain in my legs. As I got older and internet savvy, I learned the things to look for, but leg pain still sends warning signals to my brain. So because of this history, I follow news on DVT. In recent years, there has been a lot of news about the danger to airline passengers in economy class of getting these blood clots. People are encouraged to get up and walk around during long flights to help with this situation.
It turns out that people who spend their days tied to a desk are at more risk than those on airplanes. 21% of DVT victims are airplane passengers, 34% are seated at a desk for hours at a time without getting up. I just report this so you can be aware and be careful. Take regular breaks and get up and walk around your desk during the day.
While DVT is treatable when caught, it can be deadly. So if you are in a high risk situation, be aware and act promptly.
