Far from a great Christmas and New Year for this welshcyclist I’m afraid.

Had to work all over Christmas and then had the dreaded hacking cough, which in reality was a viral flu, tried to go back to work, too soon! Only lasted two days, when I was ignominiously driven home after, as my colleagues described, me turning a deathly grey and having uncontrollable shivers. There followed another week on the sick, during which I started having intense pain in my left leg, a couple of visits to the doctor’s later, and I was told to get to the local hospital fast, for a scan of said limb.

That was the Friday, but I didn’t actually have the scan till the following Monday, due to the NHS’ ineptitude. The weekend was spent in a lot of pain, and shockingly, to myself and mine anyway, I was told I had an extensive clot in my left thigh. This would require immediate medication/drugs. Consequently, I am on anti-coagulants, to stabilise and then disperse the clot, and I am off work for the next month.

How did I manage to get a clot? I consider myself to be above averagely active, I ride the old bike, don’t I? Well, sadly over the last month at least that has not been the case, too much work has meant no time to have my luxurious commute too and from work. And I still haven’t broken in my new Raleigh Royal, except for that pedal down and back up the street.

The answer, unfortunately, is in genetics. My mother, grandmother, and my sister have all suffered with thrombosis, and so, it seems, do I. Deep vein thrombosis to be exact.

It’s not all bad news I’m glad to say. Once everything is stabilised I am told i can get back to normal, work, choir, riding my bike and so on. Patience is not one of my best characteristics, however, I must just suck it and see for now.

Nothing worse that wanting to do something when you know you can’t!

Just to be out there pedalling, can’t wait.

Cheers.