Meet John, a 72-year old nature conservation volunteer and gym bunny. This is his story.
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"I’m John Knight, a 72-year old nature conservation volunteer and gym bunny with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and a stroke in my CV; I didn’t take an anticoagulant until after the stroke. ⠀
My journey? I was never destined to disturb sporting records. An accident when I was about seven gave me a pair of comedy kneecaps that excused me from football for two years, so to this day I am mystified by the off-side rule. In secondary school where I did play football, the games teacher would shout; “you’re off-side Knight!” My strategy was to run in one direction until he stopped shouting. ⠀
In the 70s being a male of thirty meant worrying that you would have a heart attack at any moment. There was an early jogging/running movement in California at that time that was not about competition, but meditation-on-the-move, the runner’s high and a healthy lifestyle. Back then I had quite long hair, a Zapata moustache and an enduring love of West Coast music. That led me to this running thing. I became the obsessive runner who gets twitchy without the daily fix of a run. I would run fifty miles a week. When I was 43 I had peritonitis that ulcerated the abdominal cavity and I didn’t return to full-time work until six months later. That also meant that I gave up thoughts of returning to exercise. ⠀
I started back in the gym in 2015. Now, I do at least 15km each week on a Concept 2 rowing machine. I also belong to a weekly walking group covering 5 to 8 miles per walk, and regular Pilates class. Outside of fitness, I'm the Secretary of a volunteer nature conservation group and a trustee of the Shirehampton Community Action Forum that works to improve the quality of life for people living in Shirehamption. ⠀
I am still a “mystery patient” for medical students where I talk about my stroke, Atrial Fibrillation and homonymous hemianopia (blindness on one side caused by the stroke).
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John has given us full consent to share his story
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Stories on HealthUnlocked have an incredible way of raising awareness around certain conditions, as well as inspiring people who might be going through the same situation as you. Would you like to share your health journey? Email me at communications@healthunlocked.com to learn more.
xo
Leilah,
Marketing Lead at HealthUnlocked
