Mum’s leg amputated after developing blister caused by too much dancing in her Christmas party shoes
Lorraine Burnett, 37, desperately wants a new leg so can "look more like a lady again"
A DISTRAUGHT mum has revealed she had to have her leg amputated after developing a blister caused by too much dancing in her festive party shoes.
Lorraine Burnett, 37, from Dunfermline, Scotland, suffered repeat infections on her heel for two years until she was delivered the devastating news that her lower left limb would need to be removed.
She is now desperate for a new leg to replace the standard prosthetic issues by the NHS so she can “feel like a lady again”.
Lorraine, a care assistant and mum to Megan, 17, said: “A new leg would mean a new life for me.
“I’d stayed out dancing until the early hours, so thought nothing of achy feet.
“But then two years later I was having my leg removed. It breaks my heart to think my five inch heels cost me my leg.”
Lorraine thought nothing of her sore feet and bad blister after staying out until 2am on a pub crawl with friends.
She recalled: “The next day, there was a big red blister on my left leg. Being a carer, I knew what I needed to do – just clean it and dress it.
“But after a week, it was so painful so I went to the doctors and was prescribed antibiotics.
“I really thought they would help as it just seemed like a bad wound.”
In December 2008, a week after the blister first appeared on her left heel, Lorraine visited her doctor because the pain became so unbearable she could barely walk.
She was prescribed antibiotics and told to regularly clean the wound to ward off infection.
But, tragically, the blister didn’t heal and soon she was unable to walk properly.
She was referred to Ninewells Hospital, in Dundee, for further treatment.
Lorraine said: “I’d had infection after infection so medics said they would debride the wound, by removing the contaminated skin.”
After debriding, Lorraine then faced a devastating decision – endure repeated infections for the rest of her life or have her lower leg removed.
Medics recommended amputation and, in November 2010, she had the five-hour surgery to remove her lower left leg.
With daughter Megan just 10 at the time, Lorraine had to move in with family while she got used to life as an amputee.
“I had to give up my job, which was heart-breaking. I couldn’t believe how much my life has changed over a couple of years,” she said.
“I’d gone from someone who liked to go out all the time – a real party girl who enjoyed the good life – to pretty completely housebound.”
Lorraine believes her Type 2 diabetes was behind the infection, which caused her to lose her leg.
Complications with the condition include nerve damage and poor blood circulation, which can make it hard to notice when the feet are damaged.
As well as the slower healing experienced by diabetes sufferers, problems like broken skin or an ulcer can go undetected and become so serious that amputation is needed.
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Those with diabetes are up to 30 times more likely to have an amputation because of the way the disease affects the circulation of blood to the extremities.
Lorraine also suffers with painful, and sometimes infected, ulcers from her prosthetic as well as kidney disease, which is a complication of Type 2 diabetes.
She was even put into an induced coma in 2014 because of an infection on her stump. She is now also on dialysis.
These days, Lorraine lives with student Megan, and is desperate to replace her prosthetic leg provided by the NHS with a new, more expensive one.
“A new prosthetic would mean I would look more like a lady again, not having to hide it," she said.
“I can’t show my leg off and feel like myself. Having another prosthetic would be the most amazing Christmas present.
“Who knows, I might even be able to wear heels again.”
What is Type 2 diabetes?
*Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high
*The hormone insulin – produced by the pancreas – is responsible for controlling the amount of glucose in the blood
*There are two main types of diabetes:
Type 1 – where the pancreas doesn't produce any insulin
type 2 – where the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or the body's cells don't react to insulin
*The symptoms of diabetes occur because the lack of insulin means glucose stays in the blood and isn't used as fuel for energy. Your body tries to reduce blood glucose levels by getting rid of the excess glucose in your urine
*Typical symptoms include: feeling very thirsty, passing urine more often than usual, particularly at night, feeling very tired, weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
*Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity and tends to be diagnosed in older people. It's far more common than type 1 diabetes
*As type 2 diabetes usually gets worse, you may eventually need medication – usually tablets – to keep your blood glucose at normal levels
Source: NHS