UK Mom Desperate For Amputation After 55 Surgeries On Her Leg

In a tragic turn of events, a UK mother of two, Michelle Milton, finds herself trapped in a nightmarish cycle of surgeries and infections after a minor scratch sustained during a fishing trip in 2019. The scratch, caused by a nylon fishing line in her pocket, quickly escalated into a serious infection, leaving Milton with no choice but to undergo an astonishing 55 surgeries.

The incident occurred during a fishing expedition with her brother when Milton slipped on rocks and came into contact with the seemingly harmless fishing line. Days after the scratch, she noticed swelling on her leg, signalling an infection that led her to Basildon University Hospital.

Despite doctors' efforts to combat the infection, it proved resistant to antibiotics, prompting the necessity to cut into her thigh. Since then, Milton has endured four skin grafts, 21 debridements (the removal of devitalised tissue), and 30 "washouts" (wound irrigation), yet the infection persists and continues to spread.

"I'm sick of spending my life in [the] hospital."

Expressing her frustration and desperation, Milton said, "I'm sick of spending my life in [the] hospital. I never thought a fishing line could cause so much damage. I just want my leg off." The daily agony has taken a toll on her life, with her mobility severely restricted. She has reached a point where she pleads for amputation, feeling that it is the only way to escape the relentless pain.

“Every day is filled with agony, and I've begged them to take it off. They just keep cutting away at my leg. I can barely walk or sit down. There's going to be nothing left of me,” she said.

Her situation has not only affected her physically but has also taken an emotional toll on her role as a mother to a 17-year-old daughter and a 20-year-old son. "I haven't been [a mom] in years. My mom's been doing everything for my kids," she revealed, highlighting the profound impact the ongoing medical battle has had on her family life.

Milton's frustration and disbelief at the severity of her condition are evident as she laments, "Nothing seems to work, none of the treatments help at all. I can't believe a simple scratch has left me like this." The plea for amputation reflects the desperate desire to regain control over her life and put an end to the relentless suffering that has become a seemingly endless ordeal.