Woman, 21, to have both legs amputated after legs lock and bent backwards
A young woman who hasn't been able to bend her legs since she was 14 says she still hasn't come to terms with the fact that she'll likely need both legs amputating.
21-year-old Megan Dixon has been dealing with constant pain because her legs have been locked forward and upwards for the past eight years.
With her knees unable to bend, Megan, who also suffers from functional neurological disorder (FND), has become an anomaly, with doctors unable to understand the cause of her condition.
The Cambridgeshire native has since had to use her own resources to fundraise for an electric wheelchair so that she can be mobile independently.
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Sadly, her unknown disorder means that she hasn’t been able to walk since she was just 14 years old, and at this time, with no end in sight, she revealed that amputating her legs would be the only course of action.
Megan said: "It was the hardest when I met with the amputee clinic and they said amputation was my best and only option. I was hoping deep down they would say there was another way. But this is my reality now and I haven't fully come to terms with it yet."
Her nightmare began at just 13 years old, which saw her stuck down with whooping cough and glandular fever before her legs stopped working one year later.
While initially diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a chronic fatigue syndrome, per the NHS, her symptoms didn’t fit the bill.
Megan continued: "From there I got worse and worse. I started to go into a comatose-like state. When I was 16, I stopped being able to sit up by myself and I started to lose the ability to speak.”
From there, she said her paediatrician became concerned she had suffered from a stroke, and rushed her to hospital for immediate assessment.
'I was silently screaming for 24-hours a day'
However, her stay was a lot longer than anticipated as her condition worsened. A four day visit ended up turning into a year and a half.
Megan said: "I could feel my bones in my legs grating together but I kept being told the pain was in my head and it wasn't real.
"I was silently screaming for 24-hours a day.
"When I went into a coma-like state, I had no idea what was going on. No one could wake me up.
"My legs were completely locked straight and even under anaesthetic, they couldn't bend my knees.
"My left leg had started to bend the wrong way by ten degrees."
She went on to say: "I'd seen six different surgeons and was turned away by five.
"When I finally found a surgeon to help me, it had been so long that the damage in my knees was irreversible."
'Struggling doesn’t mean you are weak - it means you are human'
Sharing a message to anyone facing an unknown ailment, Megan said: "If something doesn’t feel right in your body, please listen to it and trust yourself. For six years I was dismissed, and as a result the only surgery now available to me is, regrettably, amputation.
"If you are facing amputation, I want to be honest with you - there are no words that can truly make it easier. It is a devastating and life-changing experience, and something I would never wish on anyone.
"All you can do is take it one day at a time. There will be days when it feels overwhelming, and that’s okay. Allow yourself to feel everything that comes with this journey. Struggling doesn’t mean you are weak - it means you are human."
The 21-year-old added: "But even in the darkest moments, try to hold on to the smallest positives. Sometimes hope comes in the smallest forms: a kind word, a moment of strength, or simply getting through another day.
"Keep fighting for the life that comes after. None of us should have to face something like this, but if it leads to a future where life is a little more bearable, a little less painful, and holds more independence. Then all of this will be worth it."
If you wish to donate to Megan's GoFundMe, you can do so here.
Britt Jones