‘I’m afraid we couldn’t save your leg,’ the surgeon said after I came round from the anaesthetic. ‘You’ll probably experience the sensation of there still being a limb there from time to time but this will fade.’ After she had gone I raised the sheet to inspect the damage and could immediately see that I still had two healthy legs. ’I’ve got two legs’ I said to the ward nurse but she just smiled. While she was busy with another patient, I managed to sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My ribs felt sore but by holding onto the bedframe I was able with some effort to stand. ‘Look, I’m on two legs,’ I called out. The nurse turned to look at me. ‘Don’t be silly and get back into bed,’ she told me. ‘You heard what the consultant said. It’s all in your mind.’
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Simon Collings
Picture Nick Victor
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