I lost my legs in suicide attempt but now I’m just happy I’m alive
Caryn wants her experience to encourage other people to reach out for help
A WOMAN who lost her legs after a failed suicide attempt has warned others “not to go down the same path” and reach out for help.
Caryn Bryce, known as CJ, from Newtongrange in Midlothian, fought back tears as she described having both legs removed from above the knee after an attempted overdose in November 2019.
The 32-year-old, who lives alone, passed out for 48 hours after taking a quantity of pills, causing the circulation to her lower half to cut off.
This triggered compartment syndrome that restricted bloodflow to a part of the body, damaging muscles and nerves.
In severe situations, it can lead to kidney damage, which was the case for CJ.
After two days asleep and curled up in a foetal position, CJ woke and realised something was wrong before calling for help.
She was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where doctors decided to amputate her legs in a desperate attempt to save her failing organs.
Now, she is bravely opening up about her horror experience to warn others fighting mental health battles to seek help instead of hurting themselves.
CJ said: “When I first looked under the covers after the surgery, I just started crying. A lot of people don’t realise things like this can happen. These attempts can fail and things go wrong.
“I am missing out on a lot now and I am going to miss out on things in my future I could have done if I hadn’t made this attempt on my life.
“I’ve struggled with mental health issues since I was a teenager and was feeling so low and hopeless when I attempted suicide.
“But I’m hoping that by sharing my experience, I can help people seriously think about getting help before going down the same path.”
Now, CJ is trying to stay positive and adjust to her new lifestyle. She said that even as an amputee, she realises she “still has a lot to live for”.
She said: “I’m up and down with my mood, but I am happy to be alive.
“My dad told me when he saw me in recovery and the doctors took the tube out my mouth, it was the best moment of his life. My family were so relieved.
“So what I would say to someone who is at a low point is, talk to someone.
“It doesn’t always work for everyone, so sometimes writing your thoughts down is better.
“I also want people to realise the reality of what can happen when these things fail, it’s not worth it.”