AGONY OF PENSIONER WHO CAN’T STOP MOVING ‘My restless legs keep me up every night...I do think about ending it all’
A DESPERATE pensioner has told how a bizarre condition has left him contemplating suicide.
John, 70, has an uncontrollable urge to move his legs and is in constant pain.
And he has started self-harming to distract himself from the misery of Restless Legs Syndrome.
John said: “It’s as if you dampen two fingers and put them on a 12volt battery and it gives you that little kick so you have to move your legs.
“It’s just impossible to try to stay still. You’ve just got to move your legs. You’ve got no alternative. You can’t ride through it.
“If you could can it, bottle it and use it, it would be a brilliant torture method.”
John suffers severe attacks of RLS every night.
It is so painful he sleeps for an average of just two-and-a-half hours at a time.
John, who lives with partner Alison, said: “The loneliness in the dead of night is a frightening time.
“Although you’ve got the support of your family, at 2am and 3am ED GLEAVE they’re not there. They only thing that is there are the terrible thoughts that go through your mind.
“If you’re having those black thoughts the word is ‘suicide’.
“I contemplate and look at the house and see what we’ve got and what I’d be losing, and the loss of the fantastic woman I’ve got.
“I couldn’t do that to her. I couldn’t do it to the family either but that doesn’t stop me thinking ‘wouldn’t it be nice to do that and just sleep and sleep?’.”
After 50 years with RLS John has begun self-harming to cope.
He crushes his feet in the door frame at his home in Nottinghamshire, bangs them on the concrete floor or exposes them to the cold.
The pensioner said: “Occasionally you need a distraction so my preferred method is to cause pain. If I can inflict pain that doesn’t require hospitalisation then brilliant, bring it on. “There’s a sharp edge under the cooker that causes a bit of a pain and gives you that feeling of thinking about something other than the RLS. It’s a diversionary tactic. “Pain is a great friend when it’s five o’clock in the morning and you’ve been awake for 48 hours.” But seeing John selfharm is tough for Alison, inset. She said: “I worked for many years with people who had mental health issues and I’ve seen a lot of people self-harming. But I never thought I’d see somebody I loved doing it. “If it brings John any sort of relief then I will accept it.” John added: “Strangely enough I think RLS has made our relationship stronger.” See John’s story on Restless Legs Syndrome: Desperate For Help this Tuesday at 10pm on Channel 5. MY wife was waiting for me at the door when I got home from work.
She said: “I’ve got good news and bad news about the car.
“The good news is the airbags work.” D FARNWORTH
Bolton, Lancs A COUSIN of mine had a baby that was so ugly she didn’t push its pram – she pulled it! G HARGREAVES
via email A VICAR spotted a little boy struggling to reach a door knocker so he kindly rapped on the wood for him.
“Thanks,” said the kid. “Now run like hell.” DAFT BOZ
via email WHERE was the Queen crowned? On her head. CHARLIE J Gateshead