Fife man who begged doctors to remove his leg is finally pain-free

Health: Crowdfunding page set-up to buy Alex a lighter wheelchair after accident

A Scot who begged doctors to amputate his leg after living with chronic pain for more than two years has revealed he finally feels like “himself again”.

Alex Millar, 48, had been in constant pain ever since a dumper truck, weighing a tonne, fell on top of his foot during work in 2015.

In April this year, the father-of-one had above the knee amputation on his right leg after begging doctors for the surgery since the accident happened.

Before this Alex, from Lochgelly, Fife, was in so much pain he was on morphine daily and described the feeling in his foot as “scalpels slicing the bottom of his feet”.

Since the operation Alex now feels a sense of relief that he is no longer in agonising pain and said he feels like he has gained something.

Now his wife Claire, 43, has set up a fundraising page to buy Alex a lightweight wheelchair which will help her husband be able to move around freely.

Speaking yesterday Alex said: “There’s just no comparison from now and before surgery. I still get some pain but before it was 24/7 and every day.

“I don’t have a leg but I don’t believe I’ve lost anything. I feel that I’ve gained something because I feel like I’m me again.

“It was as if the leg had died anyway. “It would go hot and was then ice cold to touch. I felt as if someone was using a scalpel and slashing the bottom of my feet. For the last couple of years, I just wanted to chop it off. It was only because I was fighting for it and going on and on that finally I was listened to. The doctors hoped it could be fixed because to look at, it looked fine.

“When we were heading into surgery, they said ‘Your legs look perfect’. See, they looked fine and I had already had corrective surgery but the pain was unbearable and it was caused by nerve damage.”

Alex damaged his leg during an accident at work in November 2015 when he was driving a dumper truck.

He had been transferring materials by driving up and down a ramp.

During one of the material runs, the ramp began to give way making the tonne truck topple while Alex was inside. He managed to jump out but his foot was crushed by part of the vehicle.

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I don’t have a leg but I don’t believe I’ve lost anything. I feel that I’ve gained something

He underwent corrective surgery on his foot shortly after the accident but nerve damage left him in constant pain.

He was put on heavy medication and was reliant on crutches and a walking stick to walk around.

On April 9 this year he had his right leg amputated and has since been learning to use a prosthetic leg and wheelchair.

He said: “Before surgery I would get a cup of tea and just go through to the bedroom because I was in so much pain.

“Every morning would be the same. I would get up around 4, 5ish to go to work and I would need help to get out of my seat, Claire would have to help me. It affected my family massively. I’m still so surprised Claire is still with me, I was not nice to be around. Now Claire says when I come home at the weekends it’s so nice to hear that I’m not in pain.

“It’s still hard for me to get out of the house, I need help to do that. I’m grateful for the wheelchair from the NHS but the size and weight is substantial.

“We have a young daughter and I do want to get back to driving and taking her places. She’s not big enough to carry the wheelchair into the car.”

Last month Claire set up a crowdfunding page to help raise £10,000 to buy Alex a lighter wheelchair and also have a wet room installed.

The page has raised almost £400 within the last two weeks. To donate, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/claire-millar-1

Alex Millar, who lived with chronic pain for more than two years, finally feels “himself again” after his leg amputation.