My arm transplant is amazing.. I can’t wait to tie my shoelaces
Car crash victim’s joy over new limb
JOHN-PAUL MCGRAIL ARM TRANSPLANT PATIENT ONE of the first people in Britain to have an arm transplant has spoken of the pioneering operation and declared: “It will transform my life.”
John-Paul McGrail, known as JP, lost his arm in a road accident in 2006 and finally got a new limb in September, becoming only the fifth Brit to undergo such a procedure.
JP, 36, said: “To be honest, what I’m looking forward to most is the things people take for granted – everyday things like tying my shoelaces. Putting on a tie.”
He had the op at Leeds General Infirmary, which has the only unit offering the procedure, and now has his new arm in a sling as the nerves integrate.
JP, a mobile phone sales adviser from Altrincham, Gtr Manchester, said: “The past five weeks have been a roller-coaster. After being in a waiting game for so long everything has happened so quickly.
“It has been an emotional time. It is happiness more than anything. I can’t stop smiling and I want to tell everyone about it.”
Last week the Lords backed a Bill to introduce an opt-out system of organ donation after the Mirror’s Change the Law for Life campaign.
JP said: “This should be brought in as it can only be a good thing. The donor and the donor’s family
The Daily Mirror has been campaigning for an opt-out system of organ donation, where consent is assumed unless people specify otherwise. Last week, the Bill went through the Lords unopposed and could get Royal Assent in the
New Year.
are the heroes. They made all this possible. I am eternally grateful for what they have given me.”
JP lost his arm when his car skidded on black ice and crashed into a field. He said: “The car rolled at least a couple of times and it took my right arm. The next thing I remember was being in hospital.
“Coming to terms with the accident was quite difficult.”
He had to give up his job as a mechanic and find office work. It was during a chance conversation with one of his customers that he found out about the transplant work being done at Leeds General.
He had a year of physical and psychological assessments before being put on the waiting list in January. In September he got a call that a donor was available.
And two weeks later he hospital with his new limb.
He said: “It has changed my life already in a few weeks because you see a difference in the way people look at you.
“Now I’m just a man with his arm in a sling. The use of the arm will take a while for the nerves to grow.
“I have a long road of physiotherapy ahead of me.”
It’s been an emotional time. It is happiness more than anything
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