A woman, who underwent amputation of one of her five stone legs, was shocked to discover that it began regrowing at an alarming rate.
Mandy Sellars, hailing from Accrington, Lancashire, UK, is afflicted with a rare condition that results in her having enormous feet and legs while maintaining a slim, size 12 figure.
At 36 years old, the doctors warned her that her left leg was suffering from septicaemia and that amputation was necessary to save her life.
However, 22 months post-surgery, her limb began to swell again.
Ms. Sellars recounted to the newspaper: ‘I had hoped that the amputation would bring some stability to my condition, but deep down, I feared it would start growing again.
‘Almost immediately, the stump started to expand in size, making it more difficult for me to fit into my prosthetic leg.
‘Eventually, the stump became so heavy that it almost broke the prosthetic.’
Currently, her leg weighs three stone and has an impressive circumference of one metre.
The former RSPCA voluntary worker remains optimistic that a treatment for her condition will be discovered.
Her ailment is akin to Proteus syndrome, which is believed to have impacted Elephant Man Joseph Merrick, and can lead to abnormal enlargement of various body parts.
Weighing 16 stones when both legs are fully sized, Ms. Sellars belongs to a small group of approximately 120 individuals worldwide with a similar condition.
Five years ago, she appeared on television to share the struggles of living with her affliction.
‘Adults can be very hurtful,’ she remarked. ‘Once, in a restaurant, someone exclaimed, “look at the size of those feet”.
‘Children staring doesn’t bother me, but adults should really understand better.’
She is now committed to maintaining a positive outlook and striving for a normal existence.
‘I refuse to let this beat me,’ she expressed to a reporter.
‘My goal is to remain as mobile as possible and assert my independence. ‘I simply have to take it day by day, week by week. ‘I have a life to live and intend to make the most of it. Many people have it far worse than me.’
