A young mother who lost a leg in an unfortunate accident while playing in the garden with her children has started on the road to recovery with a new prosthetic limb.
The accident happened in August when Deanna Crump, 31, was running around in the garden on an August day with three-year-old Jerry and baby Isaac, aged one, when she tripped over and dislocated her right knee. Looking down, she was horrified to see her lower limb just "hanging there".
An ambulance was called and after arriving at the local hospital doctors were shocked when they learned of the extent of her injuries. Unable to find a "pulse" in her leg and foot, they soon realised that she had multiple torn ligaments, damaged arteries and fractures to both bones that connect to her knee.
This meant immediate treatment, but during emergency surgery, specialists were confronted with another issue, blood clots. After a week, doctors finally had to confront Ms Crump with the dreadful news that there was nothing more they could do other than to amputate her leg below the knee.
Ms Crump said she was now learning to cope with the loss and was "living one day at a time". She started having physiotherapy at the Henry Ford Rehabilitation Centre in the US, in October, and after a few weeks of intensive work she said was "happy" to be able to walk again, having managed a 10ft stroll with the aid of a horizontal bar at the facility.
The mum, from Down River, Michigan, said: "I have now had my cast fitted for a prosthetic leg. Then I got to try it on and take a few steps.
"When I walked into the room I was so intimidated, seeing this huge prosthetic leg in front of me. Next week I will get to keep the prosthetic leg and take it home."
Ms Crump said she felt a weight lift off her shoulders when she managed her first steps. "I cried," she said. "It's hard but I am getting stronger, I still struggle a lot but eventually I will have to get stronger. I don't want to be in a wheelchair anymore."
Deanna's surgery took nearly six hours before spending nine days in intensive care. She left the Henry Ford Hospital on August 30. "Honestly, the nurses at the hospital made it better, it was an up and down rollercoaster of emotions," she said.
"They wanted me to get up and out of bed and I was there yelling saying I couldn't — but I did it and when I did, I was very happy."
While she was in hospital, a GoFundMe page was set up for her and her family, which has raised around £16,000 to put toward house renovations and supporting the family while her husband, Jerry, 38, a kindergarten teacher, is off work looking after her.
The young mother will soon be required to use a microprocessor knee, but the £42,000 cost is simply something they "just can't afford", she said. So they plan to set up another fundraising page.
She said: "Every day is still super hard. I am still in a wheelchair and it sucks. My son still says to me every day, 'Mama, you've got one leg now' — and he will ask to touch my stitches and see my leg."
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
Find recommendations for eating out, attractions and events near you here on our sister website 2Chill
Find recommendations for dog owners and more doggy stories on our sister site Teamdogs
