logo
'Doctors said my symptoms were anxiety, then I had to have my leg removed'

'Doctors said my symptoms were anxiety, then I had to have my leg removed'

Wales Online30-04-2025
'Doctors said my symptoms were anxiety, then I had to have my leg removed'
Erin was 23 and about to start her dream job when she experienced a list of symptoms
Doctors told Erin there was nothing physically wrong
When Erin Lazarus started suffering from strange symptoms, doctors told her it was just anxiety. She was 23, completing her postgraduate degree and about to start her dream job as a foreign exchange dealer at Investec.
But despite the doctors' reassurance and blood tests showing nothing, the problems persisted. She was soon struggling with joint pain, migraines, hair loss, rashes, fatigue, swelling, and redness around her nails and feet.

'It's a miracle I finished my degree. My body completely broke down the moment I submitted my final paper,' she says. By December 2021, her left foot began to change colour, and within days she was slurring her words and losing consciousness.

She was taken to hospital but discharged. It wasn't until her foot turned black and she experienced unbearable pain that she was readmitted and finally diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that had caused a life-threatening clot in her leg.
Several surgeries failed to restore blood flow, and Erin was faced with a stark choice. 'Either I kept this dead foot or I lived,' she says. 'For me, it wasn't a choice. I wanted to live.'
Erin was 23, completing her postgraduate degree and about to start her dream job
Article continues below
Just 12 hours after the amputation, she was up on a walker. 'I danced when my family came in. This was the start of something new,' she recalls. 'They named my stump 'Stompy,' kissed it, and made me laugh. That's the kind of family I have.'
She credits her incredible recovery to her close-knit support system: her father Mark, her mum Marilyn, her sister, Jenna, and her long-time physiotherapist Farrell Cohen. Four months after the surgery, Erin was fitted with her first prosthetic and walking independently.
But it has not always been straightforward. 'One morning I went to rehab, then walked into work and heard a massive clicking sound. I rushed to the bathroom, but I was wearing tight jeans,' she says. 'So there I was, sitting in a toilet stall with my pants down, trying to see what was going on - and my leg broke in half! The socket disconnected from the bar. I was stranded in the bathroom, holding my broken leg.

'My mom, who works at the same company, came running. We were brainstorming ideas, but I couldn't stop laughing.'
She still experiences phantom pain - pins and needles and sharp, electric shocks in her non-existent foot. 'I grab the bottom of my stump and tap it to tell my brain there's no foot there,' she says, adding that her boyfriend Reade Metzer has been amazing. 'He massages and squeezes my leg until the pain dies down.'
The world of prosthetics has astounded her. 'I had no idea how customised and high-tech these legs are. It's incredible what's possible,' she says. On Sunday Erin ran the London Marathon with dad Mark, a seasoned ultramarathon runner, proudly by her side. The experience left her 'truly speechless.'

'There are no words to describe it,' she says. 'I loved every second of it even when I was sore. The crowd was even more amazing than I expected. I found it very emotional and kept telling myself 'wow I'm actually doing it'.
'I kept telling myself 'you get to run' and kept picturing myself in hospital and reminding myself why I'm doing this. It was so special doing it with my dad and getting to see my family at 22km, 35km and the finish made me get through it and made it even more special.'
Erin was up and walking within hours of the surgery

Training was gruelling. Erin runs with a blade designed for endurance, balancing strength work in the gym with long-distance road runs. 'There's chafing, blisters, and days when I think, 'What was I thinking?' But then I remember why I started.
'It wasn't just about crossing the finish line. It was about proving that I can do something no one thought was possible after my amputation.'
As for lupus, it's something she manages quietly and privately. 'I take my meds. I do what I need to,' she says. 'But I don't like to focus on it because it scares me. I trust my doctor completely. The leg side is visible, so it's easier for people to understand. But lupus? That's the part people don't see. When I say I'm tired, it's not 'normal' tired. And when I'm sick, I get really sick.'

She hopes medical professionals will stop jumping to conclusions so quickly. 'If doctors had just listened earlier, things might have been different. But I wouldn't change what's happened—I have such a full life now. Her message to others with lupus or facing amputation?
'You'll live a perfectly normal life - and it's going to be okay. The medication is amazing, and you're stronger than you think. Trust yourself. You know your body better than anyone. Speak up if something feels wrong.'
Now Erin is focused on giving back. Through Rejuvenate SA and Trojans Neurological Trust, she's helping others with mobility challenges gain independence. 'I love sharing this weird and wonderful journey. I'm learning every day and doing everything I can to help others do the same.
Article continues below
'I used to think losing my leg was the worst thing that could happen to me. But honestly? It gave me the best version of myself.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Drunk woman takes seagull home before finding out it has bird flu
Drunk woman takes seagull home before finding out it has bird flu

Metro

timea day ago

  • Metro

Drunk woman takes seagull home before finding out it has bird flu

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A drunk woman picked up and took home a seagull – only to find out later that it had bird flu. Erin Punton had been on a night out with friends and was returning home when she spotted the bird outside a pub. Inebriated, the 22-year-old from Ashington, Northumberland, scooped up the seagull and carried it home. An intoxicated Erin had filmed herself with the seagull tucked under her arm while singing Valerie by Amy Winehouse. In the clip, she said: 'He's a beauty. 'He actually wants to stop in my room and everything but I've got nowhere for him.' The giant seagull appeared unfazed by the sudden attention as it was carried around like royalty. She woke up the next morning with no recollection of the night before and was shocked to find the bird flapping about in her living room. After taking the seagull to the vet, she 'felt sick' when they told her it had bird flu. She promptly bleached her entire home after finding out the bird was infected. Bird flu, or avian flu, is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds. It can affect humans in rare cases, by being transmitted through touching infected birds, bedding and preparing or eating sick poultry. Avian flu symptoms in humans include a very high temperature or feeling hot or shivery, aching muscles and headaches. The last case of confirmed bird flu was confirmed in captive birds at a premises near Tow Law, Bishop Auckland in County Durham. Erin said: 'I saw the bird outside Wetherspoons and managed to pick him up without even a thought. More Trending 'I don't even know what made me pick him up. 'I put him in my sitting room with a blanket. When I woke up in the morning, I'd forgotten and he was just floating around the sitting room. 'I dropped him off at the vets the next day in a box and was told he had bird flu. 'I felt sick and bleached my whole house.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.

Jim Kelly reveals newborn grandson has emergency surgery after being born with 'unexpected medical complications'
Jim Kelly reveals newborn grandson has emergency surgery after being born with 'unexpected medical complications'

Daily Mail​

time17-07-2025

  • Daily Mail​

Jim Kelly reveals newborn grandson has emergency surgery after being born with 'unexpected medical complications'

Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly has revealed that his newly-born grandson underwent successful emergency surgery after 'unexpected medical complications' following his birth. The former Bills star announced on Instagram earlier this week that his daughter, Erin and her husband, Parker had recently welcomed their first child, and asked for prayers with 'Little Bean' set for a procedure. Kelly later shared on Tuesday that his grandson - whose name he has not yet revealed - was set to undergo the surgery at 7am on Wednesday. And thankfully, the 65-year-old was able to share with fans afterwards that 'everything went well' as his grandson embarks on his 'healing journey.' 'We are overwhelmed with gratitude for God's hand in every detail today… for highly skilled and compassionate doctors and nurses… and for every single prayer that's been lifted on our behalf,' he wrote on Instagram. He continued: 'But this is just the beginning — and we humbly ask you to PLEASE KEEP PRAYING as the healing journey begins. 'Our continued prayer is that Little Bean's body will begin to heal and adjust to all that took place this morning… that his body will strengthen… and that, in time, he'll be able to come off the ventilator and be able to go home.' While Kelly has not disclosed what medical complications his grandson has endured, he previously said that 'this road has brought us to our knees.' The five-time Pro Bowler received a flood of well-wishes on the latest post, including from former teammates Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed. 'GOD is GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD........ Continued Prayers for little Bean,Erin,Parker and the whole Kelly Family,' Reed wrote. Kelly has also had significant health battles himself in retirement. He was initially diagnosed with oral cancer in 2013, and later had part of his jaw removed. The disease returned in 2014, while he had to undergo a 12-hour surgery in 2018 to remove a new cancer from his jaw and neck. Kelly has ultimately battled the disease a total of four times, and last year celebrated 10 years since his final radiation treatment.

'I had a running rash and 111 said get to A&E or we'll send an ambulance'
'I had a running rash and 111 said get to A&E or we'll send an ambulance'

Daily Mirror

time08-07-2025

  • Daily Mirror

'I had a running rash and 111 said get to A&E or we'll send an ambulance'

Daniel, 31, thought it was just a rash from his Parkrun and put cream on it, but then he Googled his symptoms A 31-year-old man who found a dark red rash in his legs dodn't think anything of to as he has just finished a Parkrun. Daniel Chapman put cream on his leg, but the rash spread and over the next few days and he began to develop more worrying symptoms - including fatigue, persistent bleeding after a dental appointment, and dried blood on his pillow. A week on and after Googling his symptoms - 'like millennials do' - Daniel, from Holbeach, in Lincolnshire, visited the doctor's surgery for a blood test. 'Luckily I was working from home and got a message from 111,' he said. 'They said that after the blood test analysis my platelet count was incredibly low. ‌ 'If I didn't answer my phone they would send an ambulance and I needed to get to Boston A&E as soon as possible.' ‌ A healthy adult typically has between 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microlitre of blood. Daniel's count was at 14 and only rose slightly after treatment at the hospital. 'I was on a transfusion and my temperature was spiking to 42 degrees,' he said. 'I had an MRI scan and was tested for lung capacity and, as my nan said, I got my money's worth.' Daniel was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a rare and potentially fatal condition in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells. He now requires regular platelet transfusions and has had both a PICC line and a Hickman line inserted to deliver medication and treatment directly into his bloodstream. ‌ The only potential cure is a stem cell transplant, and he is relying on a donor from the Anthony Nolan register. 'It has been a lot. It is not a smoking induced illness, I am not overweight, someone has not run me over,' Daniel says. 'It is just a really bad play on the roulette of life but how can I be angry at fate?' Despite facing a serious diagnosis, Daniel's sense of humour has played a large part in helping him to deal with occasional 'wobbles' during an ongoing stay on the transplant ward. Support from friends and family, including regular hospital visits from his parents, brother and his beloved nan also helped to lift his spirits. ‌ Determined to raise awareness, Daniel has now launched a fundraising campaign for Anthony Nolan, the charity that runs the UK's stem cell donor register. 'Anthony Nolan has been fantastic and the fundraising team got in touch with me,' Daniel said. 'People I haven't heard from for ages are joining the Anthony Nolan register. I am not a good dweller and I want to save my energy until I get a donor.' Daniel, who works as an advisor in local government, had also recently secured a place in the public ballot for the London Marathon, and despite his current condition, remains hopeful that he'll be able to take on the challenge next year. 'As a fairly competitive runner, I'm always trying to beat my times or outrun other runners,' he said. 'But this is something that I can't leave, outpace or run away from. It's with me.' If you're aged 16 to 30, you can join the stem cell register, so that someone like Daniel can have a second chance at life:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store