![\"Left:](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEC_299924188-73b6.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt turned out that, for four years, I\u2019d had\u202fperipheral artery disease (PAD) (Picture: Fiona Olsen)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tIt turned out that, for four years, I\u2019d had\u202fperipheral artery disease (PAD) (Picture: Fiona Olsen)<\/p>\n
\u2018Mr Olsen, you haven\u2019t got any blood going to your feet.\u2019<\/p>\n
When I heard those words after four years of excruciating pain<\/a>, I knew it wasn\u2019t good news \u2013 but at least it was an answer.<\/p>\n It was\u202fOctober 2024, and until then, almost every medic I spoke to had assumed the agony I had endured for four years was due to my bad back<\/a>.<\/p>\n Then, I finally saw\u202fa podiatrist\u202fwho recognised my condition for what it was.<\/p>\n She took one look at my ulcerated right foot and got out a handheld device called a Doppler scanner to measure the blood flow in my feet.<\/p>\n Then she uttered those\u202fdevastating\u202fwords; and I immediately knew she\u2019d worked out what so many had missed.<\/p>\n I was very frightened that this could be the start of something extremely serious \u2013\u00a0and I was right.<\/p>\n It turned out that, for four years, I\u2019d had\u202fperipheral artery disease (PAD), meaning the arteries in my lower legs were blocked \u2013 restricting the blood supply to my legs and feet. Because it was diagnosed so late, I now had critical limb ischaemia; a very serious complication of PAD that is extremely difficult to treat.<\/p>\n It eventually led me to have my right leg amputated. Not long afterwards, my other leg was amputated, too.<\/p>\n I first noticed symptoms in 2020; I\u202fstarted\u202fdragging my right foot\u202fwhenever I was walking.<\/p>\n \t\t WARNING: some images may be triggering to those who have suffered with similar conditions<\/strong><\/p>\n My feet were cold and my calves ached. At night I\u2019d wake my wife, Fiona, by dropping my foot down to the side of my bed as I tried to sleep, rubbing it on the carpet, in an attempt to relieve the stabbing pain in my toes.<\/p>\n At first, I put it\u202fall\u202fdown to a\u202fspinal\u202finjury\u202fI\u2019d\u202fgot from a farming accident in 1976,\u202fwhich had caused back issues over the years.<\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t think what else it could be; at\u202f76, I took pride in staying fit. My neighbours\u202foften\u202flaughed because I went out in my pyjamas every morning to work out on my garage rowing machine. But in January 2021, I went to the GP. Something wasn\u2019t right and I\u2019d started to question whether the unbearable pain in my toes could really be caused by my back.<\/p>\n The GP seemed to confirm my suspicions about it being down to my back injury, prescribing me\u202fpainkillers and referring\u202fme to an orthopaedic specialist. But neither helped. Nor did any of the MRIs, spinal injections or range of diagnostic orthopaedic procedures I underwent \u2013\u00a0because everyone was looking at my back, not my feet.<\/p>\n Over the next four years, my symptoms\u202fworsened and the pain was constant<\/a>. I was limping very badly \u2013 my feet were swollen and turned inwards because I couldn\u2019t put any weight on my toes, while my skin became discoloured and my toenails thickened.<\/p>\n \t\t \u202fI ended up having around 30 appointments and tests. I saw multiple orthopaedic surgeons\u202fand\u202fhad more injections, MRIs (one\u202fof which I\u202fpaid for myself out of desperation)\u202fand\u202fmedication. I was on so much morphine, I barely knew what day it was.<\/p>\n In all those appointments, nobody checked the blood flow in my feet.<\/p>\n Instead, I had one doctor suggest I try foam insoles, while another simply told me when my toe split open, fluid pouring from the erupted skin: \u2018GPs don\u2019t do feet any more.\u2019<\/p>\n Even when one surgeon watched me walk in,\u202fhunched over with pain, and\u202fsuggested\u202fit was a foot problem<\/a> rather than spinal, they still couldn\u2019t pinpoint what was causing it.<\/p>\n I was told\u202fby one specialist to walk more to improve the circulation\u202fin my feet, so I pushed through the pain \u2013 until one day, someone picked me up off the road\u202fwhen I collapsed. I just couldn\u2019t go any further.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLearn more about PAD\t\t\t<\/p>\n While lots of people have no symptoms, some people with PAD may get a painful ache in their legs while walking (this usually disappears after a few minutes\u2019 rest). This can affect one or both legs, and can range from mild to severe.<\/p>\n Other symptoms can include:<\/p>\n For more information, visit the NHS website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n It turns out that if someone had simply used a Doppler scanner earlier on, they would immediately have known there was a serious problem \u2013 and I might have been saved from double amputations.<\/p>\n As soon as the podiatrist realised how serious my condition was, I was fast-tracked to Leicester<\/a>\u2019s Glenfield Hospital, where I was finally diagnosed with PAD. It was now November 2024.<\/p>\n The hospital tried angioplasty \u2013 a procedure where they attempt to unblock the arteries \u2013 but mine were like concrete. A bypass, using a vein from my leg to do the job of the blocked artery, was also unsuccessful. My foot simply wouldn\u2019t heal and the pain was unbearable.<\/p>\n So, after long discussions with my medical team, in April 2025 my right leg was amputated below the knee.<\/p>\n I knew it wasn\u2019t my only option \u2013 but I had no quality of life at all and couldn\u2019t see how I could tolerate the pain. I really felt I had no choice. I was told: \u2018Your other leg isn\u2019t far behind this one.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t Although the wound started to heal; very soon, my other foot began to deteriorate because I had to put my weight on it. It became badly ulcerated and, eventually, split open.<\/p>\n More angioplasty and a further bypass followed. Both failed and in July 2025 I made the decision to have my left leg amputated at the knee. I was devastated; but I couldn\u2019t see how my life could continue with any level of normality.<\/p>\n Recovery was tough; but Fiona found a rehabilitation unit at St Thomas\u2019 in London<\/a>, and I spent nine weeks there. An experienced team did everything they could to get me ready to live life at home. Maggots were used to clean my wounds \u2013 they were the best thing for infection reduction. At this point, I was prepared to do whatever they asked of me.<\/p>\n Because I had two amputations, I was not able to walk out of the unit; but I made a tentative start at learning to use prostheses when I went home.<\/p>\n \t\t I\u2019m a proactive person; my physio noted my stoic attitude and\u202fsaid my\u202fstrength of character would help me through.<\/p>\n And it did, but I have experienced some very dark moments.<\/p>\n Physically, I\u2019m\u202ftrying as hard as I can.\u202fI don\u2019t think anyone really expected me to walk again, but in the year since my surgeries, although I\u2019ve mostly used a wheelchair, I\u2019m trying to build up my thigh strength to cope with prostheses and a walking frame.<\/p>\n A few months\u202fago, I walked unaided for the first time \u2013 a few steps in church on Easter<\/a> Sunday to take communion. It was a very emotional moment for me and my friends who witnessed it.<\/p>\n Mentally, though, it\u2019s hard. I was active and confident \u2013 but now, life is very different.<\/p>\n Lying\u202fawake\u202fin my bed\u202fat 3:00am, as I often do, I still\u202fask myself\u202fhow\u202fI\u202fended up like this;\u202fand feel so\u202fguilty for turning Fiona into my carer. She\u2019s fought hard for me.<\/p>\n I hate being a burden. But Fiona reminds me we still have each other and our beloved\u202fdaughter, Emma.<\/p>\n Now,\u202fI\u2019m 80. I\u2019m still here and mentally sharp. I have a wife and daughter I love. I\u2019d like five more good years at least\u202f\u2013\u202fand I\u2019ll continue sharing our story so\u202fthat\u202fothers might be spared\u202fmy fate.<\/p>\n That\u2019s\u202fhow I keep going.<\/p>\n *As told to Bobby Twidale<\/p>\n Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing izzie.price@metro.co.uk<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Share your views in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Jess](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_299923333-8622-e1781524058352.jpg\")
\n\t\tAt\u202f76, I took pride in staying fit (Picture: Fiona Olsen)<\/p>\n![\"Jess](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_299923341-75cf-e1781523573772.jpg\")
\n\t\tMy skin became discoloured and my toenails thickened (Picture: Fiona Olsen)<\/p>\n\n
![\"Jess](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_299923336-edb8-e1781523848953.jpg\")
\n\t\tMy physio noted my stoic attitude and\u202fsaid my\u202fstrength of character would help me through (Picture: Fiona Olsen)<\/p>\n![\"Jess](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_299923237-ba91-e1781524181445.jpg\")
\n\t\tFiona reminds me we still have each other and our beloved\u202fdaughter, Emma (Picture:Fiona Olsen)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: I needed to pee at work \u2013 my trainer\u2019s response was perfect<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: It was a great date \u2013 until she opened her overnight bag<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: I introduced him to pegging \u2013 it was a huge mistake<\/a><\/p>\n