An Indian teenager is struggling to stand up after an infection caused his leg to swell to 53 pounds.
Tulsi Adivasi, 18, began suffering the problem at 11 years old but his mother relied on witch doctors and quacks for his treatment.
Tulsi spends his days sitting in one position because any movement brings excruciating agony.
Now the youngster says he is depressed because he is dependent on his elderly, widowed parent and he feels he is a burden on his family.
She earns just £12 a month from working in the fields day and night and Tulsi wants to help her raise his brothers and sister.
He said: ‘I cannot take the weight of this leg anymore. This is so heavy that I cannot even lift my leg and have to walk using crutches.
‘The whole village sympathises with me; young children laugh at me and are afraid of my leg.’
While he has not been diagnosed yet, Tulsi’s symptoms look like a case of elephantiasis – where severe swelling occurs in the arms, legs, breasts, or genitals. It is caused by parasites being transmitted to humans through mosquitoes.
Tulsi Adivasi, 18, from India, began suffering with a leg infection at 11 years old
The teen may have elephantiasis – when parasites are transmitted from a mosquito
He spends days sitting in one position because any movement brings extreme pain
‘There are days where we eat nothing at all’
Born into a poverty-stricken family in Madhya Pradesh in central India, Tulsi had developed some sort of infection on his left leg aged 11.
However, because of the lack of education and money, his mother Guddi did not take him to medical doctors and instead went to unqualified ‘healers’
She said: ‘My husband had died ten years ago. Ever since I have been working day and night to make ends meet. I have to feed my four children.
‘There are days when we have nothing to eat at all. We are living in forests where there is no mode of transportation available for commuting and no doctor dares to come here because of irregular terrain.
‘His treatment meant I had to take him to town but I had no money for transport or to give doctor for fees and medicines.’
Tulsi says he is depressed because he is dependent on his widowed mother
The lump on his leg has spread to his foot and his toes are not even visible under the flesh
Because of the lack of education and money, his mother Guddi did not take him to medical doctors and instead went to unqualified ‘healers’
Tulsi got some initial relief but without proper treatment, the severity of Tulsi’s condition has only grown worse over time.
The lump on his leg has spread to his foot and his toes are not even visible under the flesh.
While he has not been diagnosed yet, Tulsi’s symptoms look like a case of elephantiasis – where severe swelling occurs in the arms, legs, breasts, or genitals. It is caused by parasites being transmitted to humans through mosquitoes.
‘I do not know what the disease is but I hope that there is some treatment available,’ Tulis said, adding that if he gets treated, he would like to help his ailing mother run the family.
‘Because of the weight of the leg, I can do nothing and work is just a dream. I have to depend on my mother and I feel like a burden on her.
‘She is old and ailing but has to work day in and day out to feed us. But if I can get a treatment and get legs back I can also start working and help my mother and raising my brothers and sister.’