Disabled father, 37, trapped in the foetal position begged doctors to amputate his leg after a flesh-eating bug left him with a gaping untreatable wound and in unbearable pain for four years
- Thomas McKell, 37, has MRSA which has been eating leg muscle for four years
- The father-of-two has multiple sclerosis leaving him unable to straighten legs
- He is stuck in the foetal position and mother Pauline has questioned his care
- The 57-year-old said her son even begged doctors to amputate his legs
A disabled father has pleaded with doctors to amputate his leg after a flesh-eating virus left him with a gaping and untreatable wound.
Thomas McKell, 37, has been in agony for the past four years after bug MRSA has been eating away skin and muscle at the back of his knee.
The father-of-two, of Glasgow, has been suffering with multiple sclerosis since his 20s and complications around his condition means he is unable to straighten his legs, leaving him trapped in the foetal position.
His mother Pauline, 57, said the former joiner was once very fit and active, with a passion for football, but that it is ‘heartbreaking’ to see him in such pain.
Thomas McKell, 37, has begged doctors to amputate his leg due to a flesh-eating bug that has been destroying tissue around the back of his knee for four years. Mr McKell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his 20s and his condition means he cannot straighten his legs. His mother has released this picture of him in hospital in Glasgow to show the horror of the condition
The father-of-two, pictured with his sons Kellan, second right, and Kyle, far right, has been ‘pushed from pillar to post’ around the medical services in Glasgow, according to his mother
She told the Daily Record: ‘At one point, it was so bad, he said he wanted them to amputate his legs. Thomas is severely disabled with MS and we just don’t know where to turn to.’
Mrs McKell added: ‘We’re now told he has a category four MRSA wound. He is in a terrible state and even the plastic surgeon was shocked when he saw it. We just don’t know what to do for him. Surely someone shouldn’t just be left like this in this day and age?’
The condition means Mr McKell is facing having the tendons in his legs cut to allow them to be straightened.
His mother, who also has MS, said she was ‘appalled’ by his condition and claimed they have been ‘pushed from pillar to post’ around the health services while trying to get treatment while she also accused medics of ‘negligence’.
Mr McKell was initially treated at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and has since been transferred to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in the same city.
His mother added: ‘They are now talking about taking skin off his thighs to graft onto the wound. It is just one thing after another and everything seems to take so long to happen. Why does it have to be like that? I am disgusted. He just needs help.’
But health chiefs in Glasgow say he is getting the right treatment and have told Mrs McKell they will meet her to discuss concerns.
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: ‘We would like to reassure her [Mrs McKell] that he [Mr McKell] is receiving the appropriate medical treatment and nursing care.
‘We are arranging to meet with this patient’s family to ensure they are kept informed about all aspects of his care and are given the opportunity to discuss any concerns they have.’