21-Year-Old Woman Faces Double Leg Amputation After Years of Debilitating Pain

CAMBRIDGESHIRE, England — Megan Dixon, 21, is preparing to undergo a double leg amputation after years of severe pain and disability left her with few remaining options.

Dixon’s medical problems began when she was 13, after she became ill with whooping cough and glandular fever. By the following year, she had lost the ability to walk, and her legs gradually became fixed in a straight position before eventually bending backward.

She was initially diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis and underwent physiotherapy, but her condition continued to deteriorate.

Years of Severe Disability

Dixon later developed profound neurological symptoms. She said she experienced periods resembling a coma, lost her ability to speak and see, and eventually became paralyzed from the neck down.

Doctors eventually diagnosed her with functional neurological disorder (FND), a condition involving abnormal communication between the brain and nervous system.

During years of treatment, Dixon said she repeatedly experienced intense pain in her legs but felt that her symptoms were not taken seriously.

Her knees eventually became severely damaged and could no longer be returned to a normal position.

Five Surgeons Turned Her Away

After leaving pediatric care at 18, Dixon said she struggled to obtain the specialist treatment she needed.

She consulted six surgeons about her legs. According to Dixon, five declined to perform surgery.

By the time she found a surgeon willing to treat her, the damage to her knees had become irreversible.

Her left knee is now bent at approximately 45 degrees, with her right leg similarly affected.

Doctors have told her that amputation is now her only remaining surgical option.

A Life Shaped by Pain

Dixon has not walked independently since she was 14.

Even basic activities such as getting into bed or going to the bathroom can require assistance. She said moving from the floor to her bed can cause extreme pain because of the pressure on her damaged knees.

For years, she spent much of her time confined to bed. She began regularly using a wheelchair at 19.

Despite everything she has experienced, Dixon is looking toward life after surgery.

She hopes to obtain an electric wheelchair and other equipment that will allow her to become more independent.

Looking Toward a Different Future

Dixon is scheduled to undergo the amputations in August.

Rather than focusing solely on what she is losing, she says she is trying to think about what the procedure could make possible.

She dreams of being able to go out with her partner, visit places such as the zoo and spend time together without depending entirely on a caregiver.

For Dixon, the surgery is not something she wanted. It is a last resort after years of worsening disability and pain.

Yet she hopes it will ultimately give her a life that is more manageable and independent.

Her experience has also led her to encourage others experiencing unexplained symptoms to continue advocating for themselves and seeking appropriate medical care.

After years of being unable to walk, Dixon now faces another enormous challenge — but she is determined to focus on the possibility of rebuilding her life after amputation.