Ella Clarke, 31, told Britain’s Daily Mail about her ordeal – which started when she had to have an emergency hysterectomy during her C-section.
After losing six litres of blood during the op due to a condition called placenta accreta, doctors decided to perform a hysterectomy.
The mum of eight, from Devon, England, was then placed in an induced coma in order to recover, but just six hours later doctors discovered that the circulation to her legs had been cut off.
To save her life, doctors needed to amputate her lower limbs, to prevent toxins spreading throughout her body.
Six days later, Ella recalls the moment she realised her life had changed forever.
Ella woke up to find her lower legs had been amputated
“I remember the moment I woke up. I thought I was waking up from my C-section. I expected my beautiful little baby girl to be passed to me. I had no idea I’d been in a coma,” she said.
Even now, the devastated mum says she can’t come to terms with what has happened to her.
“I went from being an active mum to instantly wheelchair bound. I couldn’t stop crying.
“My five-year-old couldn’t look at me without a blanket on because she was scared and my eldest daughter starting falling behind at school. My family was falling apart and I was helpless.”
Ella is now looking to take legal action against the hospital, as she claims doctors didn’t check on her enough while she was in a coma.
A spokesperson for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said they are looking into the matter and are in regular discussion with Ella and her partner.
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