A brave lady who is weeks away from her 90th birthday is recovering in hospital after having a leg amputated.
Elsie Akiens could have been hours from death as doctors discovered a fast moving blood clot in her leg.
The 89-year-old and her family were told there two options - one, palliative care and “just let nature takes its course” and the second was to amputate the leg.
Doctors warned that the odds were against her because of her age but the plucky pensioner told doctors and her gathered family: “Either way I’m a winner. If I die on the operating table, I will be with my husband and if I survive I wake with all my family around me.”
The drama began on Wednesday last week when Elsie was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary following a fall at her Mowmacre home.
Doctors discovered the blood clot in her left leg and she was quickly transferred to Glenfield Hospital.
However, blood thinning medication had little effect.
Elsie was warned it was life threatening and the only other possibility was to amputate the leg just above the knee.
She was taken to the operating theatre at around 8pm on Thursday where doctors had decided, due to her age, it would be better to have an epidural rather than a general anaesthetic.
Around three hours later Elsie’s family were told the operation had been a success.
Elsie, who now calls herself Mrs Stumpy, said: “I have been in and out of hospital recently. but the Glenfield staff have been great, the best hospital and I thank the ones that saved my life.
“I understand that I wont be able to walk again, but I am still alive and I have all my family around me, and my husband Tom, who died nearly two years ago, is watching over me - he would be so proud of me.
“I cannot thank all the staff at Glenfield enough for all they have done and I am hoping I will be home soon.”
Her grand-daughter Renee, who has been her main carer since she fell some six weeks ago fracturing her hip, said: “When nana woke she had the biggest smile ever.
“Her first words were ‘did I do it?’ - we are all so proud of her.
“She had her first physiotherapy session on Monday and is doing amazingly well, physically and mentally.”
Elsie had an early 90th party in hospital “just in case, she didn’t make it.”
But her family are now planning to throw a bigger one her birthday, August 16.
Renee, 23, from Mowmacre, said: “Nana is bubbly, cheeky and stubborn and she is determined to make it to her birthday.”