'I nearly died and almost lost my leg when I dozed off after a boozy night out'

26 July 2023 , 21:58

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Trisha Hamilton had to be rushed to hospital after a drunken sleep

One woman nearly died and then almost lost her leg after she dozed off following a boozy night out.

Trisha Hamilton had enjoyed a night drinking on May 13, before the 58-year-old drunkenly fell asleep.

But instead of enjoying a sleep and waking up feeling rested, or hungover, Trisha found her right leg was heavily swollen and numb to her horror. Without realising it she had slept awkwardly and managed to cut off the blood circulation.

She was rushed to hospital and doctors initially feared she might never make it out of the intensive care unit. She was later discovered to have compartment syndrome - a muscular condition that causes extreme pain, numbness and loss of function in the leg.

With the wounds infected, medics considered amputating Trisha's leg but instead decided to debride the dead skin. Trisha got home after a three-week stay in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary but never recovered the use of her leg and she has been left with two gaping wounds.

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Trisha never recovered use of her leg

Speaking to Aberdeen Live, she said: "There's nothing I can do with the leg. I've got a walking aid, I've got a wheelchair and I've got different aids that help me get about the house. Now, because I'm compensating with my left leg, all the pain is in my left foot. The doctors are trying to get me painkillers for that and we're getting there but it's pretty agonising."

Trisha has rarely left her home since the injury and has to wear a splint, adding: "It's been totally life-changing. I'll never manage to go out myself. When I have to go to the hospital, it takes two paramedics to get me out the door. My partner gave up his house to come and live with me. We're waiting to move into a different property because there are two steps outside my front door and I just can't do them.

"I can't use the shower either because it's not suitable for my injury, so it's a waiting game to get a council house that we can move into and we don't know how long that's going to take."

Trisha had never heard of compartment syndrome before she was diagnosed. Just after getting out of hospital, she saw a magazine article in which a woman told a similar story of having fallen asleep on her leg and caused serious injury. She continued: "I'm glad that I kept my leg. If I had lost it, I wouldn't have got out the hospital for a long time. There must be more folk out there like me but who just haven't spoken about it. I want people to know that this can happen and to take care."

Jamie Saunderson