Postman lost leg after clot

Friends of a Kirkby postman who had to have his leg amputated after a blood clot are raising money to buy him a lightweight wheelchair so he can be more independent.
Ian King, who has had his leg amputated after a blood clot, with his Royal Mail colleagues and friends who completed a walk round Chatsworth to raise money for a titanium wheelchair for him.Ian King, who has had his leg amputated after a blood clot, with his Royal Mail colleagues and friends who completed a walk round Chatsworth to raise money for a titanium wheelchair for him.
Ian King, who has had his leg amputated after a blood clot, with his Royal Mail colleagues and friends who completed a walk round Chatsworth to raise money for a titanium wheelchair for him.

Ian King, 45, had suffered pains in his calves and feet for some time before going to hospital to get them checked out when he returned from holiday in April.

A blood clot was found and doctors operated to remove it.

Ian was put on a drip but suffered a rare reaction to the blood thinning medication he was put on and it actually made his blood thicken.

A new clot formed and doctors said that they would have to remove his leg because of the damage, revealing later that he was only a few minutes away from dying.

“They told me at 3pm, then at 3.20pm they took my leg off,” said Ian, of Coultons Avenue in Sutton.

“I went from being a fully able person ready to go back to work after my holiday to losing a leg. There was no time to adjust.”

Dad-of-two Ian is well known in Kirkby having been a postman there for 13 years, but having his leg amputated has completely changed his life.

He hopes to return to work at Royal Mail in a different role but now finds getting around much more difficult.

His friends and colleagues are therefore on a fundraising drive to raise £4,000 to buy Ian a lightweight titanium wheelchair.

Vicky Lee, wife of fellow postman Paul, is spearheading efforts.

Vicky, 51, of Beverley Drive, Kirkby, said: “I love raising money for people to help them.

“Ian is a good buddy of Paul’s and they have a good connection.”

Nearly £3,000 has been raised by a sponsored 13 mile walk that friends and colleagues completed around the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire.

Now a fundraising evening is being held at Kirkby Catholic Club, on School Street, on Saturday, October 10 from 6.30pm until midnight.

Featuring lots of games and fun activities, plus a disco, tickets are £3 for adults and £1 for children and are available from Paul at Kirkby Sorting Office or from Vicky on 07946 086565.

Ian said: “The wheelchair will make a massive difference to me. It will give me a lot more independence.”

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