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Ken battles back to live life to full
From the The Bolton News, first published Monday 29th Jan 2007.
KEN Eaton thought he would never be able to live a normal life again after an infection forced doctors to amputate his leg.
But now, the 58-year-old has completed a counselling course and is showing other amputees that there is life after losing a limb.
Mr Eaton, of Calder Avenue, Hindley Green, said: "I wanted to use the experience I had to help other people. It was a horrible time, but having my leg amputated has not stopped me doing anything."
He had been a swimming coach for more than 25 years when he became ill following a holiday to Belgium three years ago.
Mr Eaton, who will become a granddad for the first time in June, was admitted to the Royal Bolton Hospital for an exploratory operation, where he was diagnosed with osteomyelitis - an infection of the bone.
Surgeons tried to drain the infection from his knee and the former electrician was given physiotherapy, but there was little improvement to his knee.
Further treatment was unsuccessful and in August 2004 he had his leg amputated.
Despite the devastating surgery, Mr Eaton was determined not to give up hope and started a course of rehabilitation at the Royal Bolton Hospital, one of the only non-specialist sites in the country to have two dedicated amputee physiotherapists.
The skill and hard work of the team paid off, and soon his confidence returned.
Mr Eaton was back on the pool side, coaching young swimmers, just three weeks after his operation, and also had a prosthetic leg fitted the same year.
He has now finished his first counselling course - at NVQ level 2 - and is helping other amputee patients at the Royal Bolton Hospital as a volunteer.
But he claims he could not have done it without the help and support of the rehabilitation team at the hospital.
Mr Eaton said: "I've done a bereavement course to help people go through the grieving process of losing a limb. I'm going back to college to do other qualifications.
"I've already been talking to people on the wards at the Royal Bolton, but I wanted to do something to make sure I could help them in anyway I could."
Heather Wilson and Donna Parkinson are the two physiotherapists at the hospital.
Mrs Wilson said: "We're very much a team and because there are two of us we're able to provide the best care our patients could have."
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