New mother forced to amputate leg

After always wanting a child of her own, Regena Williams was overjoyed when she finally became pregnant.

When her son was born on April 21, the first-time mother had all the dreams and plans that come with welcoming a new baby. However, just three weeks after giving birth, the joy of motherhood turned into a nightmare that left the Kingston woman fighting for her life and eventually losing her leg. Williams had spent a week in hospital after giving birth and was prescribed blood thinners when she was discharged.

“I just thought it was something that mothers normally got after having a baby,” she said. She was adjusting to life with her newborn when, around Mother’s Day, she felt an unusual pain beneath her foot. Thinking her body was still recovering from pregnancy and childbirth, she soaked her foot in warm water and Epsom salt. But the pain remained. Over the following weeks, she returned to hospital several times as the pain spread from the sole to her ankle and calf. She said she was sent for an ultrasound, given painkillers and later treated for what she understood to be soft tissue issues.