A CHEF had his life turned upside down after he had his leg amputated the day after he found out he had diabetes.

Stephen Myerthall was forced to give up his career the life-changing surgery.

A few weeks ago, the 54-year-old began losing weight and experienced dehydration but didn't think much of these symptoms until his toe became infected.

And it was on December 14 when he became sick at work that he went to visit his doctor.

The chef was immediately sent by his GP to A&E.

"It was so bad when I went to see the doctor they told me to go straight to A&E," he told the Daily Record.

After going through a series of emergency tests, Stephen was told that he had undiagnosed diabetes.

Unfortunately, doctors told Stephen that his big toe would have to be removed that day.

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Things took a turn for the worse when surgeons found his right leg had suffered significant damage and that they would have to amputate his leg from the knee down.

"They told me they would try to save my big toe – but there was too much damage and they had to amputate below the knee," he told Daily Record.

"It was a big shock."

As his job requires him to be on his feet, Stephen felt that he had no other option but to hand in his notice.

Speaking from his bed at Astley Ainslie Hospital in Scotland, the Australian-born chef said: "I'm still recovering.

"They are waiting on the wound healing a bit more and then they'll try a prosthetic leg and see how I get on.

"It is basically just a wait-and-see process now."

Medics remain hopeful that the 54-year-old will receive a prosthetic leg soon, however Stephen has been wanted that it will be a painful process.

"If I do get the leg I might not be able to stand on it all day as well," he said.

"Some days I was working from 11am to 9.30pm and there might be some days where I might not be able to put the leg on to work.

"They have said I might get blisters and somedays it might be just too sore walking on it."

One of Stephen's friends has set up a fundraiser to help him in his recovery.

"This fundraiser has been set up to help a dear friend of mine who experienced a horrible and life changing event," a statement on the fundraiser states.

"Understandably, this has completely turned his life upside down, leaving him to learn how to live his life as normal as possible.

"He will not be able to look after his mum properly or return to the job that he enjoyed even with the aid of a prosthetic."

Donations to the fundraiser can be made here.

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