30/07/2025
A few years ago I was diagnosed with peripheral artery disease (PAD). It’s a cardiovascular disease that occurs when fatty deposits build up in the arteries, narrowing them and restricting blood flow to the limbs. The main symptoms are leg pain while exercising and even while walking for short distances. Muscle weakness, nails loss, painful sores that don’t heal, constant pain even while resting or sleeping.
The causes of PAD are High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, Smoking, Diabetes, Obesity, Unhealthy Diet, Lack of Physical Activity. None of those causes apply to me. As it’s a mystery why I have this disease, I am a special case-study at Imperial College London under the care of Dr Colin Bicknell.
There is no cure for Peripheral Artery Disease and, as today, it is not reversible. Its symptoms can only be mitigated with procedures like angioplasties (ballooning + stent), artery patch and artery graft. If left untreated the final outcome is amputation of the foot and/or leg.
PAD is a disease very taxing for body and mind. Being constantly in pain, day and night, stopped me doing not only combat sports and running, but also prevented me to go for short walks with my wife and friends. As time goes by, the disease and the symptoms progress. The risk of infections and sepsis increase. Painkillers become necessary to be able to sleep.
Every day feels like a never ending marathon, going uphill. Controlling the never-easing pain takes a big chunk of mind space. It’s hard to concentrate, keep focus, stay calm. It’s easy to feel defeated. And an annoying feeling of unfairness towards life takes space between the already negative thoughts.
But once a fighter, always a fighter. So I
committed for a high risk surgery.
2 weeks ago I’have undergone a 5th surgery to my legs in the last 10 months. It was by far the most complicated. It lasted for nearly 6 hours, putting body and mind under high level of stress. I managed to make it through. The surgery was successful and, despite a difficult first week, I’m now recovering well. I’m looking to seeing improvements in the next months.
I’ll keep doing my best. Every day.