Didi Okoh lives with a uncommon situation, referred to as lymphedema, the place certainly one of her legs is greater than double the scale of the opposite.
What’s extra, the enlarged one can leak fluid if it will get a tiny minimize.
Didi first seen this on the age of 13, when a buddy identified that certainly one of her thighs ‘regarded greater than the opposite’ throughout an athletics session.
The eager athlete went to the GP however was advised it was in all probability swelling resulting from train.
The 19-year-old regulation and criminology scholar explains: ‘It’s such a uncommon situation that the docs didn’t recognise it at first.
‘I’ve at all times been actually into sport, so we thought my muscle groups had been simply swollen.’
Nevertheless, when her leg began to get painful, Didi knew it was one thing extra.
And in July 2016, after a 12 months of appointments, Didi was lastly advised she had lymphedema after visiting a marketing consultant at Nice Ormond Road Hospital in London.
Docs additionally defined there are presently no surgical procedure or particular remedy choices for her sort of lymphedema.
In consequence, she manages the swelling by carrying excessive compression tights and elevating her leg.
Didi, from Essex, says: ‘It’s a progressive situation, it goes in phases.
‘If I had been to don't have any remedy or handle the situation, it will be a lot worse.
‘Proper now it’s one and a half instances greater than the opposite leg. It may well typically cut back once I’m managing it, but it surely’ll by no means be the identical measurement as the opposite leg.’
Didi says she was teased as a teen for her ‘tree trunk leg’ and has skilled impolite questions and feedback about what she wears – however has since realized to embrace her bigger leg.
She provides: ‘It was onerous once I was round 15 as my leg was getting greater and I used to be self-conscious.
‘However once I turned 18 it simply hit me that I can’t mope round and really feel unhealthy about it, as a result of it’s not going wherever. I selected then and there to simply embrace it, and I really feel a lot extra assured now.
‘I had a girl cease me on the street and inform me that I want to wish. Folks will typically cease and stare at my legs – some will even come straight as much as me and ask what’s fallacious with me.
‘It’s fairly impolite and it used to trouble me once I was youthful, however now I believe that folks simply don’t know sufficient about it and wish educating. Relatively than getting aggravated, I simply clarify to them that I've a situation.’
Regardless of experiencing some setbacks – together with excessive fatigue and fluid that may leak from her bigger leg – Didi is now working in direction of classifying as a para-athlete, with desires of turning into a Paralympian sooner or later.
‘After I used to be recognized, I discovered it actually onerous to compete as I used to be so drained, and my swollen leg was so painful,’ she continues.
‘The coaches additionally wouldn’t take me on as a result of I used to be a better harm danger, they usually didn’t wish to be accountable for that.
‘It was a tough time and I needed to cease competing in monitor occasions and needed to swap to hammer throw so there wasn’t as a lot impression on my legs.
‘However athletics is my ardour, and I didn’t wish to let my situation management my life. I attempt my greatest to simply get on with issues and never be outlined by it.
‘Now I’m within the technique of classifying to be a para-athlete – it’s been superb to be again doing what I really like.
‘It will be a dream come true to compete within the Paralympics, however greater than something I wish to use my story to assist others who could be battling their well being or self-confidence.’
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