My second operation was to remove the tumour and place a metal knee-joint in it. But if the surgeon had found that the cancer was deeper and more widespread, they advised I could lose my whole leg. I remember waking up after that operation as a 14-year-old all dazed from the drugs, sore throat from where the breathing tube was, and immediately reached to touch my leg to see if it was still there. Well, my leg was numb from the anaesthetic, so I had to ask the recovery nurse, and she assured me that I still had my leg intact. I was so grateful that, even though I have a metal knee-joint with rods sticking up to my hip, my lower leg is still functioning well.