Meghan Markle’s father Thomas has had life-saving surgery to amputate his left leg below the knee
Mr Markle, 81, underwent a three-hour operation on Wednesday to remove his left foot and lower leg after a blood clot cut off circulation and the limb turned black.
His son Thomas Jr confirmed the news last night saying: ‘My dad is being very brave. His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly. I took him to a local hospital and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated.’
Retired Hollywood lighting director Mr Markle was rushed via ambulance to a bigger hospital in Cebu in the Philippines – the city he moved to earlier this year in a bid to create a ‘new life’ away from what he called the ‘constant pain’ of his estrangement from Meghan.
Doctors immediately took him into surgery and removed the limb.
Tom Jr said: ‘There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or de.ath.’
Mr Markle now faces another procedure to remove a blood clot in his left thigh.
His son Tom Jr, who has been his primary caregiver, said doctors remain ‘extremely concerned’ for his father’s welfare.
Mr Markle remains in the intensive care unit in stable condition.
Tom Jr said: ‘One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical. His left leg has been removed below the knee. They were worried about infection setting in – sepsis or gangrene. The flesh was black and dying.
‘There was no option given.
‘It was either “we have to operate now and remove the leg or he may die”.
‘It was a life-threatening situation.’
A spokesman for the Duchess of Sussex declined to comment on her father’s hospitalisation and apparent foot amputation.
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