You know what they say: it takes a long time to grow an old friend.

They should say the same about shoes because, much like new friends, new shoes are often beautiful but awkward and uncomfortable. For one woman, the discomfort of her new shoes led to a much more dire situation. According to Cosmopolitan, 37-year-old Lorraine Burnett from Dunfermline in Scotland bought a new pair of shoes for a Christmas party. Wearing them, she never expected that they might lead to the loss of a limb. "I'd stayed out dancing until the early hours, so thought nothing of achy feet. But then two years later I was having my leg removed. It breaks my heart to think my five inch heels cost me my leg," Lorraine told Cosmo. Waking up the next day, Lorraine wasn’t surprised to find a large blister on her leg. " Being a carer, I knew what I needed to do - just clean it and dress it," she said. "But after a week, it was so painful so I went to the doctors and was prescribed antibiotics. I really thought they would help as it just seemed like a bad wound." Unfortunately, the wound did not respond to treatment and despite efforts to remove infected skin, the infection continued to spread. Lorraine was told by doctors that unless she removed her leg, she would continue to suffer from repeated infections for the rest of her life. Lorraine tells Cosmo that the most devastating part of the experience was losing her job and her change in lifestyle. "I had to give up my job, which was heartbreaking. I couldn't believe how much my life has changed over a couple of years," she said. "I'd gone from someone who liked to go out all the time - a real party girl who enjoyed the good life – to pretty completely housebound." Lorraine’s aunt is now fundraising to buy a realistic and comfortable prosthetic leg. "A new prosthetic would mean I would look more like a lady again, not having to hide it," she said, adding: "I can't show my leg off and feel like myself."