Aviva Drescher Has Spent Over $1 Million On Prosthetic Legs
In a new interview, The Real Housewives of New York City star Aviva Drescher has revealed she has spent over $1 million on prosthetic legs since becoming an amputee at the age of six.
"I've definitely spent well over $1 million on all my legs!" Aviva told Life & Style during a Feb. 27 interview. "I've had around 50 legs throughout my lifetime and they run about $30,000 apiece."
The mother of four -- and cousin of The Nanny's Fran Drescher -- lost her leg when she was just 6-years-old in a tragic barn accident.
"It was a genius idea to go ride a conveyor belt in a barn that was meant to remove cow manure," she explained. "[Rescue workers spent] three hours sawing free my mangled, manure-ridden leg."
THe accident happened a morning after a sleep-over at her friend's home, Drescher and the friend decided it would be fun to take a joy ride on a local farm's conveyor belt. Luckily, her friend was by her side and turned of the belt. If she hadn't, Drescher could have lost her life or been much more injured.
Although doctors didn't immediately amputate the leg, they opted to remove Drescher's left foot and ankle two months later after the gangrene set in. Unfortunately, the amputation spot was "awkward" for Drescher and she began to get abrasions.
"The problem was, as a child, they only amputated several inches above ankle, so the amputation was very awkward. I'd get abrasions all the time. I constantly had infections," she said. "When I was growing, I'd have to get a new prosthesis every six months."
In 1997, at the age of 26, Drescher underwent a second surgery to have an additional portion of her leg removed.
From the time of the incident up until she turned 18-years-old, Drescher estimates she went through "$500,000 worth of legs."