The story of a pioneering hand transplant operation carried out in Leeds is to be told on television next week.
Mark Cahill underwent the surgery at Leeds General Infirmary on December 27.
The 51-year-old had been unable to use his right hand for five years due to severe gout.
Now he is starting to regain feeling in the hand after the operation, the first in the UK.
His story will be told in a documentary to be shown on Tuesday. (Feb 26)
The former pub landlord, from Greetland, near Halifax, told the Radio Times he has had no problems accepting the new hand, despite it being smaller, paler and more freckled than the other.
“I’ve always seen it as my hand, since the moment I woke up after the operation,” he said.
Mr Cahill said he would not have been able to accept a hand that looked out of place but he felt anything was better than his existing hand.
He said: “I can see why people with two hands don’t understand. But going from a hand that can’t do anything, it doesn’t seem unusual. Having a hand that is warm, that feels, that is part of you, is much better than a prosthetic limb.”
The new limb is already able to feel pins and needles if Mr Cahill taps a nerve in his arm, and the next stage of his recovery should see feeling returning.
Within the next few months, he should be able to use his hand to pick things up and tie his shoelaces.
The married father-of-one has no regrets, despite having to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of his life and suffering a rejection scare.
“The future’s changed. Now I’ve got something to look forward to,” he said.
A team, led by consultant plastic surgeon Professor Simon Kay, announced in 2011 they were looking for candidates for hand or arm transplants.
* My New Hand, also featuring other potential recipients, is on BBC1 at 10.35pm on Tuesday.
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