Krystina Pacheco, 29, from Pleasanton, Texas, gave birth to her daughter Amelia by cesarean section on October 24, 2022. On the same day she was discharged, she began experiencing fever, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Doctors airlifted her to a hospital in San Antonio, where they confirmed septic shock, the most severe stage of sepsis.
She was sedated for two weeks, connected to dialysis and ECMO machines, while they fought to keep her alive. When she woke up, her hands and feet were black, with no circulation. Doctors could not save them: both arms were amputated below the elbows and both legs below the knees, in addition to multiple skin grafts.
After three months in the hospital and rehabilitation, she returned home with her husband Jacob, her two-year-old son, and her newborn baby. “Every time I underwent surgery, I thought: I have to get back home to be with them”, she said.