Childbirth led to sеptic shock! This woman lost her limbs
Krystina Pacheco nearly died after giving birth to her daughter Amelia via C-section and experiencing an extreme bodily response to infection.
A Texas woman who nearly died after giving birth last fall has returned home to her 4-month-old daughter and 2-year-old son.
Krystina Pacheco, 29, of Pleasanton, Texas, gave birth to her daughter Amelia on October 24, 2022, in what she described as a routine C-section.
However, after returning home two days later, she developed a fever, shortness of breath, and vomiting. She was given ibuprofen by a nurse, assuming these symptoms were related to her recovery, but she continued to feel sick.
Pacheco went to see a doctor, who referred her to a local emergency room. She was airlifted to a hospital in San Antonio, where she was diagnosed with septic shock, an extremely dangerous condition in which the body has an extreme response to infection.
«I just remember I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t see, and I just started slowly fading out,» Pacheco told ABC News. «‘Please come back to us, please, your babies need you,’ I could hear my husband say. I require your assistance. I need you to come here and help me with our babies,’ and that’s all I remember.»
Unfortunately, the life-saving treatments and medication Pacheco was given to control the condition cut off blood circulation to her hands and feet, necessitating amputation.
«My hands and feet were completely black. They resembled someone who had frostbite «Pacheco told ABC that her medical team had done everything possible to keep her from reaching this point.
«I was just breaking down and being absolutely crushed,» she said of learning that amputations were necessary. «And crying with my family, crying with Jacob, and simply being sad that my life would never be the same.»
Pacheco, on the other hand, kept going, drawing strength from the memories of her daughter and son Owen as she underwent multiple surgeries.
«They were, hands down, my number one motivator.»
She was transferred to TIRR Memorial Hermann, a rehabilitation center in Houston, in January, where she faced the challenges of learning to live with her new reality.
«She’s really, really strong. She’s definitely kicking rehab butt, «Jacob Pachecho, Pachecho’s husband, told ABC. «We’re waiting for her legs to heal, but her arms are doing great, and hopefully we’ll be starting prosthetic training soon.»
«It’s a roller coaster, and I’m not going to say I don’t have bad days, because I do,» Pachecho told KHOU in Houston. «It’s an emotional thing to go through.»
In addition to mothering her children, she reports that she has made progress with minor personal care items that most people overlook.
