Woman who woke up from routine operation to find all limbs amputated speaks out on moment she found out
A mother who was supposed to have a routine operation was forced to have all of her limbs amputated after surgery.
Lucinda Mullins, 41, from Kentucky went in for routine kidney stone surgery in December and days later, a septic shock kicked in.
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that happens when your immune system overreacts to an infection, and starts to damage tissues and organs.
The mum-of-two wasn't left with much option but to have her legs amputated in order to save her life.
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Her arms were also damaged to the point that her hands and forearms will also need to be amputated in the coming days.
Despite the heartbreaking outcome, Mullins has said she doesn't want people to call it a 'sad story'.
"This has a happy ending. I'm alive. I get to be with my children and my husband," she told the Daily Mail.
Her attitude is truly an inspiration to her husband DJ, 43, and sons Teegan, 12 and Easton, seven, who live in Waynesburg.
"Easton's more of a mama's boy. He doesn't leave her side," DJ said.
"He helps feed her, brushes her hair, he's got to sleep right beside her. He's keeping a close eye on her for sure.
"The older one he's had a lot of questions of course, which we all have. But he's done well with it."
After surgery, her husband feared the worst, explaining: "They said she was on the edge of a cliff and it was about to get worse. A whole week passed and she wasn't moving, wasn't talking, wasn't responding."
She later gained consciousness and was moved to the UK Hospital in Lexington on a ventilator, to help her heart and lungs.
On the moment she found out, Mullins said: "Surprisingly, I wasn't upset, I didn't question it. I wasn't angry.
"I know there will be hard times ahead but just knowing I could see my kids again and that I had the support of my family, I think that gave me peace to be okay with it.
"I said, shoot it to me straight. I want to know it all. He explained why they had to do to save my life, that I was going to have surgery the next day to lose my legs.
"And I was at peace. I was okay with it. There was just this presence of God around me that told me this is all going to be okay.
"I was alive and I got to see my family again and my friends. And if that was a sacrifice that I had to make, you know, I was fine with it.
"That was the only way to save my life and I never questioned it. I just felt that God chose me for this to happen and he was going to use me in a big way. We're not done with our story yet."
The mum still plans to get back to her job as a certified medical assistant at Bates, Miller & Sims, a local family practice.
"Once a warrior, always a warrior," she added.
"I have had the same job for 17 years. I started right out of college at that office. I work for really good people. I can't imagine just not being there."
To donate on GoFundMe, click on the following link - Lucinda Mullins.
Anish Vij