Woman Fighting Flesh-Eating Bacteria Faces Drastic New Surgeries

Aimee Copeland has already lost a leg to necrotizing fasciitis; now she faces the loss of both hands and her remaining foot in an attempt to save her life. Her response? "Let's do this."

It's an amazing story of how a life can be turned upside down nearly overnight. Following an accident on May 1, Copeland contracted the incredibly rare, so-called 'flesh-eating bacteria' through a wound on her leg. The gruesome disease kills off the body's soft tissues.

Doctors are proceeding with the amputations to prevent the bacteria's further spread and to ward off sepsis.

Well-wishes are pouring in for Copeland and her family from around the globe. According to a Facebook posting by her father today, she only recently learned just how well-known her case has become.

The road ahead appears grim. It is unknown what further measures may be necessary to prevent the flesh-eating bacteria from spreading elsewhere in her body. For now, the world watches and waits alongside her family, buoyed by the 24-year-old's incredible courage. "Let's do this," indeed.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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