Texas mum learning to live with amputated limbs after giving birth

A Texas mother has returned home after having a near-death experience following the birth of her second child.

Krystina Pacheco welcomed a baby girl named Amelia into the world on October 24 of last year. Krystina gave birth via C-section, and the birth itself went extremely well. The mum-of-two was looking forward to being reunited with her husband Jacob and two-year-old son Owen.

However, two days later, the 29-year-old started to feel unwell with a fever, shortness of breath and vomiting. After taking ibuprofen for a short while, the symptoms continued to worsen.

Krystina was sent by her doctor to her local emergency department, where the seriousness of her illness was soon discovered. She was then airlifted to hospital and was subsequently diagnosed with septic shock. The condition itself is life-threatening, and occurs when the body has an extreme reaction to infection.

Speaking to ABC News about her experience, Krystina recalled the terror that she and her family felt. “My husband, I could just hear him saying, 'Please come back to us, please, your babies need you. I need you. I need you to be here and help me with our babies,' and that's the last thing I remember,’” she said.

Although medication helped her to recover, the effects of it cut off the circulation in both her hands and feet, which, unfortunately, led to them needing to be amputated.

“My hands and feet were black. They looked like a person who had gotten frostbite," Krystina shockingly described. 

“I was just breaking down and being absolutely crushed," she added. "And crying with my family, crying with Jacob, and just being sad that my life would no longer be the same."

After a few months in hospital, Krystina was then moved to a rehabilitation centre, where she began the process of learning to live with her body’s changes. Thankfully, four months after giving birth to her daughter, the Texas mum has now been able to return home permanently.

"We're waiting for the healing process to happen on her legs, but her arms are doing really well, and hopefully we'll be starting the prosthetic training,” Krystina’s husband Jacob spoke proudly.

We’re wishing Krystina and her family well.