Kentucky nurse, 41, ‘so happy to be alive’ after kidney stone infection leads to QUADROUPLE amputation: Mother of two woke up to shocking news as doctors acted quickly to save her life
- Lucinda Mullins, 41, underwent regular kidney stone surgery but eventually lost both her legs and arms
- She was first taken by ambulance to Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford and from there to a University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington
A Kentucky nurse who regularly underwent kidney stone surgery ended up losing both her legs and arms after the surgery took a dark turn.
Lucinda Mullins, 41, mother of two boys, went to have a kidney stone removed from her body.
But according to LEX 18, the kidney stone became infected and Mullins became septic.
She was first taken by ambulance to Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford and from there to a University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington.
To save her life, doctors were forced to amputate both her legs and told the former nurse she would also lose both her arms below her elbows.
Lucinda Mullins, 41, mother of two boys, underwent routine kidney stone surgery and ultimately lost both her legs and arms after the surgery took a dark turn
Putting on a brave face, Mullins said, “I’ve lost my legs from the knees bilaterally and I’m probably going to lose my arms bilaterally below the elbow.”
Mullins is pictured with her husband, DJ, who she has worked with since she was 17
With a brave face, Mullins said LEX 18: ‘I’ve lost my legs from the knees bilaterally and I’m probably going to lose my arms bilaterally below the elbow.
“The doctor I worked with was like, ‘This is what they had to do to save your life. This is what happened.’
When asked how she stayed optimistic, Mullins said, “I just said these are the cards I’ve been dealt and these are the hands I’m going to play.
‘I’m just so happy to be alive. I get to see my children. I get to see my family. I can spend my time with my husband. Those are small things right now.”
In addition to her family and friends, the mother also found support within her community.
‘I think they once said there were forty people in the waiting room here. The calls and the texts, the prayers and the things people have sent. The little words of encouragement
“I just can’t believe people would do things like that for me,” Mullins said while in the hospital.
In addition to her family and friends, the mother also found support within her community
‘I’m just so happy to be alive. I get to see my children. I get to see my family. I can spend my time with my husband. Those are little things right now,” she said
As the former nurse prepares for rehabilitation, physical therapy and prosthetics, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help her handle medical bills
As the former nurse prepares for rehabilitation, physical therapy and prosthetics, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help her handle medical bills.
Her friend, Heather Beshears, has the crowdfunding page and wrote, “Cindy, as most of her friends call her, is a sweet, caring, brave and beautiful young lady who recently experienced a life-changing tragedy that will leave her a quadruple amputee.
“Cindy and her family will need to make some adjustments to their home to accommodate Cindy’s needs, as well as her prosthetics and adaptive equipment.
The cost of all this can be overwhelming. We started this fundraiser because we want to support our hero Cindy, as well as her husband DJ, who has been by her side every step of the way.”
The fundraiser raised $63,906 of its $250,000 goal.
Common complications of kidney stone surgery include infection, blood loss during the procedure, stones that do not break down, and injury to other organs.