GREENVILLE, S.C. (CNN) – A South Carolina mom infected with a flesh-eating bacteria days after giving birth to twins is expected to go home this week. During a short news conference at University Medical Center in Greenville, Lana Kuykendall thanked her husband Darren for sticking with her through the ordeal.
“I’m grateful for my family for supporting me, my husband for being there every day. I don’t remember all of it, but I’ve been told by other family and friends, as well as many hospital staff, that he was there every day. And I know that made an impression on them and me. I always knew that he loved me, but that’s a lot to say that he was at my bedside everyday,” she said.
Kuykendall was diagnosed on May 11th. Since then she's undergone more than 20 surgical procedures, including skin grafts and reconstructive surgery.
Doctors said she's recovering well.
"To Lana's credit, she wanted the most aggressive approach that we could offer, and that meant three hours of therapy per day at a minimum. And I have to confess, when I looked at her in the beginning, I wasn't sure that she was going to be able to do it. But she talked the talk, and she walked the walk, and she did extremely well. I initially thought she would be with us for about 4 to 6 weeks, and she is leaving on day 26," said Dr. Kevin Kopera. "It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears -- literally blood, sweat and tears. And now. I am happy to report that she's walking 250 feet-plus, by herself, using a walker, and she is independent.
Her husband said family and friends have been caring for the twins.
