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Kentucky Mom, 41, Winds Up Quadruple Amputee After Routine Surgery - 'I'm Just So Happy to Be Alive'

By Ben Kew January 1, 2024 at 11:16am

One mother in Kentucky says she is thankful to be alive after ending up as a quadruple amputee following a routine surgery.

Cindy Mullins, 41, told WLEX-TV in Lexington she was the victim of the “perfect storm” after being diagnosed with a kidney stone a few weeks ago.

The condition normally goes away on its own or is treated with drugs or a simple removal surgery.

However, Mullins’ case turned out to be serious.

After receiving treatment, her kidney stone became infected, and she was taken by ambulance to the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington.

Having been sedated for several days, Mullins finally woke up to the devastating news that she would need to have all her limbs amputated or die.

“I’ve lost my legs from the knees down bilaterally and I’m going to lose my arms probably below the elbow bilaterally,” she told WLEX.

“The doctor I used to work with, he kind of was like, ‘This is what they had to do to save your life, this is what’s happened,'” Mullins said.

Imagine waking up in the hospital with no legs. For Cindy Mullins, that’s not imagination; that’s her new reality. https://t.co/omUnqDZ95i

— LEX 18 News (@LEX18News) December 29, 2023

The mother of two boys decided to go through with the amputations in order to save her life.

“I just said these are the cards I’ve been dealt and these are the hands I’m going to play,” Mullins said. “I’m just so happy to be alive. I get to see my kids. I get to see my family. I get to have my time with my husband. Those are minor things at this point.”

Since the operation, her story has gained media attention and the Mullinses have received nearly $150,000 in donations as they struggle through this challenging time.

“At one time I think they told 40 people were in the waiting room here. The calls and the texts, the prayers and the things people have sent. The little words of encouragement,” Mullins said.

“I just can’t fathom that people are doing things like that for me.”

Mullins also had some words of advice for others going through life-changing circumstances.

“Slow down. Appreciate the things around you, especially your family,” she said. “It’s OK to let people take care of you.”

“If one person from this can see God from all this, that made it all worth it,” she said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, kidney stones are “hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys.”

“Diet, excess body weight, some medical conditions, and certain supplements and medications are among the many causes of kidney stones,” the clinic said.

“Kidney stones can affect any part of your urinary tract — from your kidneys to your bladder. Often, stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together.”

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