A Georgia woman who survived injuries wrought by a flesh-eating bacteria showed her gratitude to the physical and occupational therapists with whom she worked while bouncing back from the infection that nearly killed her, according to WSBTV.
This past May the 24-year-old graduate student contracted necrotizing fasciitis after a zipline cut her leg, The Douglas County Sentinel reports. She also expressed her gratefulness to the nurses and doctors, who amputated both hands, her left leg and her right foot in order to save her life.
Hospitalized for almost four months, Copeland worked intensely with people who hold occupational therapy jobs.
"She was adjusting and realizing what had happened, even during her time here. She was still realizing she didn't have arms and legs anymore, it was a lot of hard work to work through that," Dr. Anna Elmers told WSBTV, noting some of the therapists with whom she worked had her toiling. "They look cute and everything, but they are like boot camp instructors."
Copeland made her first return visit to the Western Georgia region on Saturday where she is a psychology graduate student and where she was injured. Thousands of people attended a rally for her and there was a benefit ride and music festival.