When Krystina Pacheco gave birth to her second child in October 2022, everything seemed fine at first. She and her baby girl were both healthy, and she looked forward to the journey as a mom of two. But just days after welcoming her daughter, Krystina knew something was wrong. She went into septic shock from an infection that cost her both hands and feet.
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“It’s not every day, especially in a small town like Pleasanton, that you see someone with all four amputations,” she told KENS 5. “I feel like showing the diversity of someone with a disability to my students who also have disabilities shows them that they’re not alone.”
Krystina Pacheco Uses Her Disability In Her Work As a School Psychologist
Krystina Pacheco said that being a quadruple amputee has served her in an unexpected way. She’s able to use her experience with a physical disability to help students who also have disabilities.
“I want to show [my students] that despite my life taking a turn, I’m using this second chance at life to do something meaningful,” she said.
Since 2022, she’s had dozens of surgeries, skin grafts, and other procedures to help heal her body. Many in the medical field respect her spirit and willingness to change her life. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recently awarded her with the “Patient of Courage” award.
Dr. Chandra Ellis, a plastic surgeon who has worked with Krystina Pacheco since 2022, said what she has done isn’t easy, and she deserves recognition.
“I feel honored. I feel humbled,” she said. “I sometimes have to take a step back and be proud of myself as well. And that’s very hard to do — I think for most moms as well — we don’t often take the time to be proud of ourselves despite all the things that we’re doing.”
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