'I love life': flesh-eating bug victim Aimee celebrates being alive
<dl style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; float: left; "><dt class="hiddenVisually" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: absolute; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); height: 1px; width: 1px; overflow: hidden; ">Date</dt><dd class="updated dtstamp" style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.9em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); "><time datetime="September 13, 2012 - 10:38AM">September 13, 2012 - 10:38AM</time></dd></dl>
She almost died before she lost both hands, a foot and a leg to a rare flesh-eating bacterium, but US woman Aimee Copeland says her life is now better than ever.
The 24-year-old was adventuring near the Little Tallapoosa River in Georgia on May 1 and took a ride on a homemade zip line, or flying fox, which snapped and sent her into the water, leaving her with a big gash on her left leg.
Enjoying life ... Aimee Copeland. Photo: AP
Four months after having her limbs amputated, the psychology student has used a walker to step on to stage during her first television appearance.
Ms Copeland told talk show host Katie Couric she never wished for death.
"That was never really an option to me because I love life," she said.
"This is the better version of me" ... Katie Couric, left, interviews Aimee Copeland. Photo: AP
"It's a beautiful thing and it's something I don't take for granted any more.
"I'll never take for granted how beautiful it is, you know, seeing a sunrise or the ocean ... it's so exhilarating; even more so now.
"It's like the senses are so deepened, everything smells better, everything is more vibrant, more colourful, even more beautiful than ever before."
She also told Good Morning America: "This is the better version of me. It's just something where you say 'Hey this is hard but we are gonna make the best of it.'"
Ms Copeland went through 11 operations and months of rehabilitation to regain her strength and relearn how to do things such as brush her teeth, get out of bed, get dressed and use technology.
Doctors will fit both her legs with prosthetics when her skin is less sensitive, and in the meantime she is using a wheelchair and a walker.
Ms Copeland said she does not like to be called disabled or handicapped.
"Because there's a lot that I don't have that other people have, but there's a lot I do have that other people don't have.
"Instead of saying I'm disabled, I say I have different abilities."
Recalling some of the worst moments, Ms Copeland said she realised her condition was serious when she woke up in hospital and saw the colour of her hands.
"My dad lifted up my hands for me to see and my fingers were black and my hands were a deep blood red and he said 'This isn't healthy is it? We're going to have to cut them off.'
"It was a very intense moment."
Her father Andy Copeland said he admired his daughter's positive outlook, and her strength through many months of frustrating rehabilitation.
"I think our biggest joy is just knowing that she's made it, that she is alive that God has gifted us with the life of our daughter.
"She has survived the unsurvivable."
She almost died before she lost both hands, a foot and a leg to a rare flesh-eating bacterium, but US woman Aimee Copeland says her life is now better than ever.
The 24-year-old was adventuring near the Little Tallapoosa River in Georgia on May 1 and took a ride on a homemade zip line, or flying fox, which snapped and sent her into the water, leaving her with a big gash on her left leg.
"It's like the senses are so deepened, everything smells better, everything is more vibrant, more colourful, even more beautiful than ever before.
After getting 22 staples on the wound she began to experience excruciating pain and bruising, later diagnosed as necrotising fasciitis, a bacterial infection that destroys tissue and muscle.
Enjoying life ... Aimee Copeland. Photo: AP
Ms Copeland told talk show host Katie Couric she never wished for death.
"That was never really an option to me because I love life," she said.
"This is the better version of me" ... Katie Couric, left, interviews Aimee Copeland. Photo: AP
"I'll never take for granted how beautiful it is, you know, seeing a sunrise or the ocean ... it's so exhilarating; even more so now.
"It's like the senses are so deepened, everything smells better, everything is more vibrant, more colourful, even more beautiful than ever before."
She also told Good Morning America: "This is the better version of me. It's just something where you say 'Hey this is hard but we are gonna make the best of it.'"
Ms Copeland went through 11 operations and months of rehabilitation to regain her strength and relearn how to do things such as brush her teeth, get out of bed, get dressed and use technology.
Doctors will fit both her legs with prosthetics when her skin is less sensitive, and in the meantime she is using a wheelchair and a walker.
Ms Copeland said she does not like to be called disabled or handicapped.
"Because there's a lot that I don't have that other people have, but there's a lot I do have that other people don't have.
"Instead of saying I'm disabled, I say I have different abilities."
Recalling some of the worst moments, Ms Copeland said she realised her condition was serious when she woke up in hospital and saw the colour of her hands.
"My dad lifted up my hands for me to see and my fingers were black and my hands were a deep blood red and he said 'This isn't healthy is it? We're going to have to cut them off.'
"It was a very intense moment."
Her father Andy Copeland said he admired his daughter's positive outlook, and her strength through many months of frustrating rehabilitation.
"I think our biggest joy is just knowing that she's made it, that she is alive that God has gifted us with the life of our daughter.
"She has survived the unsurvivable."
