After kidney stones led to arms, legs being amputated, Kentucky mom is 'happy to be alive'

A Kentucky woman has reached thousands with the encouraging message to lean on others after a kidney infection caused her to lose both her legs and now, her arms.

Cindy Mullins arrived by ambulance at the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington late December, multiple outlets have reported, to have a kidney stone removed after first being assessed at Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford.

After lying under sedation for multiple days, Mullins woke up from her kidney stone removal to some jarring news: her legs had been amputated. An infection was found in her kidney that caused her body to turn septic.

Staff explained to Mullins what had happened. Amputation was the only option. Either she lost her legs, or she lost her life.

"I just said these are the cards I've been dealt, and these are the hands I'm going to play," Mullins told Lexington, Kentucky's WLEX.

"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," Mullins shared with the outlet.

She and her husband, DJ, have been together since Mullin was 17. They couple has two boys together, according to a GoFundMe page created.

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Mullins prepares to lose her arms

Mullins, a nurse herself, understood what was likely to happen when she woke up with both legs amputated.

"I've lost my legs from the knees down bilaterally, and I'm going to lose my arms probably below the elbow bilaterally," Mullins shared with WLEX.

Mullins is heading into her final surgeries, according to a GoFundMe update provided by her sister Luci.

Support has been overwhelming

As soon as Mullins' story began to circulate, people immediately began showing their support.

"At one time, I think they (said) 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 told WLEX, "I just can't fathom that people are doing things like that for me."

The GoFundMe page created to help Mullins and her family has raised around $182,000 as of Wednesday. The family's goal is $250,000. Friends of Mullins continue to send out calls for help as Mullins learns how to live life as a quadruple amputee. Adjustments need to be made to the home on top of the cost of prosthetics, which can be steep.

"We started this fundraiser because we want to support our hero Cindy, as well as her husband DJ who has been by her side every step of the way," fundraiser organizer Heather Beshear wrote.

As for Mullins, she said she wants all who are watching to slow down "appreciate the things around you, especially your family."

But most importantly, she said she wants all of us to know that "It's okay to let people take care of you."

"If one person from this can see God from all this, that made it all worth it," Mullins shared with WLEX.