Jacob and Krystina Pacheco were so excited to meet their baby girl!
The couple welcomed their baby girl via c-section on Oct. 24, 2022, in Stone Oak Methodist Hospital, San Antonio, Texas. All was well and they were sent home two days later.
The next day, however, Krystina wasn’t feeling well and they decided to get her checked at the local hospital. It was worse than they thought.
“They ended up air flighting us back to San Antonio,” Jacob said. “They took us back to Stone Oak and then transferred Krystina to the Methodist hospital in the medical center where they put her on an ECMO machine. She was on life support and going through organ failure.”
Krystina was diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome, which is a rare, life-threatening complication of certain bacterial infections.
The hospital is still looking into the reason for the infection.
“It could have come from a number of places so we’re still trying to figure out how it happened,” Jacob continued. “Her IV port got infected in her arm. It could have come from the c-section. We just don’t know.”
It seemed like a movie. They had literally just gotten home and then this happened.
The infection had gotten worse and the blood flow to Krystina’s arms and legs had gotten so poor.
They needed to amputate both her hands and legs.
Before Thanksgiving, the doctors amputated an inch above the wrist and both legs amputated 3-4 inches below the knee.
She is finally free from the infection but it’s not over yet.
She is currently being treated for multiple skin grafts and recovery from her surgery and treatment can take three to four weeks. Then there’ll be in-patient rehab, which is another three to four weeks. Only then will she be eligible for outpatient rehab.
Krystina, a Pleasanton ISD school psychologist, is currently in the ICU, doing her best to stay positive.
She had no choice but to celebrate her birthday at the hospital in recovery. Jacob said his wife is focusing on getting better so she can go home to her two children and back to their lives.
Jacob also works for the Pleasanton ISD as a junior high teacher as well as a varsity coach for soccer and football at the local high school.
He shared that their local community has been supportive.
They have been sending them so many prayers and positive vibes for Krystina’s recovery and for their future lives together.
Krystina has been in the hospital for almost two months and is currently admitted to the ICU. Plus there are at least six to eight weeks of rehab she will have to go through. Her medical bills will pile up. And their community has graciously organized a fundraising event to help them with their medical bills.
“Thoughts and prayers and good vibes have been amazing and it’s how I’m staying strong for my wife,” Jacob told KSAT.
Would you like to learn more about Jacob and Krystina’s brave battle to stay alive together? Watch the video below.
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