Woman with flesh-eating disease to leave hospital

[July 02, 2012]  AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) -- A Georgia woman diagnosed with a rare, flesh-eating disease is set to leave a hospital after nearly two months.

Aimee Copeland's father said last week his daughter will be released Monday from Doctors Hospital in Augusta. The 24-year-old will move to an inpatient rehabilitation clinic. She'll spend the next several weeks learning to move herself using a wheelchair after having her left leg, right foot and both hands amputated.

The graduate student at the University of West Georgia contracted the rare infection after suffering a deep cut falling from a broken zip-line May 1.

Copeland's speedy recovery has defied doctors' initial prognosis. Her father says they at first said she had a slim chance of surviving. She spent weeks sedated and using a respirator while undergoing amputations and skin grafts.

[Associated Press]

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