A True Horror Story - Aimee Copeland - ESL Article

A True Horror Story!   --  Aimee Copeland

Necrotizing fasciitis of the leg

A person's life can change from one small event. Have you heard of Aimee Copeland?

Aimee is an American who contracted necrotizing fasciitis.  This is flesh eating disease. With flesh eating disease, bacteria destroy the skin and muscle on a person's body. These bacteria ate a part of Aimee's leg. This disease is scary. It is also painful, and some people die from it.  How did this happen to AImee?

Aimee was swimming in a river and cut her leg while she was swimming. The bacteria in the water entered her leg through the cut. She got this terrible infection that destroyed part of her leg and some fingers.

This disease is very rare.  Only a few people get it in 50 years.  Sadly for Aimee, doctors will have to cut off her right leg and some of her fingers.  However, Aimee and her family are very happy that she is still alive. Her life seems like a horror story, but she can still decide to live a full life.

Can this happen to you? If you protect yourself, you can limit your chances to get it.

Here is what to do:

1. If you have a large cut, don't go swimming!
2. Clean your cut well, and make sure your cut gets some air.
3. If you have this infection, go to the doctor right away to get medicine.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the medical name for flesh eating disease?
2. What happens to people who get this disease?
3. What parts of Aimee's body were hurt from flesh eating disease?
4. What will happen to Aimee at the hospital?
5. Why is Aimee's family still happy?
6. What is one thing you can to to stay away from flesh eating disease?
7. What is meant by "right away"?

ACTIVITIES

* If you knew Aimee Copeland, what would you say to her?  Talk about this with a friend. Use some words that you read in the article.

* Has anything happened to you that changed your life in one day or one hour?  Talk about this with a friend.

* Aimee's family is worried about how her life will change after her surgery. Aimee will now be a person with a disability. How are the lives of people with disabilities different? How are they the same? 

* THINK & WRITE People with disabilities are often treated differently, in good ways and in bad. Do you think that people with disabilities should be treated the same or differently? In what ways?