aimee copleandAt this point, you just have to be thankful she's alive. Aimee Copeland, the 24-year-old grad student who suffered a lesion and a resultant flesh-eating bacteria infection after a fall from a homemade zip line into a Georgia river a week ago, is now going to lose her fingers and is in danger of losing her remaining foot -- her other leg was amputated when the flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis was discovered. The rare bacteria affects about 10,000 to 15,000 Americans a year and has a death-rate of about 25 to 73 percent. To say it's terrifyingly dangerous is an understatement.

That said, her family, and her surgeons, are hopeful.

Her father has said that Aimee has full brain function, which is amazing. She's mouthed things like "where am I" and "what happened" and her sister told the press that she was able to pick the Grateful Dead over the Rolling Stones by gesturing and nodding.

It's incredible, isn't it. One minute you're having a blast with your friends, zip lining and laughing, and the next you're in a hospital bed without a leg, about to lose your other foot and your fingers. No one ever thinks that they'll get a flesh-eating bacteria, because, well, that only happens in horror movies, not in real life. Aimee is certainly living a nightmare right now, but she is, in fact, living.

Her fight, her doctors, and her family are one formidable team. The flesh-eating bacteria isn't backing down, but I'm optimistic that it can be beat. Even though she's on life support, there's no sign of brain damage and her lungs seem to be improving. The fact that she's able to nod and respond to questions, to me, is an uplifting sign. I'm sure her parents and her sister agree.

My thoughts are with Aimee today, and with her mother, Paige, as well. It's every parents' worst fear to see their daughter fighting for her life and on today, Mother's Day, I hope Aimee and her mom have a special moment together. Be it a hand squeeze or a blink, any expression of love will surely be felt deeply.

Put yourself in Aimee's mother's shoes -- how would you handle this horrifying situation?