A Utah mother developed a flesh-eating bacterial infection just after giving birth to her son via C-section in May.
Instead of going home with her new baby boy, Essence Blackhurst, 21, was confined to the hospital where doctors had to remove her infected tissue and treat the new mom with antibiotics.
Meanwhile, Essence's aunt had to look after Eli, as his immune system was not yet developed enough to fight off the contagious infection his mother was battling.
Essence was lucky, however, and doctors were able to get the infection under control so they could send her home to hold her son.
Essence Blackhurst had to be separated from her newborn son, Eli, for the better part of the first three weeks of his life while she battled a flesh-eating bacterial infection she developed after her C-section
Once someone contracts necrotizing fasciitis, the infection can spread like wildfire and destroy tissue faster than doctors can contain the disease.
It's rare, but ruthless, striking just 600 to 700 Americans a year.
However, even with fast treatment, about one in every three people that contracts the dangerous bacterial infection will not survive.
Essense Blackhurst is lucky to be among the two that do.
Her son, Eli knows what his mother smells like from her worn t-shirts, which Essence's aunt, Arla Harris, carefully wrapped him in for the first three weeks of his life.
Meanwhile, Essence was undergoing operation after operation, and wishing to hold her baby boy from her hospital bed at Ogden Regional Medical Center.
Essence delivered Eli on May 29, and was overjoyed to see her son was
