PHOENIX - Christin Lipinski thought the pain in her left side was just a symptom of the flu.
But after days of tests, the pain got worse, and Lipinski got her new diagnosis.
Lipinski did have the flu, but also necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating bacteria.
"It felt like a horrible dream that you can't wake up from," her husband Nathan said Monday.
Christin Lipinski is being treated at the Arizona Burn Center inside Maricopa Medical Center, where specialists have been treating the infection the only way they can: Cutting out the infected tissue.
""You can't jut go in an make a little incision," Arizona Burn Center Director Dr. Kevin Foster said, "and if you don't get it the first time, often times you don't have a second chance."
Nathan Lipinski said so far Chrstin has lost at least 30 percent of the skin of her left side.
""I'd really like to think we're turning the corner on this," Nathan said.
Dr. Foster said Lipinski's prognosis is good and they believe they've removed all the infected tissue.