VICTORIAN mother-of-three Mandy McCracken is known for her sunny smile and steely determination.

She will need both in spades as she adjusts to life following the amputation of her lower arms and legs.

The inspiring stay-at-home mum survived a life-threatening attack of the deadly streptococcal A bacteria in August, although an infection meant her limbs had to be removed.

After 10 weeks in hospital, she's desperate to be "at home and on my couch and hugging my kids".

"I feel amazing, I am so happy to be alive. Now I truly believe there is no problem that I can't deal with," she said.

Ms McCracken, 39, from Kilmore, was admitted to her local hospital on August 10 with dehydration, and soon after ended up in the Northern Hospital.

"I woke up a couple of weeks later and everything was good because I was alive. Unfortunately, my husband Rod had to deal with the bit in the middle," she said.

media_camera Mandy with husband Rod and children Tess 4, Isobel, 7, and Samantha, 9.

As Mr McCracken explained from his wife's bedside at a Melbourne repatriation hospital, he was told to prepare to lose his beloved Mandy.

"At one point we took the girls in to say goodbye," he said.

"That was the lowest point."

The couple's three daughters are Samantha, 9, Isobel, 7 and Tess, 4.

Ms McCracken had kidney and liver failure, and a condition known as DIC, which leads to the formation of small blood clots inside blood vessels.

She also had toxic shock and septicaemia.

However, doctors eventually stopped the infection.

"Huge hooray to the Northern staff, they basically saved my life," Ms McCracken said.

They then turned their attention to her disease-ravaged limbs.

"It looked like you had dipped my arms in black candle wax, there was a black line dividing the dead skin and the live skin," she said.

"My temperature was 38 degrees for three weeks straight from the dying off of the tissue."

Surgeons from The Alfred hospital then took over, and her legs were amputated below the knee and her arms at the elbow.

media_camera Mandy is hugged by her husband Rod McCracken. Picture: David Caird

Ms McCracken paid tribute to husband Rod, who is spending his days in hospital with her then racing back to Kilmore every afternoon to care for the girls.

"The kids have also been sensational but it's been an emotional roller-coaster for them," she said.

"They know I am getting plastic hands and legs, and even maybe a pirate claw."

Ms McCracken is positive about the future but realistic about the long road ahead.

"I am just a quiet little country girl that enjoys making muffins," she said.

"I will be happy just to be able to walk, or even drive a car."

Family and friends have set up a Facebook page, Friends of Mandy, and the Twitter hashtag #inspiremandy.

They are accepting donations to help cover the cost of her future medical care.

Mr McCracken, a senior teacher at Assumption College in Kilmore, is taking next year off on leave without pay to care for his wife at home. Money can be donated to the Mandy McCracken Fund at the NAB 083644 Account 393142666.