jeff kepner loves life. played softball, took lessons to become a pastry chef, and was always playing with his young daughter and holding his wife's hand. things that seemed rather simple. but then a serious illness struck, and that's where natalie picks up the story. >> that's right, erin. things took a turn for the worse for jeff when a bacterial infection took hold in his limbs, forcing doctors to amputate both his legs and his hands. prosthetics helped but life was a daily struggle. then earlier this year, jeff became the first person to receive a double hand transplant in 9 united states. for much of the past decade, jeff kepner lived without hands and feet. his wife valarie helping him with even the simplest everyday tasks. but kepner's fate changed when his wife saw a segment on hand transplants last fall here on today. >> how do you qualify? >> we think that hand transplants can greatly improve or even transform a patients life, it's very important that candidates go through a rigorous screening proc

jeff kepner lost both hands to an infection.octors hope he'll regain his full grip and feeling within a year. >>> and coming up on "america this morning," we told you he was coming back. and david beckham did it in a winning way. ) for many with arthritis pain, not treating is not n option. all prescription nsaid pain relievers, like celebrex, ibuprofen and naproxen, help treat arthritis pain and have some of the same warnings. but since individual results may vary, having options is important. prescription celebrex has een the option for millions of patients for 10 straight years. just one 200-mg celebrex (once a day,) can provide dependable, 24-hur relief for many with arthritis pain, .stiffness and inflammation., based on the available data, the fda stated that " for certain patients celebrex's benefits " outweigh the risks. if you are worried about stomach upset, you should know, in .clinical studies,, a lower percentage of paients taking celebrex reported stomach discomfort versus prescription ibuprofen and naproxen. and if

doctors say since his surgery 11 weeks ago, 57-year-old jeff kepner is making amazing progress. >> getting some strength in my wrist, too. it doesn't flop anymore. >> when you see yourself moving your hand, how much does that mean to you? >> it means a lot. it means things are working. >> can you imagine that? his wife encouraged him to have the surgery. the one thing he wants more than anything in the world is be able to feel her hand when she's holding his. doctors say within a year he should have full movement and feeling in his hands. >>> a popular drug is being reviewed. the data suggests exolar can cause heart attacks and strokes. at this point, patients can continue using the medication. it is an injectable drug used to treat severe asthma in children older than 12 and adults. >>> step away from the light switch. you are paying the highest utility bill in the country. there is a web site that crunches all of the numbers and shows that the average bill in baltimore in june was $353. the national average? $263. our closest competitor, houston paying $335. in new york, you know the ave

on may 4th, jeff kepner underwent a double hand transplant. the doctors spent nine hours attaching bones, tendons, nerves and veins to the new hand. the hope now is that the nerves in his hands continue to grow. >> we expect he will have movement in his hands to be able to do grip and grasp. >> he says he looks forward to holding his wife and teenage daughter's hands. he wants to take a shower without help. doctors say he is recovering well but will be in pittsburgh for some time while undergoing therapy. >>> we all know that obesity can cause heart trouble. now a new study shows that it can also be hard on your knees. researchers at boston university looked at more than 300 older adults. they found a higher body mass index was associated with rapid loss of cartilage in the knees and they say losing weight may be the best with you to slow the progression of the condition known as knee osteo-arthritis. >>> one othe favorite foods in our region, crabmeat. eating a whole one can be intimidating. where do you start? the owner of a popular crab mar

jeff kepner had both hands and feet amputated ten years ago. in may, he underwent the double hand transplant at the university of pittsburgh medical center. doctors say that so far his body has shown no sign of rejection and physical therapy has given him the ability to move both of his arms. he says he still can't feel yet but doctors say it may take up to two years to gain full function of his hands. he says the first thing he wants to do is to hole his wife's hand. >>> in other health news, thousands die every year from medical mistakes. many of those mistakes are preventible and some hospitals are now starting to take action. brittney glazer shows us what one facility in louisiana is doing to prevent errors and save lives. >> how are you? >> reporter: bar code technology you have seen thousands of times at your local grocery store is transforming the way medication is delivered in hospitals. >> scan your arm band for identification purposes. >> reporter: medication verification uses bar code scanning at the patient's bedside to provide imme

jeff kepner lost both hands to a bacterial infection. n a year. jeff says he can't wait to feel his wife's hand when she holds his. >>> and president obama was part of another historic first on thursday. his helicopter was piloted by the first all-female grew. it was jennifer grievance last day of being pilot of marine one. to onner her achievement, the pilot and co-pilot and crew assigned were also women. talk about girl power in action. that's the news at 8:04. >>> on to the weather now. and sam champion. looks like quite a crowd out there in central park. >> deborah, we're so fired and ready. by the way, you're looking awfully sassy and beautiful in the pink. >> the orange and the pink, we're a melon pair. >> it's beautiful. orange seems to be the color today. we're in the park. third eye blind. first new album out in six years. look at the crowd. where is everybody from? north carolina sign. show me that. ashford, north carolina. what's your name? >> kim. >> how many people did you bring? like 40? >> we have two busloads. >> we're so