The infection came at a time when Kepner had just earned a degree in pastry arts.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

On January 22, Kepner signed up to be a candidate for the medical center's clinical trial for hand transplants.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

There was a donor whose hands matched Kepner's skin color, gender and size.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

With his new hands, Kepner hopes to perform small tasks such as changing a light bulb and using a remote control.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

Although he could do some of the basic tasks, Kepner said her husband could not perform activites that required fine motor skills.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

Kepner initially had doubts, especially since it was an elective procedure.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

But for this surgery, the Pittsburgh doctors would also transplant bone marrow from the donor to reduce the amount of immunosuppressants Kepner would have to take.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

At the time, Kepner's daughter was only 3 years old.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

For the last decade, Kepner adjusted to prosthetic limbs.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

Three months later, Kepner received the call.

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant

The Kepners knew a double hand transplant meant Kepner would have to take drugs to suppress his immune system for the rest of his life (like any transplant, the recipient's immune system could attack the new organ as a foreign object).

CNN: Pastry chef receives double hand transplant