Some, including her own mother, see young Lakshim Tatma of India as the reincarnation of the four-armed Hindu goddess Vishnu - she was even born on the day devoted to celebrating the deity.

In actually, however, Lakshmi's eight-limbed body is the result of being fused to a parasitic twin at the pelvis. Now, The Daily Mail reports, little Lakshmi is finally getting the surgery she needs to have her extra limbs removed. The operation is expected to last about 40 hours and involve 30 surgeons.

Still, hopes remain high, as the toddler's surgeon says that she has "one complete body with a near-perfect set of organs." The key, then, is to remove all traces of the parasitic twin.

"She is a miracle, a special blessing from God," Lakshmi's mother says. "But she is my daughter and she cannot live like this."