A little more than a week after being brutally stabbed in her own home by a stranger, a Boardman mother is beating the odds and her wounds are healing faster than expected. 

We have an update on the progress Kristen Burton is making as she recovers from close to 20 stab wounds.

Nearly a week ago, we sat down with Kristen Burton, days after she was stabbed close to 20 times by a complete stranger the night of June 5th when she answered a knock at the door. 

The suspect, Devin Nash, remains behind bars.

"I feel great. I feel better than I thought I was going to so that's amazing," Burton told 21 News on Thursday.

The stitches on her head and face, under her eye, on her nose, forehead, scalp, near her temple, neck, and back of her knee have been removed and her left hand is showing signs of progress, which was especially a concern because Burton is a hairdresser.

"I still have some tender soreness in the side of my head and neck, but the cool thing is all my fingers work, thumb not great yet, but we're getting there. That's exciting, that thrills me more than anything because I thought for a small moment there I wouldn't have that ability and I can't stop doing hair," Burton explained.

She now has a splint on her hand that comes off.   "Which is what allows me to actually take a shower and do my own hair which is really exciting and the stitches will all come out next week and there's still an awful lot of swelling," Burton said.

"Most of the damage was done on the side of the pinky and the thumb. If you can see, the stitches go all the way through, almost all the way around my thumb, and then there was a fracture to either side of the bone on my thumb," Burton said.

The knife went through the middle of her hand damaging nerves and tendons plus other nerves and tendons were also hurt on the sides of her hand and part of her arm.

"Making the scissor movement (with her fingers) is OK, but I feel a lot of tension within the bottom portion of my arm as well. I'll start physical therapy next week as well, so I'm kind of excited to get exercises that I can do at home and just get my fingers working," Burton said. 

Next week she will also get the rest of her stitches out on her left hand and arm, as well as her right elbow.

Doctors are telling Burton physical therapy could last a minimum of six months, but her spirits remain high and she is optimistic that her recovery could be shorter, judging by her progress so far.

"Moving forward I'm able to be positive because I have a sense of peace in my heart and that's the only way I can describe it and the strength I have to get through that comes from my kids," Burton said.