A note of thanks to all of you who sent me “Get Well Soon” wishes following my run in with a rattlesnake this past May.
What can I tell you – I learned a valuable lesson – and hopefully by following our updates on Facebook, you and your family learned what a bad idea it is to try to bag a viper regardless of their size.
My encounter was with what I would call a 2’ 4” ‘baby’ rattler but he (or she) got the better of me. Thanks of course go out to the folks at Seton SW ER and Dell Seton Trauma floor for their work and kindness while halting the effects of the venom. Doctors told me that in fact, the baby rattlesnakes are worse than their full-grown parents, apparently as the baby’s do not regulate the flow of venom in a bite, they unload it all!
I’m fortunate to say that there should be no long-term effects and the bite has pretty much healed although the swelling around my finger, while much reduced, lingers as a daily reminder. If you read the story about the unlucky man from Corpus Christi who was envenomated by a headless Rattler – please take note. I thought that story was a hoax, but apparently it is all too true, the chopped off head of rattlesnakes can and will bite for how long I’m not sure. Neighbors have since shared that is why you never pick up the head of a rattlesnake – use a shovel and bury it to avoid the risk of a bite! Or if you are faced with a decision of taking on a rattlesnake or walking away, choose the latter. It’s far less risky and certainly a less expensive solution.
