It finally happened. After years of relocating and sometimes dispatching snakes I got caught off guard by a copperhead. Imagine my surprise when I got to the ER and they were visibly frazzled trying to source antivenom because they didn't have any on-site. Luckily the Cherokee Nation hospital nearby did and they were able to courier it over quickly. I still had to be evac'd 2 hours away for a 2nd dose and 24 hours of observation. I guess my point is, when weighing the risks of dangerous activities on your homestead, take into consideration how hard help might be to get where you are.
by WhiskeyChick
5 Comments
Sage advice.
Eek – heal!!!
Maybe I’m a little biased/ignorant as I’m an EMT, but if I were to decide I’m gonna start fucking with snakes, I would probably research my local medical capacities before doing so
If you regret not having more pictures of your hands from when you were a kid, now is the time to take them. Those are pretty toddler’y hands due to the swelling. 🤣
I wish you the best in recovery.
For anyone curious why rattlesnake anti-venom isn’t more common and cheaper:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-single-vial-antivenom-can-cost-14000-180956564/
It isn’t all because it’s expensive to make. Roughly 70 percent of the cost was from “hospital markups used in negotiations with insurance companies” at least in 2015.
Curious if you had to pay for your doses OP?