Weekend

Ol' Arky

New member
Apr 24, 2014
1,835
No fun this weekend. Started Friday evening and apparently will last at lease up to and maybes even though next weekend. Long story but the short version. About 8pm Friday evening we had just got back from eating Mexican food and our little dog wanted to go outside. I was more than happy to take him but one minor problem occurred. When we went down the porch steps and across the sidewalk I was greeted with a \"love tap\" to my left ankle. Wearing no socks and slip on shoes was not a good thing. A double tap from a juvenile copperhead. It started to hurt and I called my wife to tell her I had been bitten by a copperhead. The copperhead received a double tap of his own from my handy dandy 9mm pocket pistol. Then off to the ER for what proved to be an experience in itself. Anyway I\'m flat of my back with left leg pointed skyward and taking pain meds and Benadryl. Don\'t know for how long but no computer for at least several more days. Posting from my phone. Now I can really say the I\'m snakebit. :eek:
 
YIKES--- Glad we don\'t have any of those critters up here in WI.
Get well soon!@@!

Was it better that it was a young one??
I think I remember reading somewhere that the bite from little ones are worse in some snakes??
 
Most of the time yes the little ones are worse but I got very lucky and was blessed that it was what they called a dry bite. Only releasing a small amount of venom. More so with with the 2 hits. I really thought it was a small branch that was on the ground the 1st time. But the 2nd hit was more painful.
 
I had an Osage \"self-bow\" with copperhead skins on the back of it.
The best use for one in my opinion.
 
Sure glad you made it to the ER Phil. Did they use anti-venom? Last I heard, that stuff is very expensive (up to around $10,000 per dose) :ill: But hey, you are worth much more than that to all of us here on BTO and Elk101. Get well soon!

>>>---Bill---->
 
No anti venom used. Thank God for that. They told us you can only take anti venom once and after that it wouldn\'t work again.
 
Hmmmm! I think around here that rattlesnake bites are treated with a series of anti venom treatments. I\'ll check with my doctor friend on that and get back with you on it.
 
Got bit Friday about 8:00pm and I\'ve still got a lot of swelling, soreness and a red/brown skin color halfway up my leg between ankle and knee. Also still have several more days of complete bed rest and leg elevation.
We also thought that a poisonous snake bite was something that required pretty quick and aggressive treatments, but when we got to the ER it was over an hour before a doctor came in to see us. It took the nurse 45 minutes before she showed up. I remember telling my wife that my phone only had 25% battery left and it might be a race to see which died first, my phone or me. :lol: :lol:
 
Waiting for a reply from my Dr. friend. He also has a degree in study of snakes but I don\'t know what the call it.
 
OK, just heard back from DR. He treated two cases of rattlesnake bites when he was practicing here. Both times he used 6 viles of anti venom (that is normal procedure) and they were $1500 per vile. So that would come to $9000 just for the venom and not include doctor and hospital expenses. He also mentioned that the older anti venoms caused high allergic reactions to some people. But he was unsure about the newer ones and couldn\'t find anything on it right now. He also mentioned that poisones snake bites are usually treated aggresively .
 
The doctors that saw me called it a dry bite and that very little if any venom was injected by the snake. If that was the case I\'m very glad that not much venom entered my system because after I was bitten on Friday, Saturday and Sunday wwws the worse weekend of my life. I\'ll post pictures when I\'m able to set up at the computer.
 
Finally set down at my computer so here\'s a few pictures of my leg and foot...

None for the Friday of the bite or that Saturday...

A couple from Sunday

legsunday by Philip Weaver, on Flickr

legsunday1 by Philip Weaver, on Flickr

Monday

legmonday by Philip Weaver, on Flickr

Tuesday

legtuesday by Philip Weaver, on Flickr

Wednesday

legwednesday by Philip Weaver, on Flickr

legwednesday1 by Philip Weaver, on Flickr

legwednesday2 by Philip Weaver, on Flickr

Yesterday

legfriday by Philip Weaver, on Flickr
 
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