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Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:08 pm
by Kris
Hi everyone. I am new here and hope I am posting this correctly.
On June 29th, 2014, I was bitten by a venomous snake in Steam Mill Forest, Delaware County NY. It was a tremendous pain event and I suffered tissue loss to the back of my right leg. My injury required hospitalization lasting 10 days. During this time, symptoms ranged from the bizarre to excruciating.
I am embarrassed, because I feel that I made a major error in judgement which led to my being bitten.
I was relaxing at my seasonal residence in the Catskills and did something I have never done before-- I wore shorts while tending the property around one of the cabins. I advise people all the time, to wear long pants and boots, even in Summer months there.
I apparently stepped on the snake or accidentally cornered it. I never saw it, but realized I was in some trouble immediately. Having had wilderness survival training, and a dad who was Special Forces U.S Army, I am devastated that I literally "walked into this".
Recovery is painful and ongoing- As well as a reminder of my stupid mistake.
Does anyone know the statistics regarding The Catskills and snake bites?. Has anyone had a similar experience?
Thank You for your time,
Kris

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:17 pm
by dundee
Wow! You never can tell wha will happen. I hope you make quick & full recovery. I know of no one who has been bitten in the Catskills. The only person I know of is Bill Brown from Skidmore College in Saratoga. He goes to Tongue Mt. in the ADKs to study rattlers and thus he is bitten a lot.

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:50 pm
by Kris
dundee wrote:Wow! You never can tell wha will happen. I hope you make quick & full recovery. I know of no one who has been bitten in the Catskills. The only person I know of is Bill Brown from Skidmore College in Saratoga. He goes to Tongue Mt. in the ADKs to study rattlers and thus he is bitten a lot.

Thank You!

This gentleman you mention has been bitten more than once? I admire his quest for knowledge at such an expense! I hope not to experience this again!!!

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Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 6:44 am
by dundee
Yes, he's been bitten many times from what I hear. He goes to Tongue Mt. to study the snakes, get population numbers, tag them, etc.

Nasty looking bite you've got there. Punture wounds take time to heal. But, as the Pythons would say, "It's just a flesh wound!"

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:03 pm
by Kris
That pic was from hour 30. Im in 3 weeks now and I have a bit of a crater and still in wound care. I was miserable being 40 with 25 extra lbs. --But That fat pad saved my muscle! I have lost feeling in my foot. I can't complain because I mad it through sepsis
:D
MOTHER NATURES EXORCISM!!

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 5:44 pm
by Fisherman-Jim
Kris wrote:That pic was from hour 30. Im in 3 weeks now and I have a bit of a crater and still in wound care. I was miserable being 40 with 25 extra lbs. --But That fat pad saved my muscle! I have lost feeling in my foot. I can't complain because I mad it through sepsis
:D
MOTHER NATURES EXORCISM!!
This was a copperhead bite? seems pretty bad, I have read that copperhead bites are not as serious as rattlesnake bites, but so much for that in your case. Were you treated with antivenin, and how long did it take you to get treatment? I am looking for stats on dog bites myself, and it seems that there is no such existing database. Hey, look at the bright side, you will hike again, this guy will not. http://www.inquisitr.com/1349107/man-di ... by-son-11/

Best of luck, and do not give up.

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 6:53 pm
by Kris
HI. The treatment for the 1st 2 days-- 3 ER visits, wondering why they would not admit me. I knew the bite was exploding but it had a slow fuse.-- wasn't impressive for some time. Then it began pouring fluid into a puddle in my shoes and on the floor. I was eventually admitted for 10 days. I suffered swelling /bruising the entire leg; swollen lymph nodes fever chills vomiting pain hallucinations blood in urine confusion cellulitis anemia and sepsis.
Pain management was poor until sepsis. Loads of IV antibiotic and fluid. Blood cultured once a day. I don't remember the worst 2 days.-- I woke up to a morphine drip.
Pit viper Hemotoxic bite. They often give dry bites-Not this time
WoW the story about the copperhead bite resulting in death-- There was another one in the same state...

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 11:19 am
by mike
Steam Mill Forest is actually outside the Catskill State Park. But, it is still pretty close. There are actually very few areas to find Copperheads in the Park. There is a den in Oak Hill (about 10 miles NE of the Catskills). They are also in West Saugerties, and will go up into Platte Clove area sometimes. Other then that we don't really have them. Rattlesnakes are quite abundant on Overlook Mtn (7 dens and about 700 of them), Echo Lake, and Tremper Mtn. But, other then that, you don't see them. One reason you don't see that many snakes in the Catskills is that there are very few rodents. But, if you go down into the Gunks, you will find plenty of both.

Copperhead venom causes a pain event. But, you can certainly get an infection from the bite. Which is what it sounds like you got. Generally they give you Morphine and an antibiotic injection. But, sometimes you can have other medical events from the snake bite. Some people die of an allergic reaction to the venom. People with low blood pressure can die of a rattlesnake bit.

I will also note that sepsis is very serious. High mortality rate. A good hospital is important.

There are actually very few statistics from snake bits in the Catskill Park because there are very few snakes. The exception is Overlook and Tremper Mtn. Both of those Mtns have jeep trails to the top, so seeing a snake is quite easy. Wonder off the jeep trail, and you can get into trouble. But, I still hear very little about bites. Probably Benedictine Hospital in Kingston would get most of the bits because they also cover the Gunks.

By the way, Greene County, doesn't have any dens of either and is pretty safe area.

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:12 pm
by Kris
Wow thanks for all the info!!! Yes I developed complications -an infection and cellulitis, sepsis... The initial care I received was poor. Live and learn :)

Re: Bit by a Pit Viper

Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:57 pm
by Kris
Update for anyone interested.
I just had surgery at wound care. I opted for in office instead of O R. There was no anesthetic what so ever. I didn't want to go back to the hospital. The cut and cauterization was excruciating and I new it would be.
I could strangle a buffalo with my bare hands; Im ornery!!!
Thank you both for your support and information. I really needed someone to talk to.
Sincerely,
Kristine