Scary!

Group Picture....TALE 7


Everyone made their way to the food area where there was delicious food awaiting. LL and I had a bowl of my Veg. chili and some of Bell Motel’s “Fruit Salad”. We quickly finished lunch so we could be a part of the group photo and get on the trail to find some boxes. LL had planted “Mug Shot” on Friday, so I was looking forward to seeing the image she had carved. After the photo session, we grabbed our backpacks and headed down the trail. We quickly came to “Mug Shot” and across the trail was Bell Motel’s Box. I went to retrieve Bell Motel’s box and heard LL saw “ouch” . I thought she had got a sticker or thorn in her finger. I went over to see what had happened, looked in the stump to see a Copperhead Snake making his was out of the stump. I told LL that she had been snake bit! She screamed and we started back down the trail toward the pavilion for help. At the trailhead, I dropped my backpack, and ran ahead of LL, spotting BarefootLucy, I told her I needed help! LL had been bitten by a snake. She asked me what kind, I told her the description, and she went into action, giving me info that helped calm me just a little. She called for Fearless Fox and told him what happened. I grabbed my purse from the van, and we headed to the Ranger Station, where the Park Supt. Talked to us and confirmed that the snake was a Copperhead. Fearless Fox talked to us on our way to the hospital, explaining some treatments for the bite. Once inside the ER, the nurse and doctor set to work deciding what treatment was best. After blood was drawn, it was decided that she needed to be transported to Austin, UMC Brackenridge. She was whisked away in the ambulance, with Anti-venom being administered through the IV. Upon arrival, all the nurses, students and doctors came in to look at the bite. After assessing where she needed to be, she was taken to the sixth floor Intermediate Care Unit. I was so thankful I was able to stay with her. She was monitored by several machines, and the nurse kept a watchful eye on day her progress through the night. Thankfully, the swelling had gone down quite a bit on Sunday morning. She was still not out of the woods though, the first 48 hours are critical. By late Sunday night, things were much better and she was able to move to a regular room on the ninth floor. I got much needed rest. Monday morning we were told that she would be able to go home. The doctor gave her an excuse to be off on Tuesday, and we headed home. I know she was more than glad to be back home and I was very happy that she was going to be OK.