Posted on 05/16/2020 5:57:49 AM PDT by Enlightened1
WINNEMUCCA, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — Mike and Carie Johnson of Winnemucca are demanding change after their 3-year-old daughter, Alyssa, died from a rattlesnake bite over the weekend.
"In Humboldt County, we need a real hospital here, one that actually has good training," says Carie.
The Johnson's were walking near their home on Saturday when Alyssa was bitten. Her father rushed her to Humboldt General Hospital where they say she was denied anti-venom treatment for three and a half hours. The family claims doctors said she didn't need anti-venom and was stabilizing.
"They were not out," says Mike. "They had it. They told us both they had it, that she didn’t need it.”
Alyssa's parents say that after nearly four hours, hospital doctors decided Alyssa should be transported via ambulance to Renown’s Children Hospital in Reno for treatment. Carie tells News 4 Alyssa's condition worsened on the drive and Humbdolt General Hospital ambulance staff didn't do enough on the way to Reno.
“I say to them “she’s snoring, that’s not normal”, and they say “oh that’s just because of the medicine. I say "okay" because they’re the experts. And then I was like "she’s not breathing right," and I rub here chest and they say “just keep stimulating her.”
After getting to Renown, Johnson says staff gave her anti-venom three times and even flew-in a specialist from San Francisco, but it was already too late. Alyssa passed away at the Reno hospital.
An honor walk was held on Wednesday afternoon at Renown.
Now, Alyssa's parents are weighing actions against Humboldt General Hospital. They say changes and better training are a must.
"We're hearing too many stories of how horrible it is," says Carie.
(Excerpt) Read more at mynews4.com ...
yikes....where do you live?
Back in the mid 60’s I was hit just behind my left knee by a big Diamondback, I was given antivenom 4 times. I was lucky in that I had very little tissue damage in spite of the swelling. What I did have was a severe reaction to antivenom and that damn near killed me, my body temperature peaked at 107. This was back when they used horses instead of sheep as they do now. Interestingly enough I was hit again about 15 years latter on the left index finger and experienced swelling only but no damage, also didn’t take any antivenom for that one.
It’s all for the good. The Rats can now throw a new Humboldt hospital into the new 3 trillion dollar Chinese virus stimulus bill. Problem solved. /s
They certainly cause more medical deaths than the local garage mechanic, that's for sure.....
Exactly! Sounds foolish on the face of it but in reality and upon further examination / consideration it seems to be all too true. Unless you are clearly sick, stay away from doctors. They will find something wrong with you and insist on treating it whether you really need it or not.
Ambulance crew was clueless, too. Snoring is a sign of upper airway obstruction, usually the tongue — particularly with pediatric patients. Snoring is an indication you need to do something, not just write it off and ignore it. Simple repositioning of the head and placing padding properly under the shoulders should easily remedy that.
And telling the parents to “keep stimulating her” is ridiculous. If she’s losing consciousness, that’s another indication to figure out what is going on and to do something. If a patient is supposed to be sedated, then don’t have someone try to keep the patient awake — perhaps consider another dose of the sedative. And that of course requires closely monitoring the patient’s airway — see step 1 above.
I wonder where the “doctors” were trained and from what nationality they descended. About all that practice in rural hospitals are ones from some foreign medical school with engrish as a second rangrige. Rural medicine is almost not in most places. In fact, none would be better than some of what passes for medicine in rural areas. The capitalist medical industrial complex can’t make enough money in rural areas. They certainly can’t make as much as they want to.
Once upon a time, in a public and not for profit medicine world small town hospitals managed to provide needed care at a good standard. Now, pretty much nothing.
Training doesn’t work on all people.
Our friends (Oklahoma), who live 3 blocks from us, found a copperhead in their back yard. They live near the edge of our one horse town, and do not have brush or weeds around their property. Now I’m concerned, because our yard has become overgrown due to arthritis keeping me from weed eating, and my husband is too short of breath, lately. We found a huge garter snake which had been cut in half when my husband ran over him with his riding mower. Our friend instructed us to throw moth balls into our brush pile and into overgrown weeds, and the snakes will leave. I don’t mind the garter snakes, but I sure don’t want any copperheads! Thank goodness we don’t have any water features, because there are water moccasins in this area like you wouldn’t believe!
I didn’t see in the article where the child was bitten, that makes a difference.
Simmah down, Honey. I simply was relaying a news story from the past.
Personally, I love doctors; they have saved my life more than once. I had planned to BE a doctor — the reason I suffered through three years of Latin in high school.
(BTW, quit pretending you’re illiterate so we won’t be able to figure out your other FR posting name.)
Best advice, call ahead before driving to find a hospital that does carry antivenom and drive the distance required.
Yikes!
I’d steer clear of dusty roads. There was a WWII bomber training base out West of Odessa, Texas just outside Pyote called the Rattlesnake Bomber base. There area was full of rattlers. On cool evenings and days the road from Grand Falls, Texas back to Pyote would be lined with snakes getting warmed by the asphalt.
And that’s why one has to be careful. Most rattlesnake bites particularly in a startle situation are dry bites with little to no venom injected. cro fab is not needed in that situation and can cause it’s own issues. A child is a different story I don’t treat them and don’t know the protocols
Of course we also save more lives than the local garage mechanic
I’ve put in allot of wells in that area, you can still find dummy bombs from time to time. The old CONOCO lease had a bunch of them outside their office.
Had a 4 foot rattler in our yard 2 days ago not uncommon around here. Do not go into the yard without good hiking boots and jeans that come down over the top of the boot no matter how hot it is. We are careful with the dogs and children but if you live around them you k is how to protect yourself. Keep the grass around the house mown short and never stick your hand where you can’t see what’s around the area. use a stick
There’s far too many variables in this story to simply blame it on a small town hospital.
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