re: He or she is gone.

quote:

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Speaking of that? What is the first phone call? Would one of the nearest ORs know this?

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Listening to stories of people who got bit has proven to me that US medical system absolutely sucks at medical care for venomous snake bites. And the worst part is that you pay royally for that experience.

If you've been bitten by a venomous snake, go to the ER, and are conscious, you should ask two questions of the doctor: 1. Have you treated a venomous snake bite before? 2. Do you have an established plan for treating a venomous snakebite, both the antivenom phase and the damage phase?

If they can't answer both of those satisfactorily you should tell them to stabilize you with your loading dose of antivenom and then you or a family member should immediately start looking for a better, more prepared hospital. Make sure your family understands this as well.

In many cases of venomous snakebites in the US the treatment, or lack thereof, causes complications, unnecessary damage, and massive medical bills.