A one-year-old girl from Arizona had a narrow escape from a rattlesnake attack, requiring a whopping 30 vials of antivenom after being bitten twice on her foot. The toddler, Cara, is still awaiting surgery following the incident that occurred earlier this month while she was in her yard with her mother, Jacquelyn Reed.
Reed was momentarily distracted, picking up a piece of trash in their yard in Florence, when she heard her daughter scream in pain. She quickly discovered four puncture wounds on the top of Cara’s foot and spotted the snake hiding behind a propane tank. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Reed rushed her daughter to the hospital.
Upon reaching the nearby emergency room, Reed informed the doctors about the snakebite, emphasizing the urgent need for antivenom. Cara was subsequently airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital where she began her treatment.
Reed described the horrifying sight of her daughter’s foot turning black and the fear that gripped her. However, she knew she had to act swiftly to save her daughter’s life. “It was really about the response of moving quickly that I think saved her life,” she said.
Cara’s condition was critical. She vomited, lost consciousness, struggled to breathe, and had to be put on a ventilator. Medical specialists found that the toddler’s vocal cords were severely swollen and administered additional steroids and treatments.
Cara’s aunt, Delia Reed, shared on a GoFundMe page set up for the toddler that if there was no improvement within an hour, Cara would have to be reintubated with a small breathing tube and undergo vocal cord dilation surgery. “It’s really difficult to watch all of her complications,” said a distressed Jacquelyn Reed.
After a few days in the hospital, Cara showed signs of improvement. She was able to wiggle her toes, had her breathing tube removed, and was eventually discharged to continue her recovery at home. However, the one-year-old is still in considerable pain and needs to consult with a surgeon. She also has a surgery scheduled for the damage sustained to her vocal cords.
Reed described Cara as the “angel of the family” and the “light.” She expressed her hope that Cara would regain full function and return to her normal, happy, and adorable self.