A five-year-old girl needed a whopping 40 doses of anti-venom after she was bitten by a rattlesnake during a family hike on the weekend.
Emily Oehler was bitten on the ankle by a 4-foot-long western diamondback rattlesnake while playing with her family at Longhorn Cavern State Park in Texas, USA.
Speaking to PEOPLE , Emily’s father, Wes Oehler said that after the bite, the little girl ran to her Mum so fast her jacket “flew off.”
Emily’s mother, Alicia, continued by saying hearing her daughter’s scream was “terrifying”.
“I was so scared … I had her in my arms and she told me that the snake bit her and then immediately I thought I needed to find the snake,” Alicia told PEOPLE. “I had to find it to know what kind it was.”
Emily was rushed to hospital and rangers later identified the snake.
Emily’s leg continues to swell, meaning only an hour ago she was hooked up to anti venom again.
Following the bite and extensive medical treatment, the family set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for the mounting costs as they had no insurance or paid leave left.
“The money you donate will go to child care living expenses, food at the hospital it will also allow my husband to stay with us at the hospital without digging a bigger financial hole,” explains Alicia on the Go Fund Me page.
“And help through the time of her recovery physical therapy it will also help with anything the charities of the hospital did not cover and any unseen bills or things we will need for her and any other way we see fit to improve the quality of life for our daughter.”
So far the family have managed to raise $16,557 towards their $50,000 goal.
Emily Rose in hospital.
Emily is apparently recovering “outstandingly”.
Alicia reports Emily is, “acting like my little girl again goofy and full of smiles swelling is still the same antivenom is on a continuous drip lab results looking up .”
She remains hooked up to anti venom but all involved feel positive about her continued recovery.
