It was a hot 42.4°C day in Fremantle, Western Australia, and Joanne Hall was just doing what so many of us have done before: she headed to the beach to cool off with a swim in the ocean.
But little did she know that kicking off her thongs and running on the scorching sand down to the water’s edge would mean she would be later admitted to the burns unit of a WA hospital…
Upon getting to the water, university student Joanne Hall said the pain from that short run alone almost caused her to pass out.
“I kept [my feet] soaking for a good half an hour [in cold water] and my brother, stepdad and his friend arrived and had to carry me up the beach back to the car,” she told the West Australian.
“I was given pain relief, (morphine and entonox) and my blisters were debrided and dressed.”
WARNING: the following pictures are of a GRAPHIC nature.
The 25-year-old has since taken to Facebook to describe her experience, including the fact the will have to spend the rest of summer in a wheelchair.
“A lot of soaking, being carried like the Queen of Sheba and a hospital visit later, and I have two bandaged-Mummy feet and a lovely new wheel chair to get around in,” she wrote.
“I have discovered a new appreciation for that little human invention called ‘shoes’.
The take-home message? Don’t leave your thongs in the car when you head to the beach this summer – keep them with you, or better still, keep them on your feet!