Brave little fighter

BITTEN BY A SNAKE

Thabazimbi – Nine-year-old Martin Pretorius of Spitskop, near Thabazimbi, was sleeping on the floor in their living room when he woke up with an excruciating burning sensation on his head on Tuesday 16 November.

He looked around and noticed a snake in the room. Martin woke his parents and calmly told them what happened and took them to where the snake was. 

Martin’s parents had him at Mediclinic within 10 minutes, together with the snake which they had to kill so that it could be identified at the hospital for the correct treatment.

The brave little boy had a terrible headache, stomach pain and nausea, but the worst was the agonising burning pain where the snake bit him.  Upon arrival he was treated by doctor Anell Groenewald. 

“I’m very grateful for the fantastic care he receives at the hospital. From the moment we arrived they made my son feel at home and ensured that he was a priority.

Doctor Groenewald was very patient and took very good care of him,” Martin’s mother Coreen Pretorius said in an interview with Platinum Bushvelder.

It was determined that he was bitten by a full-grown Mozambican spitting cobra. He responded very well to the antivenom, with minimal swelling and no respiratory problems. He still complained about a headache, but was in good spirits. 

Platinum Bushvelder went to visit him in hospital for an interview about the ordeal and he shared some advice:

“I would tell kids to listen to their parents when they tell them not to walk alone in the bushes. I know this happened to me in my home, but the chances are much greater of it happening in the bush. I would also rather sleep in my bed next time and not on the floor.”

Martin also jokingly said that he doesn’t even mind that his hair had to be shaved off. “The hair of Petoorse grows quickly,” he said. “And my mom has to cut my hair almost every week, so it should be back to normal soon.”

On the evening of 17 November his condition seriously deteriorated. The wound started swelling and the doctors were really worried about him. At the time of going to print, his condition improved again, but he is not out of the woods. Keep this brave little boy in your prayers. 

Doctor Groenewald shared a few tips on what to do if you find yourself in a similar situation: 

• Try to identify the snake that bit you. Being able to identify the snake can make a big difference. Different types of snakes require different antivenom and knowing what to give the patient can ensure that effective treatment can start immediately. 
• Remain calm. If your heartrate rises, your blood starts pumping faster, which also means that the venom spreads faster.
• Get to a hospital as soon as possible.

 

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