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CUSTER COUNTY CHIEF (Broken Bow, Nebraska) 25 July 05 Oregon man counts blessings after rattlesnake bite at Halsey (Kerri Rempp)
Halsey: Matthew Robins wanted nothing more than to take in the scenery of Nebraska on his way home to Oregon.
While sightings of local wildlife might have made the trip even more interesting, stepping on a rattlesnake wasn't what he had in mind.
Robins, 28, of Portland, Ore., was traveling home this weekend after visiting a friend in Missouri when he made the decision to camp at the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey.
A self-described "poor artist," Robins said he wanted to get off of the interstate and see the "real Nebraska" and take advantage of the economical rates of the national forest.
He arrived at the forest Friday and began looking for a camping site. Rather than camp next to dozens of others, Robins wanted a more secluded area.
"Not knowing how sandy the roads are in this particular forest, I pushed my car far past its limitations," he said.
Robins' car became stuck and he took off hiking to find help. Headed for Scott Lookout Tower as it neared dark, he stepped on a rattlesnake.
"I surprised him about as much as he surprised me I think," Robins remarked.
With a puncture wound in his right leg, Robins continued his hike, knowing he needed to get to the tower for help. He hiked for about 30 minutes after receiving the bite because he lost sight of the tower in the tree line and had to double back.
Finally reaching Scott Lookout, Robins used the emergency phone to contact 911 and the Thedford Rescue Unit soon arrived. Robins was transported to Anselmo, where the ambulance met the life flight helicopter from Good Samaritan in Kearney.
Robins received 11 doses of anti-venom and was released from the hospital Sunday night. He reported to the Chief Monday that he still has a pronounced limp and he will likely have to undergo physical therapy to regain mobility in his ankle.
"I count myself lucky," he said. He added that his chances were greatly improved by the emergency medical technicians and life flight personnel, calling them the "kindest human beings" he's ever dealt with in his life.
Bob Fetters, the compliance officer for the Nebraska National Forest, it appears Robins was bitten as he walked between the 31 Windmill Road and Scott Lookout Tower.
Robins' father flew in from Idaho to travel home with him, and Robins' is already hoping to return to Nebraska in the future, saying the scenery - what little he saw - was great.
"But next time I'll wear boots," he said with a good-natured laugh.
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Dr. Shawn Lawrence, chief of staff at the Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow, said the facility usually keeps five vials of antivenin in stock for rattlesnake bites.
Callaway and Ord also keep a few vials on hand, she said, and the small hospitals pool their resources if they know a bite victim is on the way.
The limited amount of the supply stems from several reasons. For starters, the antivenin can have a short shelf life.
Nicki Bohl, director of the Good Samaritan pharmacy, said the antivenin in stock this week doesn't expire until October 2007. However, once it is used, it will be the luck of the draw as far as expiration goes when it is reordered. Sometimes a reorder of antivenin has a shelf life of only six months.
A shortage of antivenin in the industry also leads to quicker expiration times because hospitals take whatever they can locate, Bohl said.
A mild invenomation - a bite in which a small amount of venom is injected - requires an initial treatment of five to 10 doses of antivenin. The antivenin is mixed in a bag of fluid and given through infusion over a period of hours.
JMMMC's supply and those of other local hospitals can handle the initial dosage. More serious bites require additional dosages and more advanced treatment, meaning the victim must be sent to a larger hospital.
Finally, the limited supply stems from the rare occurrences of snake bites. In 12 years, Lawrence can only recall two incidences - one at Callaway and one at Ord.
Bohl said Good Samaritan usually sees one bite per year.
"But this year as been different. We've had two in July."
Oregon man counts blessings after rattlesnake bite at Halsey

So...is the poor guy's car still stuck in the forest?

~~Greg~~