Audio: Snake bitten Medway dad adder lucky escape
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by Alan McGuinness
A dad-of-two has told how he almost died after being bitten by
an adder in a Medway park.
Matthew Popov, 31, from Frindsbury, was walking through
Riverside Country Park with his family when he picked up the snake
which bit him.
He was rushed to Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, where
he was given anti-venom and adrenalin.
Matthew also had to stop his six-year-old son, also called
Matthew, from picking up the creature and said he went to pick it
up so I could move it to the side of the path out of harm's
way.
He said: "As I put my hand out to try and grab behind its head,
it bit me before slithering away.
"Within a couple of minutes I felt a stinging sensation
which slowly crept up my left arm."
His wife Amee told the Medway Messenger she thought he was
having a panic attack at first.
"My immediate reaction was shock. I didn't believe that he had
been bitten, because it was quite quick." she said.
"It wasn't until he showed me his finger and a pin-prick blood
spot that I actually believed him."
His condition soon deteriorated, and he asked his wife to call
an ambulance.
Amee said: "That's when I looked at him and he had gone as white
as a sheet.
"He was sweating profusely and then I knew something was
seriously wrong."
A park ranger dialed 999, and 12 doctors and nurses were waiting
in Accident and Emergency when Matthew arrived.
The incident happened last Sunday, July 18.
Amee had taken a picture of the snake on her mobile and this
enabled them to get their hands on the right anti-venom.
After a night in intensive care he was discharged from hospital
the next day.
Dr Alexsander Tsolov and Dr Baktiar Ali, two of the doctors who
treated Matthew, said: "We gave him all the required medication and
an anti-dote.
"We are pleased to hear that Mr Popov is doing well and are
grateful for his thanks."
Amee, 27, says she knows how close she came to losing her
husband.
"The recovery has been fantastic.
Audio: Amee reveals what
happened when she realised
"I do believe that's down to the
doctors and nurses at Medway Hospital. I don't believe he would be
here today if it wasn't for them."
Matthew says he feels fine: "I'm
great, I was back to myself the next day.
"The antibiotics have taken the swelling down now. I went back
to work today.
"I'm back in perfect condition thanks to the hospital."
Amee also believes signs should be put up in the park where
Matthew was bitten.
"It's just unbelievable that there are no signs because if it
had been my son the nurses at Medway Hospital said he would not be
here today."
She added: "So what's it going to take? It's a simple sign to
advise people to leave the snakes alone because they can kill.
"It's that serious."
Thursday, July 22 2010
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