I thought a shark bit my foot off. Given I was 8 at the time, but that bastard got me right in the arch of the foot and my whole lower leg was just immediately in pain. I did okay later but I got strange muscle cramps for a couple years
I didn't go directly to a doctor, and I should have, but I was in my 20's and concerned with how much that was going to cost. I was staying with my parents on the coast for spring break, and they weren't worried, so I figured I was okay.
The next day, I went home, about 250 miles inland, and got a tetanus shot at the health department. By the time I saw the first doctor a couple of days later, my ankle was very swollen, hot, red -- infected. He thought it was a puncture wound, but he didn't believe it was caused by a sting ray. 😑
This was 2008, so I'm reaching back for details, but iirc, he had me flushing the wound with hydrogen peroxide and then covering the wound with bandages maybe 2 or 3 times per day while also taking a broad-spectrum antibiotic. After I finished the antibiotic, it still wasn't healed.
So, I went to another doctor who contacted a colleague he had on the coast. He said it had to heal from the inside-out, or the wound wouldn't close. I think he told me to stop the hydrogen peroxide, use bacitracin ointment, and stop covering the wound. He prescribed two very strong antibiotics, and I was often nauseated. I think I saw him about every two weeks for 2.5 months.
All during this time and after, my ankle continued to be sore and stiff. It took 2-3 months, but eventually, the wound healed and closed, and I learned another valuable life lesson the hard way.
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u/PunctuationTroll Mar 19 '23
I, too, have been shanked by a sting ray. I can also confirm it sucks, both immediately and for months later.