In Corpus Christi, Texas, Jenny Sutcliffe and her husband were working on their yard, when they noticed a four foot rattlesnake. Not wanting the creature to warm them, Sutcliffe's husband grabbed a shovel and severed its head. But the rattler had the last laugh. When he picked up the snake to dispose of it, the decapitated head sank its fangs into his hand.
It sounds like a scene out of a cheesy horror movie. We've all heard about chickens running around with their heads cut off. But who's ever heard of being attacked by a snake's decapitated head? However, according to National Geographic, snakes are capable of biting you, even after death.
"By the time the snake has lost its head, it’s dead and the basic body functions have ceased, but there is still some reflexive action. Snakes have the capability of causing biting and injecting venom even after the head has been severed, even though it is dead."
Since the snake's body was severed, the head released all of the poisonous venom. Sutcliffe's husband immediately suffered seizures, loss of vision and internal bleeding. His right hand swelled up considerably, covered in dark purple bruises. Sutcliffe drove her husband to the hospital, but was so concerned by the severity of his injuries that she pulled over to meet an ambulance. He was then airlifted to emergency services by helicopter.
The doctors warned Sutcliffe her husband might not make it. Normally snake bite victims are given two to four doses of an expensive anti-venom. Her husband was given an incredible 26 doses. Luckily, he pulled through. Currently he's in stable condition, and is still experiencing weak kidney function. It was a close call, but he miraculously survived. (Hey, it could have been worse. One man got bit by a snake, a bear and a shark within the span of four years.)
Warning: This video contains graphic images some viewers may find upsetting.
We all know snakes look terrifying, but how dangerous are they, exactly? Michael Halpert, a trauma surgeon in Corpus Christi, told KIII-TV that it's rare to die from a snake bite, but it does happen. "There are about 6,000 to 8,000 snake bites per year in the country, and 10 to 12 people die."
But if you do get bit by a rattlesnake, don't try to "suck out the venom," like characters do in movies and TV shows. Instead, "You just want to keep the victim calm, keep the bitten area above the level of the heart slightly, and get the patient to the nearest emergency room."
Well, now you know you should exercise caution, should you ever decapitate a rattlesnake. Personally, if I saw a snake in my yard, I wouldn't attack it. First, I would try speaking to it in Parceltongue. Then I would take a selfie and hashtag it #SSSSSelfie. Then I would call Chris Hemsworth's wife and ask her to take of it.