Emil Åkerwall, 19, was bitten by a large viper while playing golf.
A bite that could have cost him his life.
– The doctors said that if I had arrived at the emergency room a quarter of an hour later, it would have been doubtful whether I would have survived, he says.
Two weeks ago, Emil Åkerwall played golf with his cousin on the course in Botkyrka south of Stockholm. When he hit a ball that ended up on the edge, by a small bush, he went there to pick it up – but as he bent down, he had an eerie premonition.
– When I was going to pick up the ball, I got the feeling that it was not good. And half a second later it bites, he says.
It was a viper that bit him. He saw the zigzag pattern as it rippled its way after the bite – and it was a big one. Normally there is between six to nine millimeters between the viper’s teeth.
– The bite mark on my finger, which it bit into, showed two centimeters between the teeth, says Emil.
Vision deteriorated
The bite hurt, like a wasp sting, Emil explains, and it started to throb in his arm. Five minutes later, his vision began to deteriorate as well.
– I only saw shadows, think of it like when you’re about to faint and it goes black.
The group called 112 where they said that Emil had to be taken to the emergency room, so he and the cousin got to the car.
– Then I understood that it was not normal. I began to sweat profusely and my vision did not return.
Life threatening – received horse dose with snake serum
When they arrived at Södertälje hospital, about a quarter of an hour later, Emil fainted.
– Eight nurses came. They put in four entrances and gave me an adrenaline shot. I had suffered anaphylactic shock and circulatory failure. I also got a cortisone shot in my stomach and a horse dose of snake serum.
Emil’s mouth and throat swelled up and he got a rash all over his body. His uncle came to the emergency room and heard a doctor make a terrifying statement.
– He said it was life-threatening.
The arm turned green
Emil received four doses of snake serum and the situation stabilized – but he remained in the hospital for three nights, where he was transferred to the stroke ward.
– The arm swelled up and bruised. Then it turned green and I lost strength in the hand where the snake had bitten.
Was about minutes
19-year-old Emil had thus hovered between life and death – but he says that he didn’t really understand how serious it was until later.
– The doctors said that if I had arrived at the emergency room a quarter of an hour later, it would have been doubtful whether I would have survived.
It is believed that the snake hit a blood vessel with its tooth when it bit and injected the venom, and that this is why Emil’s body reacted so strongly. Like many others, Emil did not know that viper bites can be this dangerous.
– Now you think completely differently about where you put your feet and constantly look around where you are walking.
First round of golf hard
Now, two weeks after the dramatic experience, Emil is feeling well again.
– I have regained the strength in my hand and am doing exercises with it. But I still feel the tightness in the top of my hand.
He has also been back to the place where it happened – the golf course.
– The first round was very difficult, every pin I saw was difficult. And now I don’t put my hand in anywhere where I’m not one hundred percent sure that there is nothing.