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posted by takyon on Saturday August 15 2015, @10:29AM   Printer-friendly
from the sobering-reminder dept.

The woman, 40-year-old Jo Rogers, may have been bitten by a tick while on vacation in Grand Lake, Oklahoma, in early July. Four days after her trip, she experienced flulike symptoms, and was hospitalized a day later, according to CNN.

Doctors tested her for West Nile virus, meningitis and other infections before finally diagnosing her with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which is caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsia and transmitted by ticks. Rogers' limbs turned black and blue, and doctors amputated her arms and legs below the knees and elbows, CNN said.

Although it happens rarely, amputation can be necessary in cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever if a patient is not treated early enough, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease specialist and a senior associate at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Health Security. The antibiotic used to treat the infection works best if it's started before the fifth day of a person's illness, according to the Centers for [Disease] Control and Prevention.

The bacteria attacks the cells lining the blood vessels and provokes an immune response that leads to septic shock. A sobering reminder to outdoorsmen to check for ticks when returning.


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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 15 2015, @05:42PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 15 2015, @05:42PM (#223311)

    Different people have different values. I would rather die any sort of horrific death than become a burden on the people that care about me the most. Better to have them lament that I am gone than lament that I will need 24-hour care for decades.

    Let the next generation live their own lives. When it is my turn, I will get out of their way.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 15 2015, @07:20PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 15 2015, @07:20PM (#223337)
    Yeah there are already 7 billion people on this planet. Death is not a problem for me (I'll eventually die anyway), it's the unnecessary extra suffering to me and to the people who might have to take care of me. Why be a waste of resources on this overburdened planet?

    Plus if you're a Christian or Buddhist or Hindu, dying a bit sooner shouldn't be considered a big problem at all.

    Making extraordinary efforts to prolong your mortal life would also be strange. Stay alive if you can still do some good in this world. But once you're a big net cost instead of a net benefit, I don't see why it should be considered a bad thing to be allowed to die if you wanted to.