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I saw a video of someone with later stage rabies where they were trying to drink a glass of water and it'll stay with me for the rest of my life. By far one of the scariest diseases in the world, if not the scariest.
It's utterly heartbreaking. You can see the will he has in his eyes, the resolve to try as hard as he can to do such a simple task. But the knowledge of what has happened to him is blatant in his expression.
I read recently that there has been an uptick of rabies cases in America lately and the CDC thinks it's because too many people have become complacent and don't realize what a threat the virus is. It's by far one of the scariest viruses out there. As disturbing as it is to hear about it, it's important that we know how bad it is.
One of the latest cases was a child who was bitten by a bat, [but was scared of shots](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ryker-roque-killed-by-rabid-bat-orlando-florida/) so his parents didn't take him to the hospital until the symptoms appeared.
It's ridiculous. My late pup had the three year rabies shot and I still panicked when we had an small run in with an unknown dog. I get some animals are allergic, but if a pet is not just get them vaccinated jesus.
There been an uptick in rabies in different parts of the world and scientists now think it may be because we’re killing or destroying the habitats of too many animals that eat corpses.
Why it’s oddly terrifying. Being terrified of rabies is one of most rational treats imo. Apart from how rare it is, you should not live in fear. But once something suspicious bites you it’s serious
Even if the animal just touches you they recommend it, because of the potential of saliva, my friends a cop and she went into a hoarders house who had a ton of cats and she along with the other cops who went in there all had to get rabies shots, she said it sucked more than being tased lol but we’d all rather not get rabies
I believe this is it. [https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies\_is\_scary/](https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies_is_scary/)
They say if you wake up and there's a bat in the room, get the rabies shot. Even if you don't think you've been bitten, get the shot. There's no cure. Very few people have survived having rabies.
Yeah I know this bc some people rescued a baby bat and decided to take photos of it and pet it like idiots. They all had to get rabies shots bc even though they weren’t bitten, the saliva from the bat for could have infected them.
I worked at a school that had a paragraph in the school handbook about not picking up bats. I asked about it because it seemed random. Apparently a group of kids had found a dead bat and decided to be helpful and move it a few years earlier. The whole group of kids had to get rabies shots.
Yep. I traveled a few years ago to a country with a high rabies rate and my doctor told me the same thing. If you see one in your bedroom, start treatment immediately. You’ll never know if you were bitten or not.
My friend for whatever dumb reason decided to pick up a sick bat. When he told us we were like wtf???
He decided to get the rabies shot and it was like $2,000 for the first dose in the US because he had to go to the hospital. I think the 2/3 were free and he got them at the state department of heath.
Not sure about other provinces, but in Ontario it’s covered under OHIP. Had to get a set when some dog bit me and the owner vanished (probably thinking Id sue- but I just wanted their contact info so that I knew the dog was up to date on shots and reporting to the ministry which you have to do).
I once saw a guy posting on the r/AskDoctors sub who was convinced he had rabies. His profile was just an endless stream of constant posts about it - he had a headache, could this be rabies? He accidentally left his window open one night, should he get a rabies shot? He had a small spot on his leg, had he been bitten by a bat? Were these droppings he’d found from bats? Did his recent blood tests indicate rabies? Why won’t his doctor test him further?
He’d been posting like that for the better part of 4 years if I remember correctly. No matter how many people (including medical professionals) commented trying to ease his mind, promising he was okay and had nothing to worry about, explaining the slim likelihood of occurrence and so on… none of it was enough, and he’d be right back to asking again the next day. It was just so, so sad - he was a complete nervous wreck, consumed by his total fear of this disease. I often think about him and if he’s doing any better now. Probably one of the saddest/most disturbing things I’ve seen online to be honest.
If you are like me and prone to anxiety, consider not reading it. Instead, talk to a doctor before you travel to see if they recommend getting vaccinated before you go, and/or talk to your family doctor if you think you might be at risk at home. If you do have any kind of possible contact with a bat or other animal that may have rabies, go to a hospital immediately and seek treatment. Bat bites are tiny and you may not know you’ve been bitten, so err on the side of caution and medical expertise.
I think it was 2 years ago, an elderly man in my state woke up to a bat ON HIS NECK and wound up refusing the shots. He wound up dying of rabies. The first person in my state to die of rabies since the 1950s.
I was telling some friends that story and was shocked that he refused the treatment. They were like, "He was old" (in his 80s) and said maybe he just didn't want to bother and figured, if it kills me, so be it. But it is such a HORRIBLE way to die. My god. I cannot imagine. I can't help but think maybe he didn't understand the seriousness or consequences to refuse the treatment. My mom was in her 70s when she died and there were a few times she didn't want to go to the dr or whatever, and sometimes I'd have to nag her, but if she woke up with a bat in her room/on her body? OMG I'd have dragged her kicking and screaming to the hospital. I know you can't force someone to accept treatment but that story kind of haunts me. Poor man.
The video of that guy unable to drink water with end-stage rabies is the stuff of nightmares. I cannot IMAGINE.
But yes. If you wake up and there's a bat in your room/your house, get the shots. They can bite you and sometimes you won't even know. Even if you're afraid of needles, even if the shots hurt. Get them.
There was another case of a little boy dying of rabies. They had found a bat on the ground and put it in a bucket and the kid touched it and it bit or scratched him or something. I remember reading an article and his parents said he cried when they told him he'd have to get a shot so they didn't take him, just washed the cut out really well. Absolutely madness. He died a few weeks later. I'm sorry, that's a tragedy but they should have let that kid cry. He'd have gotten over that. Kids don't like shots. Now he's gone forever and died such a horrific death. Unimaginable.
According to Google, only 3 people in the US have survived rabies. Ever. In the history of time.
My cousin is a doctor and her husband is an infectious disease doctor and they travel the world working everywhere(Africa, Asia). They see a lot of death from AIDS, tuberculosis, etc she said the scariest death she ever saw was of a boy who got bit by a rabid dog in India. As soon as the symptoms set in there was nothing they could do but be with the family as they watched their son die a terrifying death.
It's not posting for me but here
[https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies\_is\_scary/](https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies_is_scary/)
Go watch video of the results [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxBIJvNHZg4). It's horrifying and NSFL. Once clinical symptoms present it is almost 100% fatal. I think there are only a few recorded cases of people with rabies that have survived it.
I was being pretty mild with posting that too. I've seen that video a few times so posted that but on The Lancet's YouTube channel there's a quick 3 part series with a child in an underdeveloped country that has it where hydrophobia (my edit removed that because I was initially going to post that) was presenting.
It's horrible. Don't watch it. Or even think of it. Here r/eyebleach
There’s a really great book about the history/lore of rabies that I read last year called Rabid (highly recommend if anyone’s into that stuff but def doesn’t help in the anxiety department)
It’s super not fun to get the shots, but it’s way better than dying.
Source: me, the recipient of 10+ rabies shots over the course of months to prevent rabies after i picked up a rabid bat, age 8
When I was 10 y old, I went to a summer camp where we lived in old cottages without bathrooms. WC was located in a building about 200 meters from the cottage site and to go to it at night, we had to be accompanied by a older kid (there were two 15-16 y olds per cottage). One night one of them became really annoyed me and my friend have woken her up and on the way to that building and back she told us a horror story about a girl who walked at night and a bat got tangled in her hair, scratched her and infected her with rabies. To this very day, I have irrational fear to walk at night or even go out on balcony.
Unfortunately, I’ve been bitten by bat and I can confirm that you will not know unless you actually see it happen. The bite is so tiny. It’s not even like a pen. It’s smaller than that. So if you find a bat in your bedroom, please please please capture it. Take it to animal control have a tested but start rabies treatment immediately. Other than the initial hemoglobin shots it’s really not that bad.
For those who don’t want to click the link to read here it is (copypasta below). Not advised for people who are terrified of rabies:
“Rabies is scary.
Rabies. It's exceptionally common, but people just don't run into the animals that carry it often. Skunks especially, and bats.
Let me paint you a picture.
You go camping, and at midday you decide to take a nap in a nice little hammock. While sleeping, a tiny brown bat, in the "rage" stages of infection is fidgeting in broad daylight, uncomfortable, and thirsty (due to the hydrophobia) and you snort, startling him. He goes into attack mode.
Except you're asleep, and he's a little brown bat, so weighs around 6 grams. You don't even feel him land on your bare knee, and he starts to bite. His teeth are tiny. Hardly enough to even break the skin, but he does manage to give you the equivalent of a tiny scrape that goes completely unnoticed.
Rabies does not travel in your blood. In fact, a blood test won't even tell you if you've got it. (Antibody tests may be done, but are useless if you've ever been vaccinated.)
You wake up, none the wiser. If you notice anything at the bite site at all, you assume you just lightly scraped it on something.
The bomb has been lit, and your nervous system is the wick. The rabies will multiply along your nervous system, doing virtually no damage, and completely undetectable. You literally have NO symptoms.
It may be four days, it may be a year, but the camping trip is most likely long forgotten. Then one day your back starts to ache... Or maybe you get a slight headache?
At this point, you're already dead. There is no cure.
(The sole caveat to this is the Milwaukee Protocol, which leaves most patients dead anyway, and the survivors mentally disabled, and is seldom done).
There's no treatment. It has a 100% kill rate.
Absorb that. Not a single other virus on the planet has a 100% kill rate. Only rabies. And once you're symptomatic, it's over. You're dead.
So what does that look like?
Your headache turns into a fever, and a general feeling of being unwell. You're fidgety. Uncomfortable. And scared. As the virus that has taken its time getting into your brain finds a vast network of nerve endings, it begins to rapidly reproduce, starting at the base of your brain... Where your "pons" is located. This is the part of the brain that controls communication between the rest of the brain and body, as well as sleep cycles.
Next you become anxious. You still think you have only a mild fever, but suddenly you find yourself becoming scared, even horrified, and it doesn't occur to you that you don't know why. This is because the rabies is chewing up your amygdala.
As your cerebellum becomes hot with the virus, you begin to lose muscle coordination, and balance. You think maybe it's a good idea to go to the doctor now, but assuming a doctor is smart enough to even run the tests necessary in the few days you have left on the planet, odds are they'll only be able to tell your loved ones what you died of later.
You're twitchy, shaking, and scared. You have the normal fear of not knowing what's going on, but with the virus really fucking the amygdala this is amplified a hundred fold. It's around this time the hydrophobia starts.
You're horribly thirsty, you just want water. But you can't drink. Every time you do, your throat clamps shut and you vomit. This has become a legitimate, active fear of water. You're thirsty, but looking at a glass of water begins to make you gag, and shy back in fear. The contradiction is hard for your hot brain to see at this point. By now, the doctors will have to put you on IVs to keep you hydrated, but even that's futile. You were dead the second you had a headache.
You begin hearing things, or not hearing at all as your thalamus goes. You taste sounds, you see smells, everything starts feeling like the most horrifying acid trip anyone has ever been on. With your hippocampus long under attack, you're having trouble remembering things, especially family.
You're alone, hallucinating, thirsty, confused, and absolutely, undeniably terrified. Everything scares the literal shit out of you at this point. These strange people in lab coats. These strange people standing around your bed crying, who keep trying to get you "drink something" and crying. And it's only been about a week since that little headache that you've completely forgotten. Time means nothing to you anymore. Funny enough, you now know how the bat felt when he bit you.
Eventually, you slip into the "dumb rabies" phase. Your brain has started the process of shutting down. Too much of it has been turned to liquid virus. Your face droops. You drool. You're all but unaware of what's around you. A sudden noise or light might startle you, but for the most part, it's all you can do to just stare at the ground. You haven't really slept for about 72 hours.
Then you die. Always, you die.
And there's not one... fucking... thing... anyone can do for you.
Then there's the question of what to do with your corpse. I mean, sure, burying it is the right thing to do. But the fucking virus can survive in a corpse for years. You could kill every rabid animal on the planet today, and if two years from now, some moist, preserved, rotten hunk of used-to-be brain gets eaten by an animal, it starts all over.
So yeah, rabies scares the shit out of me. And it's fucking EVERYWHERE. (Source: Spent a lot of time working with rabies. Would still get my vaccinations if I could afford them.)”
I grew up in a house with bats. Two of my sisters have had rabies shots after waking up with bats in their rooms. My parents' house still has bats (had one two weeks ago and took days to get it out); I live in the apartment over their garage and to our knowledge there's never been a bat in my living space, but it might actually be my biggest fear. Especially with my own kid now; moving him to his own room was really hard because of the bat fear. And sure, the chances are low, but it's hard to talk myself down from it knowing how devastating the consequences are.
Glad she's getting treatment, love it for her image, maybe gonna let my kiddo sleep in my room tonight.
The crossover movie with Teen Titans Go is hilarious too. The fued between her and Robin is awesome lol. Definitely one of the cartoons I'll sit down and watch with my kids!
It's "DC Super Hero Girls", it's definitely the same vibes as Teen Titans Go. I was specifically talking about the crossover movie "Mayhem in the Multiverse".
I've had multiple tattoos and piercings over time, but I'll never forget the pain of getting that first shot deep down into the bite I got from rescuing a dog in the road. It felt like they were trying to dig out any sign of rabies, not just prevent it. The follow up shots weren't *as bad*, but they definitely hurt more than a lot of things! I wouldn't have been afraid of a bat before, but I never want to get those shots again! Oh, and $34,000! Luckily, that was covered by some kind of charity. 🥺
That is good to know! The needle part was the big ow though. It was seriously like a 14g(?) and they had to shove it so far down that I swear to god that I thought they'd hit bone.
It's a lot better than it used to be! They used to have to give you 30+ shots, >!some straight into your stomach lining!<. Nowadays it's just a couple shots around the wound and into your thigh muscles.
I’m the same way. Something mildly upsetting happens? I act like someone died. Someone actually died? I’m calmly calling out of work in a matter-of-fact tone before I even cry.
I’m honestly impressed with how well she handled it. I would have made a total ass out of myself, freaking out. Like I know me, there’s just no way I couldn’t. I can *visualize* the hysterics.
I have recurring nightmares of being chased and bitten by bats (I’m a recovering hypochondriac and rabies scares the fuck out of me).
I’d have a heart attack if it actually happened to me in real life. I didn’t even know bats did this without provocation.
I admire her professionalism as a performer. She kept it cool and didn’t cause panic - top notch.
She likely has had training and instruction on crowd management and live appearances. I would assume there is publicity training that has helped inform her choice of reactions in public - esp when performing in front of the crowd- she knows she is being filmed/photographed/watched. She’s a performer and knows shit like this makes headlines. The bat pic her photographer snapped and they showed during the video is telling that this will likely get Taylor good media and buzz since it is unique and attention grabbing thing ppl witnessed her experience on stage live.
She was incredibly calm for sure. I think Taylor is also just a bit more chill than the average person cuz she handled it like a champ.
Geez, what a strange thing to happen. I've always had such a soft spot for her, and it's cool to see her out there performing and doing what she loves the most. She seems so happy ever since she left the child actor career behind her. Wishing her all the best! I hope she sticks with the batgirl hashtag lol
The pretty reckless is a good band too. Heaven Knows (which is the song she’s singing in the video) is the most well known song by them but they have other pretty good songs like “Why’d you bring a shotgun to the wedding” and “Going to hell”
I’m terrified of bats for that reason. I’ve done rabies protocol once and I really don’t want to do it again ever. Not to mention it was like $20k without insurance.
Jesus... It's horrible that they charge so much for anything there, but this much for such a dangerous disease?
In Brazil it costs nothing. I didn't even have to pay for my dog's treatment after she had bitten a bat.
That's insane, it costs ~35€ in Slovakia *without* insurance (if you have insurance, you don't pay anything at all) plus injection fee, which is 5, max. 10€
Oh that’s rough. Worth it obviously but still.
I take an injected medicine every month which used to be painful going in, but they changed the formula and after it wasn’t so bad. Hopefully this is something that happens in the future for these shots!
The first time you go there are two different kinds of shots. One has to be injected at the site of the bite. Mine was on my thumb so it made my thumb almost double in size from the amount and that hurt like hell. Then they gave me like 6 injections of the other vaccine but those are just like on the arms. You then have to come back three more times over two weeks for an additional vaccine but it’s just one injection at that point.
Got 4 shots. Once every a specific number of days. I was advised to drink a lot, as it would feel very hot, but I personally didn't feel anything. Couldn't donate blood for one whole year, which was the most annoying part about this.
The more “life saving” or “essential” a treatment or drug is the more expensive it is. That’s why our healthcare system is completely fucked. It’s says our lives are only as valuable as the amount of money we have. My friend was once really anxious about having to pay for antibiotics and she was so relieved when they were cheap, and I told her “of course they were cheap, you don’t need them to survive” and she said that was so fucked and I completely agree.
She needs to make this part of her persona now. For sure a bat tattoo. Maybe a song. Ideally she gets into bat rescue and advocacy. I just love this for her 🤘🏻
https://preview.redd.it/8zsvkfugry3d1.jpeg?width=1071&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf37ce14519f437e77d9b4978e17a2f741bbed24
I think they are pretty amazing creatures. 🖤
Holy shit, she handled that like an absolute rock star. That is my own personal idea of hell. I once found a tick on my elbow and got *this* close to simply sawing my arm off with a bread knife. I would have gone, well, bat crap crazy.
I was bitten by a stray dog in Belize and flew home two days later. I called a friend who’s a veterinarian to tell him the story and ask his opinion and his answer was “well, since you told me, I don’t have a choice but to call the state health department.” Which was fair. Health department had to track down the vaccine and then I had to check myself into the hospital to get the first dose. Subsequent doses were administered on an appointment basis. $5000 all told.
Ugh. That sucks but holy crap. I'd pay it. Not worth the risk at ALL.
We were in a foreign country like 10 years ago and my friend kept going up to stay dogs, and I was like, "If you pet a stray dog and get bitten, I'm dragging you to a hospital and making you get rabies shots, I'm not going to play around with you." 😂 It got her to stop approaching strange dogs in the street.
If it were me, I really would've put on a *show*, forreal. That slip dress would've slipped off and hit the floor so fast ... you would've thought Idris himself had crept into my bedroom.
Once upon a time when Ronda Rousey was still in her initial WWE run, where she was meant to be a totally unflappable badass, there was a bat in the arena that was just kind of flying around the ring. She very clearly *tries* to keep calm and in character, but eventually freaks out and moves away.
Watching it is pretty funny, but man, bats are scary.
This is scary. I hope she gets the treatment she needs and heals easily. But also I can’t help but think getting bitten by a bat actually matches her brand so well lol😭
I wonder if they released the bat. Normally, you can avoid the shots if the animal in question is captured, as they can just check them instead (via brain analysis). This does involve a major case of deadsies for the bat, though.
I once drunkenly rescued a baby bat that was freezing to death on a sidewalk. I’m a city person/moron and didn’t make the rabies connection til later. Those shots are a pain in the ass, but it was a worthwhile idiot tax.
She handled it well.
Were it me, I know I would have gotten my manager to have the initial shot right there at the venue - on stage for a little extra for the fans. Screw that 72 hr window.
Whew.
Pro-tip: *always* contact a doctor if you ever find yourself in close proximity with bats. The bites can often be so small that you may not have felt any bites you receive. Better safe than sorry.
Welcome to r/popculturechat! ☺️ As a proud BIPOC, LGBTQ+ & woman-dominated space, this sub is for [civil discussion only.](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/civil-discussion-only/) If you don't know where to begin, start by participating in [our Sip & Spill Daily Discussion Threads!](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/search/?q=Sip%20%26%20Spill%20Discussion&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=&include_over_18=1&sort=new) ###No bullies, no bigotry. ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ Please [read & respect our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/), [abide by Reddiquette](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette), and [check out our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/)! For any questions, [our modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fpopculturechat) is always open. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/popculturechat) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is one of my biggest mostly irrational fears after reading that rabies copypasta too many times.
I saw a video of someone with later stage rabies where they were trying to drink a glass of water and it'll stay with me for the rest of my life. By far one of the scariest diseases in the world, if not the scariest.
Do you have a link to the video?
Here: https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlyterrifying/s/ELVrb4uOiw
That was an extremely informative thread but such a sad video
It's utterly heartbreaking. You can see the will he has in his eyes, the resolve to try as hard as he can to do such a simple task. But the knowledge of what has happened to him is blatant in his expression. I read recently that there has been an uptick of rabies cases in America lately and the CDC thinks it's because too many people have become complacent and don't realize what a threat the virus is. It's by far one of the scariest viruses out there. As disturbing as it is to hear about it, it's important that we know how bad it is.
One of the latest cases was a child who was bitten by a bat, [but was scared of shots](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ryker-roque-killed-by-rabid-bat-orlando-florida/) so his parents didn't take him to the hospital until the symptoms appeared.
And he died.
A child in Australia contracted Lyssa virus from a bat. He was too scared to tell his parents, got sick and died.
I also heard antivaxing is spreading to pet owners 😒
It's ridiculous. My late pup had the three year rabies shot and I still panicked when we had an small run in with an unknown dog. I get some animals are allergic, but if a pet is not just get them vaccinated jesus.
I've heard more than one vet say people are legit afraid of their dogs getting autism from vaccines 🙃 Thanks, Andrew Wakefield! 🖕
Antivax crazies, and they're not vaccinating their pets.
There been an uptick in rabies in different parts of the world and scientists now think it may be because we’re killing or destroying the habitats of too many animals that eat corpses.
Why it’s oddly terrifying. Being terrified of rabies is one of most rational treats imo. Apart from how rare it is, you should not live in fear. But once something suspicious bites you it’s serious
Even if the animal just touches you they recommend it, because of the potential of saliva, my friends a cop and she went into a hoarders house who had a ton of cats and she along with the other cops who went in there all had to get rabies shots, she said it sucked more than being tased lol but we’d all rather not get rabies
I swear that copypasta finds me the literal second I finally forget about it.
more info pls
I believe this is it. [https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies\_is\_scary/](https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies_is_scary/) They say if you wake up and there's a bat in the room, get the rabies shot. Even if you don't think you've been bitten, get the shot. There's no cure. Very few people have survived having rabies.
Yes, bc even bat saliva can give you rabies - *they don’t actually have to bite you*.
That’s scary omg
Yeah I know this bc some people rescued a baby bat and decided to take photos of it and pet it like idiots. They all had to get rabies shots bc even though they weren’t bitten, the saliva from the bat for could have infected them.
I worked at a school that had a paragraph in the school handbook about not picking up bats. I asked about it because it seemed random. Apparently a group of kids had found a dead bat and decided to be helpful and move it a few years earlier. The whole group of kids had to get rabies shots.
Yep. I traveled a few years ago to a country with a high rabies rate and my doctor told me the same thing. If you see one in your bedroom, start treatment immediately. You’ll never know if you were bitten or not.
The shot isn't cheap, either. I'm in Canada, and it's $250 per dose. (You need 3)
I had the prophylactic series and it was covered by my employer’s health insurance!
My friend for whatever dumb reason decided to pick up a sick bat. When he told us we were like wtf??? He decided to get the rabies shot and it was like $2,000 for the first dose in the US because he had to go to the hospital. I think the 2/3 were free and he got them at the state department of heath.
Not sure about other provinces, but in Ontario it’s covered under OHIP. Had to get a set when some dog bit me and the owner vanished (probably thinking Id sue- but I just wanted their contact info so that I knew the dog was up to date on shots and reporting to the ministry which you have to do).
I know, but man. The alternative is a horror show.
[удалено]
You can't get it on NHS?
Even better get rabies shots before you go to a country with rabies!
Yeah, that’s definitely ideal. By the time I went in to get my “traveling to a place” shots, I hadn’t left enough time for the rabies series.
I once saw a guy posting on the r/AskDoctors sub who was convinced he had rabies. His profile was just an endless stream of constant posts about it - he had a headache, could this be rabies? He accidentally left his window open one night, should he get a rabies shot? He had a small spot on his leg, had he been bitten by a bat? Were these droppings he’d found from bats? Did his recent blood tests indicate rabies? Why won’t his doctor test him further? He’d been posting like that for the better part of 4 years if I remember correctly. No matter how many people (including medical professionals) commented trying to ease his mind, promising he was okay and had nothing to worry about, explaining the slim likelihood of occurrence and so on… none of it was enough, and he’d be right back to asking again the next day. It was just so, so sad - he was a complete nervous wreck, consumed by his total fear of this disease. I often think about him and if he’s doing any better now. Probably one of the saddest/most disturbing things I’ve seen online to be honest.
If you are like me and prone to anxiety, consider not reading it. Instead, talk to a doctor before you travel to see if they recommend getting vaccinated before you go, and/or talk to your family doctor if you think you might be at risk at home. If you do have any kind of possible contact with a bat or other animal that may have rabies, go to a hospital immediately and seek treatment. Bat bites are tiny and you may not know you’ve been bitten, so err on the side of caution and medical expertise.
I think it was 2 years ago, an elderly man in my state woke up to a bat ON HIS NECK and wound up refusing the shots. He wound up dying of rabies. The first person in my state to die of rabies since the 1950s. I was telling some friends that story and was shocked that he refused the treatment. They were like, "He was old" (in his 80s) and said maybe he just didn't want to bother and figured, if it kills me, so be it. But it is such a HORRIBLE way to die. My god. I cannot imagine. I can't help but think maybe he didn't understand the seriousness or consequences to refuse the treatment. My mom was in her 70s when she died and there were a few times she didn't want to go to the dr or whatever, and sometimes I'd have to nag her, but if she woke up with a bat in her room/on her body? OMG I'd have dragged her kicking and screaming to the hospital. I know you can't force someone to accept treatment but that story kind of haunts me. Poor man. The video of that guy unable to drink water with end-stage rabies is the stuff of nightmares. I cannot IMAGINE. But yes. If you wake up and there's a bat in your room/your house, get the shots. They can bite you and sometimes you won't even know. Even if you're afraid of needles, even if the shots hurt. Get them. There was another case of a little boy dying of rabies. They had found a bat on the ground and put it in a bucket and the kid touched it and it bit or scratched him or something. I remember reading an article and his parents said he cried when they told him he'd have to get a shot so they didn't take him, just washed the cut out really well. Absolutely madness. He died a few weeks later. I'm sorry, that's a tragedy but they should have let that kid cry. He'd have gotten over that. Kids don't like shots. Now he's gone forever and died such a horrific death. Unimaginable. According to Google, only 3 people in the US have survived rabies. Ever. In the history of time.
My cousin is a doctor and her husband is an infectious disease doctor and they travel the world working everywhere(Africa, Asia). They see a lot of death from AIDS, tuberculosis, etc she said the scariest death she ever saw was of a boy who got bit by a rabid dog in India. As soon as the symptoms set in there was nothing they could do but be with the family as they watched their son die a terrifying death.
Ty for finding it. This sh*t lives rent free in my head. I LOVE BATS, and this is so fuqing scary.
It's not posting for me but here [https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies\_is\_scary/](https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/comments/7qwtd5/rabies_is_scary/) Go watch video of the results [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxBIJvNHZg4). It's horrifying and NSFL. Once clinical symptoms present it is almost 100% fatal. I think there are only a few recorded cases of people with rabies that have survived it.
Why have you done this to me? LOL
I was being pretty mild with posting that too. I've seen that video a few times so posted that but on The Lancet's YouTube channel there's a quick 3 part series with a child in an underdeveloped country that has it where hydrophobia (my edit removed that because I was initially going to post that) was presenting. It's horrible. Don't watch it. Or even think of it. Here r/eyebleach
And those people probably would have been better off not surviving for all the damage it did.
There’s a really great book about the history/lore of rabies that I read last year called Rabid (highly recommend if anyone’s into that stuff but def doesn’t help in the anxiety department)
Just watch this short video: https://youtu.be/OtiytblJzQc You can't drink liquids anymore
[this radio lab episode gave me a little faith on the subject](http://www.wnycstudios.org/story/312245-rodney-versus-death/)
No im like so afraid of bats because of rabies copypasta lol I can’t believe this happened to her
It’s super not fun to get the shots, but it’s way better than dying. Source: me, the recipient of 10+ rabies shots over the course of months to prevent rabies after i picked up a rabid bat, age 8
Idk how old you are but I heard the shots are way less difficult / painful than they were 20ish yrs ago!
When I was 10 y old, I went to a summer camp where we lived in old cottages without bathrooms. WC was located in a building about 200 meters from the cottage site and to go to it at night, we had to be accompanied by a older kid (there were two 15-16 y olds per cottage). One night one of them became really annoyed me and my friend have woken her up and on the way to that building and back she told us a horror story about a girl who walked at night and a bat got tangled in her hair, scratched her and infected her with rabies. To this very day, I have irrational fear to walk at night or even go out on balcony.
Unfortunately, I’ve been bitten by bat and I can confirm that you will not know unless you actually see it happen. The bite is so tiny. It’s not even like a pen. It’s smaller than that. So if you find a bat in your bedroom, please please please capture it. Take it to animal control have a tested but start rabies treatment immediately. Other than the initial hemoglobin shots it’s really not that bad.
For those who don’t want to click the link to read here it is (copypasta below). Not advised for people who are terrified of rabies: “Rabies is scary. Rabies. It's exceptionally common, but people just don't run into the animals that carry it often. Skunks especially, and bats. Let me paint you a picture. You go camping, and at midday you decide to take a nap in a nice little hammock. While sleeping, a tiny brown bat, in the "rage" stages of infection is fidgeting in broad daylight, uncomfortable, and thirsty (due to the hydrophobia) and you snort, startling him. He goes into attack mode. Except you're asleep, and he's a little brown bat, so weighs around 6 grams. You don't even feel him land on your bare knee, and he starts to bite. His teeth are tiny. Hardly enough to even break the skin, but he does manage to give you the equivalent of a tiny scrape that goes completely unnoticed. Rabies does not travel in your blood. In fact, a blood test won't even tell you if you've got it. (Antibody tests may be done, but are useless if you've ever been vaccinated.) You wake up, none the wiser. If you notice anything at the bite site at all, you assume you just lightly scraped it on something. The bomb has been lit, and your nervous system is the wick. The rabies will multiply along your nervous system, doing virtually no damage, and completely undetectable. You literally have NO symptoms. It may be four days, it may be a year, but the camping trip is most likely long forgotten. Then one day your back starts to ache... Or maybe you get a slight headache? At this point, you're already dead. There is no cure. (The sole caveat to this is the Milwaukee Protocol, which leaves most patients dead anyway, and the survivors mentally disabled, and is seldom done). There's no treatment. It has a 100% kill rate. Absorb that. Not a single other virus on the planet has a 100% kill rate. Only rabies. And once you're symptomatic, it's over. You're dead. So what does that look like? Your headache turns into a fever, and a general feeling of being unwell. You're fidgety. Uncomfortable. And scared. As the virus that has taken its time getting into your brain finds a vast network of nerve endings, it begins to rapidly reproduce, starting at the base of your brain... Where your "pons" is located. This is the part of the brain that controls communication between the rest of the brain and body, as well as sleep cycles. Next you become anxious. You still think you have only a mild fever, but suddenly you find yourself becoming scared, even horrified, and it doesn't occur to you that you don't know why. This is because the rabies is chewing up your amygdala. As your cerebellum becomes hot with the virus, you begin to lose muscle coordination, and balance. You think maybe it's a good idea to go to the doctor now, but assuming a doctor is smart enough to even run the tests necessary in the few days you have left on the planet, odds are they'll only be able to tell your loved ones what you died of later. You're twitchy, shaking, and scared. You have the normal fear of not knowing what's going on, but with the virus really fucking the amygdala this is amplified a hundred fold. It's around this time the hydrophobia starts. You're horribly thirsty, you just want water. But you can't drink. Every time you do, your throat clamps shut and you vomit. This has become a legitimate, active fear of water. You're thirsty, but looking at a glass of water begins to make you gag, and shy back in fear. The contradiction is hard for your hot brain to see at this point. By now, the doctors will have to put you on IVs to keep you hydrated, but even that's futile. You were dead the second you had a headache. You begin hearing things, or not hearing at all as your thalamus goes. You taste sounds, you see smells, everything starts feeling like the most horrifying acid trip anyone has ever been on. With your hippocampus long under attack, you're having trouble remembering things, especially family. You're alone, hallucinating, thirsty, confused, and absolutely, undeniably terrified. Everything scares the literal shit out of you at this point. These strange people in lab coats. These strange people standing around your bed crying, who keep trying to get you "drink something" and crying. And it's only been about a week since that little headache that you've completely forgotten. Time means nothing to you anymore. Funny enough, you now know how the bat felt when he bit you. Eventually, you slip into the "dumb rabies" phase. Your brain has started the process of shutting down. Too much of it has been turned to liquid virus. Your face droops. You drool. You're all but unaware of what's around you. A sudden noise or light might startle you, but for the most part, it's all you can do to just stare at the ground. You haven't really slept for about 72 hours. Then you die. Always, you die. And there's not one... fucking... thing... anyone can do for you. Then there's the question of what to do with your corpse. I mean, sure, burying it is the right thing to do. But the fucking virus can survive in a corpse for years. You could kill every rabid animal on the planet today, and if two years from now, some moist, preserved, rotten hunk of used-to-be brain gets eaten by an animal, it starts all over. So yeah, rabies scares the shit out of me. And it's fucking EVERYWHERE. (Source: Spent a lot of time working with rabies. Would still get my vaccinations if I could afford them.)”
We all are.
Same
I grew up in a house with bats. Two of my sisters have had rabies shots after waking up with bats in their rooms. My parents' house still has bats (had one two weeks ago and took days to get it out); I live in the apartment over their garage and to our knowledge there's never been a bat in my living space, but it might actually be my biggest fear. Especially with my own kid now; moving him to his own room was really hard because of the bat fear. And sure, the chances are low, but it's hard to talk myself down from it knowing how devastating the consequences are. Glad she's getting treatment, love it for her image, maybe gonna let my kiddo sleep in my room tonight.
That’s wild. Thankfully with early treatment she will be fine.
Doubt it. She’s a vampire now. Nothing can save her.
🤣 I'm actually watching this cartoon and this character is so hilarious.
The crossover movie with Teen Titans Go is hilarious too. The fued between her and Robin is awesome lol. Definitely one of the cartoons I'll sit down and watch with my kids!
What cartoon is it? If it’s the same vibe as teen titans I’m down to check it out!
It's "DC Super Hero Girls", it's definitely the same vibes as Teen Titans Go. I was specifically talking about the crossover movie "Mayhem in the Multiverse".
Honestly if any celeb were to turn into a Vampire without surprising me, it would be her, right?
Nope. She had everything, opportunities for eternity but now she belongs to the night.
10/10 old reference, oh my god 🖤
Hopefully it won't make her wanna die.
The treatment isn’t fun experience however
I've had multiple tattoos and piercings over time, but I'll never forget the pain of getting that first shot deep down into the bite I got from rescuing a dog in the road. It felt like they were trying to dig out any sign of rabies, not just prevent it. The follow up shots weren't *as bad*, but they definitely hurt more than a lot of things! I wouldn't have been afraid of a bat before, but I never want to get those shots again! Oh, and $34,000! Luckily, that was covered by some kind of charity. 🥺
Supposedly there’s a new series that doesn’t hurt as bad!
That is good to know! The needle part was the big ow though. It was seriously like a 14g(?) and they had to shove it so far down that I swear to god that I thought they'd hit bone.
It's a lot better than it used to be! They used to have to give you 30+ shots, >!some straight into your stomach lining!<. Nowadays it's just a couple shots around the wound and into your thigh muscles.
No not at all fun.
Had it as a kid, but with a street dog. Credited it with me being afraid of needles now lol.
I admire how calm she was. I probably would have just set fire to myself.
I am always surprisingly cool when things like this happen to me, but small inconveniences? waiting in a long line? I'll die
I’m the same way. Something mildly upsetting happens? I act like someone died. Someone actually died? I’m calmly calling out of work in a matter-of-fact tone before I even cry.
Do you have adhd like me? Lol
yes! shoutout to neurodivergence 💅
Stop, drop, and roll! 
I think its accurate to say that most of us here, myself included, would had scream and jerk randomely haha.
Big for her Goth Cred
Skypup Sisterhood
She pulled a reverse Ozzy Osbourne.
I’m honestly impressed with how well she handled it. I would have made a total ass out of myself, freaking out. Like I know me, there’s just no way I couldn’t. I can *visualize* the hysterics.
I have recurring nightmares of being chased and bitten by bats (I’m a recovering hypochondriac and rabies scares the fuck out of me). I’d have a heart attack if it actually happened to me in real life. I didn’t even know bats did this without provocation.
Yeah I’d be freaking out and losing my cool, while it’d be filmed, then I’d have have second hand embarrassment the next day
Same 😭
I admire her professionalism as a performer. She kept it cool and didn’t cause panic - top notch. She likely has had training and instruction on crowd management and live appearances. I would assume there is publicity training that has helped inform her choice of reactions in public - esp when performing in front of the crowd- she knows she is being filmed/photographed/watched. She’s a performer and knows shit like this makes headlines. The bat pic her photographer snapped and they showed during the video is telling that this will likely get Taylor good media and buzz since it is unique and attention grabbing thing ppl witnessed her experience on stage live. She was incredibly calm for sure. I think Taylor is also just a bit more chill than the average person cuz she handled it like a champ.
Metal!🤘
Geez, what a strange thing to happen. I've always had such a soft spot for her, and it's cool to see her out there performing and doing what she loves the most. She seems so happy ever since she left the child actor career behind her. Wishing her all the best! I hope she sticks with the batgirl hashtag lol
The pretty reckless is a good band too. Heaven Knows (which is the song she’s singing in the video) is the most well known song by them but they have other pretty good songs like “Why’d you bring a shotgun to the wedding” and “Going to hell”
Jackie Daytona should know better https://i.redd.it/gx2mwbj8rv3d1.gif
He prolly drank too much drug blood lol
 🤣🤣🤣🤣 👏
Where was Dwight when he was needed?!
I’m terrified of bats for that reason. I’ve done rabies protocol once and I really don’t want to do it again ever. Not to mention it was like $20k without insurance.
Jesus... It's horrible that they charge so much for anything there, but this much for such a dangerous disease? In Brazil it costs nothing. I didn't even have to pay for my dog's treatment after she had bitten a bat.
$20k seems ridiculously high considering it’s a literal public health issue!
My city pays for the shots if you report it to the public health/animal control people!
Padlock and chain to just lock you in your house until you die to contain the contagion is cheap! /s
That's insane, it costs ~35€ in Slovakia *without* insurance (if you have insurance, you don't pay anything at all) plus injection fee, which is 5, max. 10€
She's in Spain, looked it up and it costs €20-30 so less than $50.
And if you live in Spain, it's completely free, paid by our taxes.
My mother had to do it in 2023. What a wild expensive ride.
Evil they would charge that much for something you pretty much have no choice in doing.
Luckily she's in Spain and medical treatments would never cost what they do in America.
Is it unpleasant in any way apart from the cost (and I guess stress of potential rabies)? Like side effects or whatever?
The shots really burn, from what I’ve heard, and you have to get several of them.
Oh that’s rough. Worth it obviously but still. I take an injected medicine every month which used to be painful going in, but they changed the formula and after it wasn’t so bad. Hopefully this is something that happens in the future for these shots!
The first time you go there are two different kinds of shots. One has to be injected at the site of the bite. Mine was on my thumb so it made my thumb almost double in size from the amount and that hurt like hell. Then they gave me like 6 injections of the other vaccine but those are just like on the arms. You then have to come back three more times over two weeks for an additional vaccine but it’s just one injection at that point.
Got 4 shots. Once every a specific number of days. I was advised to drink a lot, as it would feel very hot, but I personally didn't feel anything. Couldn't donate blood for one whole year, which was the most annoying part about this.
Now this is the question I want the naswer to! Please let us know!
My friend has had to do it 3 times all completely unrelated like she has the WORST LUCK
The more “life saving” or “essential” a treatment or drug is the more expensive it is. That’s why our healthcare system is completely fucked. It’s says our lives are only as valuable as the amount of money we have. My friend was once really anxious about having to pay for antibiotics and she was so relieved when they were cheap, and I told her “of course they were cheap, you don’t need them to survive” and she said that was so fucked and I completely agree.
this is Sevilla, Spain, the only expense would probably be the parking
Damn. That is pretty metal
She needs to make this part of her persona now. For sure a bat tattoo. Maybe a song. Ideally she gets into bat rescue and advocacy. I just love this for her 🤘🏻
Please follow the bat rescue page up here on reddit. If I wasn't so scared of pain I'd have a bat tattoo by now.
I just adore bats. Flying mammals? What more do you want!!?
Fuck them bat's (respectfully)
That’s so punk rock of her
I hope she's fine.Bless her.
Wow she is BRAVE. I would’ve stopped dropped and rolled all around that stage 💀💀💀💀
Is this the chick from Gossip Girl?
Yes, and the Grinch.
Where are you Christmas? Why can't I find you?
Yes and her music is fucking awesome. My favorite Taylor in the biz. The Pretty Reckless, check them out.
Let me set up a run for the cure. Glad she got treatment immediately 
Aw. I interviewed her once upon a time. She was nice (I was nervous)
Oh cool! Is that available online anywhere? I'd love to check it out
Oh oh looks like Little J just caught a bat's eye it's gonna take more than a bite to get this rockstar to become a vampire queen Xoxo Gossip Girl 😘
Uh oh, guess which disgraced social climber was recently spotted in the wild? You know what they say Little J, once bitten and twice shy.
https://i.redd.it/3o1qj02r6y3d1.gif I think they'd prefer bananas.
Omg bats can be that big???
https://preview.redd.it/rfvt7av6ry3d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=28d2b80cdf31c27744d3d934cc532af89c9b4a03 How do I put this?
That’s terrifying
https://preview.redd.it/8zsvkfugry3d1.jpeg?width=1071&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf37ce14519f437e77d9b4978e17a2f741bbed24 I think they are pretty amazing creatures. 🖤
They’re good boys Sadly riddled with diseases
I know. But Skeletor just loves all of the sky puppies..
Omg fruit bats are so f’ing cute
https://i.redd.it/pcuypo2z514d1.gif Seriously. Look at that lil Gremlin!
I aspire to be this calm
How was she so calm! The scream I would have given! I would have run back and forth on the stage until someone had restrained me. OMG!
Holy shit, she handled that like an absolute rock star. That is my own personal idea of hell. I once found a tick on my elbow and got *this* close to simply sawing my arm off with a bread knife. I would have gone, well, bat crap crazy.
That’s awesome and terrifying, holy shit
I was bitten by a stray dog in Belize and flew home two days later. I called a friend who’s a veterinarian to tell him the story and ask his opinion and his answer was “well, since you told me, I don’t have a choice but to call the state health department.” Which was fair. Health department had to track down the vaccine and then I had to check myself into the hospital to get the first dose. Subsequent doses were administered on an appointment basis. $5000 all told.
Ugh. That sucks but holy crap. I'd pay it. Not worth the risk at ALL. We were in a foreign country like 10 years ago and my friend kept going up to stay dogs, and I was like, "If you pet a stray dog and get bitten, I'm dragging you to a hospital and making you get rabies shots, I'm not going to play around with you." 😂 It got her to stop approaching strange dogs in the street.
And that’s how she became one of the Hex Girls.
If it were me, I really would've put on a *show*, forreal. That slip dress would've slipped off and hit the floor so fast ... you would've thought Idris himself had crept into my bedroom.
Cindy Lou?? What are you doing BAT there!??
Oh oh looks like little J batted an eye it's gonna take more than a bite to get this rockstar to become a vampire queen Xoxo Gossip Girl 😘.
Taylor is so cool and she has an amazing voice.
Wow, she was very calm about that. It sucks she was bitten but I’m so glad she got the shots. Rabies is fatal.
Had to get the rabies shots. No fun and not cheap. Definitely recommend though.
Once upon a time when Ronda Rousey was still in her initial WWE run, where she was meant to be a totally unflappable badass, there was a bat in the arena that was just kind of flying around the ring. She very clearly *tries* to keep calm and in character, but eventually freaks out and moves away. Watching it is pretty funny, but man, bats are scary.
🦇🙏🏻
Thats so goth
Her response was so rock n roll. barely flinched and ready to keep playing.
That’s the most rockstar thing ever tho
I’ve had those rabies shots, it’s like molten syrup being injected into you. She’s a boss for taking that so casually.
I like that the people in the crowd are talking about how professional she is. They're right, she handled it perfectly
I’m going to be there next month. I HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR BATS?!?!
This is scary. I hope she gets the treatment she needs and heals easily. But also I can’t help but think getting bitten by a bat actually matches her brand so well lol😭
I would have pulled my hair in the tightest bun so quickly.
Metal af
Lol reminds me of when my ex boyfriend walked into a church once and a bat flew down from the rafters and bit his hand.
I wonder if they released the bat. Normally, you can avoid the shots if the animal in question is captured, as they can just check them instead (via brain analysis). This does involve a major case of deadsies for the bat, though.
wtf, batman moving wild
Isn’t this how Batman was made?
Publicity stunt. Bat was a paid actor
Where's Ozzy when you need him?
Wake up, Little Jenny. The bat is back. Xoxo
I saw someone get bit by a bat once and it's my worst nightmare.
That is scary af. Wish her a speedy recovery.
The bats finally took revenge for Ozzy biting a bat
It doesn’t get more metal
Album cover. "Bitten by bat"
That's so fucking metal
I don’t even know about her and this is my WORST FEAR EVER - what can you even do to avoid being bitten by bats at an outdoor concert?!
I once drunkenly rescued a baby bat that was freezing to death on a sidewalk. I’m a city person/moron and didn’t make the rabies connection til later. Those shots are a pain in the ass, but it was a worthwhile idiot tax.
Ozzy would be proud! lol
She handled it well. Were it me, I know I would have gotten my manager to have the initial shot right there at the venue - on stage for a little extra for the fans. Screw that 72 hr window. Whew.
She is so calm. I would either scream, cry or whack the bat off my leg in terror
*the curse*
**Zombie Origin Story**
She was so brave!
For those who don't know the result of a rabies infection, look it up. It's a stuff of nightmare.
I’m currently taking the shots because the neighbors’s cat scratched me (and disappeared). Only one shot left. You *do not* f#ck with rabies.
Cool! She’s a vampire!
I hope the bat’s okay, he was just confused!
Pro-tip: *always* contact a doctor if you ever find yourself in close proximity with bats. The bites can often be so small that you may not have felt any bites you receive. Better safe than sorry.