2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Ryan Fahey)
The friend of a teacher who died after being bitten by a rabid bat has shared tragic details of what happened during her final days. Leah Seneng, 60, was trying to free a trapped bat at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, California, when the creature woke up and bit her on the hand. Ms Seneng thought it was just a harmless 'nip', so carried on with her life as normal.
However, a month later, she fell gravely ill and was placed into a medically induced coma, passing away four days later on November 22. Speaking to ABC30 News, Seneng's longtime friend Laura Splotch recounted how Leah had tried to scoop up the seemingly dormant bat to take it outside, not wanting to harm it. However, it woke up and bit her .
Ms Seneng's lifelong pal Laura Splotch recalled how her best friend started suffering with flu-like symptoms, which became so severe by November 18 that Ms Seneng's daughter had to drive her to the ER. Once in the hospital, her condition grew worse and worse, and doctors put her in a coma. While in the coma, she was unable to communicate verbally, and had to rely on squeezing the hands of her nurses and loved ones, and using "eye movements" to explain what she meant, Ms Splotch told the Daily Mail.
Family and friends were told that Ms Seneng didn't have long to live, so Ms Splotch travelled to the hospital to say goodbye to her friend. For her, one of the most difficult parts was the suddenness of her deterioration. Unlike her family, who had seen each stage of the gradual decline - and being oblivious to what was wrong - Ms Splotch suddenly saw her close friend hooked up to machines which was pretty upsetting and scary", she said.
Ms Splotch added: "Leah was an experienced outdoorswoman and world traveler. It just didn't occur to her that the little bat bite was dangerous. This is why I believe it's important for others to note that any animal bite could contain rabies and it is essential to get treatment right away.
" While it was difficult to see her friend in that state, she was glad she did. "We hoped she knew we were there for her. We left around 7:45pm and got the call she passed at 9:30pm.
I'm grateful I got to say goodbye." Rabies is transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals such as bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes. Ms Seneng did not think much of the bite.
After the incident, Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health and state public health officer, warned: 'Bites from bats can be incredibly small and difficult to see or detect.
It is important to wash your hands and look for open wounds after touching a wild animal, and if bitten, seek immediate medical care. It is always safest to leave wild animals alone. Do not approach, touch, or try to feed animals you don't know.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Ms Seneng's family during this challenging time..
