Woman’s Limbs Amputated Due to a Tick Bite

Jo Rogers lost both her arms and legs after being bitten by a tick during a vacation in northeast Oklahoma.

Rogers had to have her four limbs amputated to stop the spread of a potentially deadly disease called Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF).

Four days after vacationing at Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, Rogers had an intense flu. The 40-year-old mom decided to go to the hospital when the symptoms didn’t subside after five days. Lab tests revealed she was negative for West Nile virus and meningitis.

PHOTO CREDIT: kjrh.com

PHOTO CREDIT: kjrh.com

“She was shaking her hands because they hurt, her feet hurt,” Lisa Morgan, Roger’s cousin, told KOCO. 

After undergoing a series of tests, the doctors discovered that Rogers  was bitten by a tick and was infected by one of the worst cases of RMSF.

To keep the disease from spreading to Roger’s vital organs, doctors were left with no choice but to amputate all her four limbs. A blood clot was also located in one of Roger’s lungs.

Morgan has set up a GoFundMe page with the title “Help Jo” to cover her increasing medical bills. The mother of two has sons ages 12 and 17.

She’s a beautiful, energetic, fun person. Nobody deserves this,” Morgan said.

Know more about Roger’s story by visiting her GoFundMe page.

What is RMSF?

A bacterial infection transmitted by a tick, RMSF can bring serious damage to your internal organs including your heart and kidneys, according to Mayo Clinic.

Signs and symptoms during the early stages of RMSF include high fever and severe headache. A rash usually appears on the wrists and ankles after a few days.

RMSF commonly occurs in the southeastern part of the US. Cases also occurred in some parts South America, Central America, Mexico and Canada.

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