Few things are more romantic than a walk on the beach — unless you have the same experience as this couple. When they got home and saw their feet, they gasped. When you see the photos, you just might too. The worst part? Doctors refused to help them after they realized what caused it.
When Eddie Zytner and Katie Stephens took a romantic trip to the Dominican Republic, they never imagined a trip to “somewhere tropical” would leave them in agony. They had no idea how walking barefoot on the beach put them at risk. But, when they returned home, they found out first-hand just how bad the beaches can be.
We’ve all heard countless goose-bump-inducing stories of people coming back from vacation with mysterious and unfortunate ailments, but we never think it’s going to happen to us. When Eddie and Katie were quickly overcome with “incredibly itchy” feet, however, the couple soon realized that this was no ordinary itch. To their horror, it was a full-blown infestation. It might sound like the stuff of urban legend, but it was all too real, as photos proved. Sadly, their troubles were just beginning.
Following her trip to Punta Cana with her 25-year-old boyfriend Eddie, 22-year-old Katie Stephens returned home to Canada, where her nightmare first began to unfold. Wanting to warn others, she took to Facebook with some pretty disturbing pictures that are hard to look at if you are even the tiniest bit squeamish. Addressing the post to anyone traveling “somewhere tropical,” Katie quickly warned, “Please be careful when in the sand” and advised them to “wear shoes!”
She wasted no time getting to the point. “My boyfriend and I recently got back from Punta Cana to discover that we both have larva migrans, in other terms worms in our feet,” she wrote. ” If your feet become incredibly itchy please get it checked out right away since we simply thought it was just bug bites and it became worse as each day passed.”
Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is a skin disease, caused by the larvae of various nematode parasites of the microscopic hookworm family. The parasites penetrate the skin resulting in CLM, the most common tropically acquired dermatosis, according to Medscape.
Hookworms are most frequently found in tropical and subtropical environments, as well as the southern region of the U.S., but they’re no longer contained to these areas alone, thanks to international travel. The worms can be contracted while walking on warm, moist sand, where they have the opportunity to enter the skin.
The early symptoms include itching. Although Eddie and Katie initially attributed the annoying sensation to bug bites, the irritation got much worse. After a few days, it eventually erupting into a much more severe condition. The couple soon noticed major swelling, bumps, and blisters on their feet, according to Elite Daily. This was still just the beginning of their nightmare, however.
The couple went to the hospital and ended up seeing three different doctors before they were correctly diagnosed and prescribed a course of treatment, CTV News reported. The doctor who finally diagnosed the couple had recently seen a similar case with another international traveler. Still, their problems were far from over.
“I have dozens of worms in my feet, and so does Katie. It’s kind of sickening to think about,” Eddie said, according to Windsor Star. “It’s pretty gross. It’s something living in your body that’s not supposed to be there.” Making matters worse, even once properly diagnosed, getting treatment wouldn’t be easy.
“To top it all off, Health Canada denied our request to receive the medicine (ivermectin) we needed to treat our infection and (we) were forced to get medicine from the states,” Katie explained. Eddie’s mom reportedly drove to America to get the medication the couple needed, causing Katie to sarcastically add, “Thank you Canada for your lovely healthcare you provide for us!”
As Daniel Caplivski, MD, associate professor of infectious diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Cosmopolitan, people should wear shoes to protect their feet when they walk the beach. The sand in your toes might feel nice, but the parasitic infestation that could result certainly does not. What’s more, as the couple recovered, they were forced to use crutches — another painful inconvenience that hardly made the barefoot walk on the beach worth it.
Although they certainly are difficult to look at, the couple shared the photos on social media to alert the public and raise awareness of the possibility of parasitic infections while traveling. They also hope the post will help others recognize the symptoms early so that, should anyone ever go through the same thing, they will know to act fast and seek medical attention. Hopefully, their country won’t deny them the medication.
Gasp! Ivermectin?
The Canadian government is still in Democrat mode where Ivermectin must be denied and declared evil.
deep state makes no money on ivermectin
Ivermectin works but is not needed. Plus Ivermectin causes too much DNA damage, and should only be used for emergencies. There is a reason they give ivermectin to all the Africans and third world nations, the New World Odor wants to get rid of those poor people. They call it the war on poverty as an insider joke.
For parasites, use a foot bath with one cup of Borox laundry booster, 12 Mule Team brand, with no perfumes added.
If you have Boric acid powder used for roaches and ants, you can use 1/4 cup of that instead for foot bath, too. Make sure its just boric acid without added pesticides.
Or, you can also use one bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide in foot bath with water.
Or you can use chlorine dioxide foot bath with 30 drops of the mixture mixed with water.
Then just soak your feet 3 times per day for 20 minutes.
There is no reason to involve a doctor, you want safe and effective treatments, not bad results.
Obviously a subscriber to the Quibbler.
Short term treatment with Ivermectin has not been shown to be harmful.
One does not need to depend on the government to supply it. It is readily available at farm stores. One can use the horse paste as people and horses both require 200 micrograms per kilogram. The tube has weights listed on the plunger so it is easy to get the dose right. Do not fret that the increments are in 50 lb units as it takes an extreme overdose to cause a problem.
I would think the New World Order could come up with a more effective way to get rid of people if that was their goal.
Ivermectin has been used on both people and animals since I believe the 1950s all over the world with no adverse reactions.
canada wanted you to suffer so much that you would decide to get yourself put down.
Are you a f***ing doctor? Get bent idiot! The organism is inside you body. As if topical boric acid is going to work, especially at the stage they were in. What a fool!
I still can’t get Ivermectin in Texas. How’d they get it? Doctors won’t prescribe it anymore. Even more ironic is that Ivermectin is a PfiZer product!
You can get all you want at Tractor Supply or Amazon. The horse paste is the same dosage as humans.
Absolutely right. Cant believe the number of people who believe its harmfull. Its the same medicine that is give to children for parasites.
Common sense solution, take a basin of water add a little bleach soak your feet, do this two or three times a day, and your problem will be solved.
Thats a bit of overkill.
Ivermectin works but is not needed. Plus Ivermectin causes too much DNA damage, and should only be used for emergencies. There is a reason they give ivermectin to all the Africans and third world nations, the New World Odor wants to get rid of those poor people. They call it the war on poverty as an insider joke.
For parasites, use a foot bath with one cup of Borox laundry booster, 12 Mule Team brand, with no perfumes added.
If you have Boric acid powder used for roaches and ants, you can use 1/4 cup of that instead for foot bath, too. Make sure its just boric acid without added pesticides.
Or, you can also use one bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide in foot bath with water.
Or you can use chlorine dioxide foot bath with 30 drops of the mixture mixed with water.
Then just soak your feet 3 times per day for 20 minutes.
There is no reason to involve a doctor, you want safe and effective treatments, not bad results.
You need the spike protein in COVID vaccinations if you want to use the Vaccine to reduce world populations.
The CDC’s own website points out that Ivermectin destroys the “Spike Protein”.
The COVID vaccines cannot reduce the populations if the spike protein is destroyed.
This is why Governments like Canada’s that favor population reduction via vaccines are blocking the use of Ivermectin.
My sister had the same thing happen to her in 1966 after we spent a month at a beach we normally stayed a month at every year in Florida. When we came back to Newburg, New York, the doctors were clueless. After months of no effective treatment, she had the worms all the way up to her knees before finally being diagnosed by an international disease specialist in NYC. They used dry ice on her legs to freeze the nasty little buggers out. It was incredibly painful for her. She was on crutches for months because of them. It was unbelievable, but now, thanks to your posts on social media, perhaps many people will be spared your terrible, traumatic experience. I’m so sorry that happened to you. I hope you are recovered now.
Thanks, Canada, for giving me sanctuary for 5 years during the Vietnam War, but how far you have fallen since then.
Fish rots from the head. Look at who is Canada’s Prime Minister.