A trip to a store through a grassy part of a Kentucky neighborhood ended in a medical emergency after a woman said she stepped on and was bitten by a venomous snake.

She was hospitalized afterward and treated with 14 vials of antivenom, WLEX-TV reported.

What happened?

Nicholasville resident Leslie Pearse was on her way to a store when she crossed a grassy area in her neighborhood.

Almost immediately, she realized she had been bitten on the foot after stepping on what she believed was a copperhead.

Pearse said the pain intensified quickly.

“Like, I mean just sharp pain, like some like a bug or something,” she recounted.

“I looked down and I saw the two little marks and I was like, yeah, I’ve been bit by something.”

Why does it matter?

Pearse told WLEX-TV that pain, redness, and swelling moved up her leg within minutes, leading friends to call 911.

She was then taken to the hospital for antivenom treatments.

Pearse was later released from the hospital but is still recovering after what she described as an extensive medical ordeal.

“They had to check and make sure what kind it was and what they had and everything, then they started that and they said that they start with four, like two vials and then four … and it wound up taking 14,” she recalled.

As BBC Future explained, higher average temperatures, land development, and habitat loss can increase encounters between people and wild animals, including venomous snakes.

Pearse said she was concerned about children and dogs in her area after her frightening experience.

What can I do?

Doctors advise people who are bitten by a snake to back away from it, limit their movement, and get medical care right away, while avoiding any attempt to capture the animal, per WLEX-TV.

The outlet also said people should not cut the wound or try to suck out venom, since those steps can make matters worse.

Pearse said her experience is why she decided to speak out after the ordeal.

After the painful recovery, Pearse’s warning was simple.

“I mean just kind of watch where you’re stepping more than anything,” she said.

“There’s a lot of kids around here and they run and they’re not paying attention and dogs are sniffing and things like that.”