Mom Shares Tick Warning After Visit To Local Pumpkin Patch

source: shutterstock / Jennifer Hernandez/Facebook

When we think of fall, we tend to think of apple picking, raking leaves, and heading to the pumpkin patch. I’ve been going to a pumpkin patch every year since I can remember, and it’s one of my kids’ favorite fall activities. However, one mom is warning others about the hidden danger in pumpkin patches that has drastically altered her life.

Two years ago, Jennifer Hernandez was at a pumpkin patch with her family when she was bit by a tick. She contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (one of multiple serious diseases ticks carry), which resulted in Jennifer not being able to walk, having full-body pain, and losing her hair. Jennifer almost died as a result of this disease, and so she’s warning others not to make the same mistake she did.

Thankfully, Jennifer is slowly starting to recover, but her ordeal is far from over. Remember that tick season isn’t over yet, and in many places, ticks are rampant until temperatures drop and snow falls. Tick-borne diseases are not something to take lightly, and we’re hoping that Jennifer’s story sheds some light on this harsh reality.