A woman says she is lucky to be alive after picking up a dollar bill from the ground that had fentanyl on it.
The frightening incident occurred on Sunday when Renee Parsons, her husband Justin, and their two children were traveling from Lexington, Kentucky to Dallas, Texas, for a work event. The family stopped in Bellevue, Tennessee, to rest and get food. When they arrived at the McDonald’s on Highway 70, Renee spotted a dollar bill on the ground as she entered the restaurant. She innocently picked up the dollar, but 10 minutes later, she began to feel unwell. The terrified woman said she was unable to speak or breathe and experienced a burning sensation in her body before passing out.
Before she fainted, Renee grabbed Justin’s arm with the same hand she used to pick up the money. A rash quickly appeared on his arm, and his lips became numb. Justin rushed Renee to St. Thomas Ascension Hospital, which was an hour away. Doctors confirmed that the woman suffered an accidental overdose. Thankfully, her symptoms began to subside after nearly four hours.
While the couple maintains that the dollar bill caused their ailments, drug experts are skeptical of their story. Vanderbilt University Medical Center fentanyl expert Dr. Rebecca Donald spoke to a local news outlet about the overdose. She says that Renee’s symptoms did not appear to result from fentanyl poisoning. Dr. Donald explained that even if the substance was on the bill, skin-to-skin contact would not cause an overdose.
“It is much more likely for her to have a reaction if she had inadvertently rubbed her nose and exposed that drug to some of the blood vessels in her nose or licked her fingers or rubbed her eyes,” Donald told News 4.
Nevertheless, the Parsons are sticking to their story and warning others to stay away from money they find on the ground.
“I don’t care if it’s a $20 bill or a $100 bill do not touch it!!!” Renee warned in Facebook post detailing her ordeal.
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