If he waited for 30 minutes longer, a young man may have likely died as a tapeworm larva lodged itself into his brain, blocking water flow.
California native Luis Ortiz, 26, started developing recurring headaches in the later days of August. In September, when he visited friends and family in Napa, the headaches became more severe that one day he even though he was suffering from a heat stroke. By the time he went to his mom, he was already in a dire state, vomiting and appearing confused or disoriented.
He was later brought to Queen of the Valley Medical Center for emergency admission where he eventually fell into a coma. Fortunately, he regained consciousness, but the news that welcomed him wasn't encouraging: the doctors found that there's a tapeworm larva in his brain, enclosed in a cyst that's blocking the water flow to some sections of his brain. With inadequate water, the brain is then deprived of its much-needed oxygen.
It's a good thing, however, that he was brought to the hospital in the nick of time. According to Dr Soren Singel, his attending neurosurgeon, if he waited for half an hour more, he could be dead by now. Surgery was performed immediately to remove the parasite using a neuro-endoscope, which scooped out the wiggling worm from the man's brain. Ortiz also took some medications to kill the possible remaining worms in his body. Ortiz, on his part, described his experience as shocking as he couldn't believe something like that could ever happen. He also felt grossed out after seeing the worm.
Although the worm is already out of his body, he needed to make some major changes in his life to recuperate. He had to leave university in Sacramento for a while and move back home. To restore his brain function, he's also attending therapy and making huge improvements.