Rhiannon Ingle
One woman has issued an urgent warning to 'stay safe whilst swimming' after being hospitalised on holiday.
Zoe Cahill, who hails from Queensland in Australia, has opened up about her holiday from hell, after she endured a pretty horrifying attack that left her hospitalised for more than a month.
The 23-year-old opened up about the ordeal, which took place while she was swimming near the shore of Zen Beach on the island of Ko Pha Ngan, while holidaying in Thailand back in October.
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The Aussie was on her first-ever solo trip to South-east Asia, where she had spent her time teaching yoga and travelling between Bali and Thailand.
Zoe revealed she had been swimming around Ko Pha Ngan for a few months without any problems. However, on that fateful day, she was in the water about 50 metres from the shore when 'all of a sudden' her body felt like it was 'vibrating'.
Recalling the terrifying incident, Zoe told 9news.com.au: "I thought I saw what looked like little bits of plastic in the ocean and within seconds this jellyfish stung me.
"It literally felt like electricity had shot through my body."
She continued: "The adrenaline kicked in, although my memory is still patchy, I actually managed to get myself back to shore."
According to bystanders, Zoe thankfully managed to make her way back to shore before she collapsed.
Around 15 people rushed to her aid while a nurse performed CPR, with Zoe adding: "I was crying I was screaming, I was just so confused as to what was happening."
She was later rushed to the local hospital in Ko Pha Ngan where a friend was luckily able to meet her.
After some tests, the globe-trotter was told by doctors that she would need to be transported by emergency speed boat to the nearby island of Ko Samui.
A doctor told her friend: "She needs an antihistamine as her white blood cells are increasing rapidly and we don't have the resources to treat her."
The following day, Zoe was visited by a marine toxin specialist from Bangkok and went on to remain in hospital for over a month, while being unable to walk properly for two weeks due to her extensive stings.
She has since documented her recovery on Instagram, showing viewers her scars from the incident.
"I'm scarred all over my body, everywhere you look there's a mark," she said. "But I'm grateful to be here today."
Zoe has since returned home and is now working towards raising awareness about the dangers of jellyfish attacks.