December 10th 2024.
Carly Electric, a 29-year-old woman, was watching a tropical storm from her home when she saw flashes of lightning lighting up the sky. Like many of us, she couldn't resist the urge to capture this incredible spectacle on her phone. Little did she know that this decision would change her life forever.
As she recorded the lightning directly above her, there was a loud bang, and suddenly her right eye was blinded by light. It was then that she realized she should probably go indoors for safety. But what she didn't realize was that she had been indirectly hit by lightning.
It only took a few minutes for her body to start experiencing the effects of keraunoparalysis, a rare condition that causes temporary paralysis. This happens when lightning strikes close enough to a person, and the electrical energy travels through the ground or conductive elements like metal pipes or wires, disrupting the nervous system and interfering with the brain's messages to the rest of the body.
Carly, a former designer living in Southeast Queensland, Australia, doesn't remember the exact moment of the strike, but she was able to walk back inside before the effects of being struck by lightning took over. She continued to watch the storm from the safety of her home, but after 20 minutes, she noticed something was off.
Goosebumps formed all over her body, followed by a euphoric sensation, fever, and nausea. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt like she had been drugged. Her pupils were dilated, and her face muscles were droopy. It was then that she realized something was seriously wrong.
She asked her flatmate to call an ambulance, and when it arrived, her feet and hands had turned blue. At the hospital, her speech was slurred, and she had difficulty moving her limbs. The doctors initially thought she was having a stroke, but after a series of tests, they diagnosed her with keraunoparalysis.
Aside from temporary paralysis, the condition also causes numbness, tingling, weakness, and delayed reflexes in the limbs, which can last for hours or even weeks after the paralysis lifts. It took Carly nine hours to regain full control of her body, and even then, she experienced fatigue and a delay in her response time for the next four months.
Now, 12 months later, she still feels the consequences of her brush with lightning. Her pupils have a different color, and she has a sensitive area on her head that is painful to touch. But despite the challenges, Carly remains positive and believes that the lightning strike has made her lucky.
In the hospital, her nickname, Carly Electric, became a source of amusement for the doctors and staff, as she had multiple lightning bolt tattoos and the word "Electric" tattooed on her twice. As a comedian, podcaster, writer, horse racing expert, and content creator for OnlyFans and an escort, her experience with lightning has become a thrilling conversation starter for her clients.
Carly hopes to use this wave of positivity to bring new success in 2025. She won three Australian Adult Industry Awards in 2024 and will debut her stand-up comedy show, "In Carly Electric's Box," at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. She also plans to continue touring around Australia as a sex worker, take her comedy show to Melbourne and Sydney comedy festivals, publish a novel, and finish writing a dark comedy TV series.
While Carly has always loved storms and lightning, she is now more aware and cautious when they are around. She has come to realize that she is more susceptible to being struck again or electrocuting herself, so she won't be running outdoors to photograph thunderstorms in the future.
Despite her terrifying experience, Carly remains grateful and looks forward to a bright future filled with success and laughter. She hopes her story will inspire others and remind them to always prioritize their safety during storms.
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