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Woman Bitten In Face By Octopus While Posing For Photo

TACOMA, Wash. (CBS Local) -- What started out as a fun picture ended with an octopus biting a woman's face with poisonous venom.

Jamie Bisceglia said she saw an opportunity for an unusual picture after she met up with some fishermen Friday who had hooked an octopus during a fishing derby in the Tacoma Narrows in Washington state. Bisceglia put the small octopus on her face and posed.

"It was a photo contest in the derby. And so, crazy me, hindsight now and looking back, I probably made a big mistake," Bisceglia told CBS affiliate KIRO.

The octopus grabbed with Bisceglia's face with its suckers and then bit her on the face.

"It had barreled its beak into my chin and then let go a little bit and did it again."

Posted by KIRO 7 News on Wednesday, August 7, 2019

"It had barreled its beak into my chin and then let go a little bit and did it again," she said. "It was a really intense pain when it went inside and it just bled, dripping blood for a long time."

Bisceglia said she powered through and fished for two more days before seeking medical help.

"And I'm still in pain. I'm on three different antibiotics," she said. "This can come and go, the swelling, for months they say."

Bisceglia said the painful experience taught her a valuable lesson about handling a live octopus.

"This was not a good idea. Hindsight looking back. I will never do it again," she vowed.

Bisceglia said she did get some revenge. She took the octopus home and cooked it and says it was delicious.

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