Hey all, it is great to be back. I have been in the hospital since January 5th with 3rd degree burns from my heel to my knee the whole way around my leg and on my hands all in all about 15% of my body and have not had internet access. While I am still in the hospital I have finally been able to find a weak internet connection to get on this great site. I am having to learn how to walk again and it will take about 6 months they say for the skin grafts to heal, but it is looking like after 18 days in the hospital I will be released tomorrow.

 

Dude!!!! Glad you're back and healing, but what happened?

 

We were out hunting trying to get every last bit of the deer season in. Anyway I was sitting by the fire outside the cabin just kinda looking at the stars the night before the last day of the season. I was sitting probably 6 feet from the fire but we were having a very strong north west wind that night. I dozed off in the chair for a few minutes and I guess the winds blew some of the fire my way and my cover alls caught on fire. I awoke to the leg on fire and started franitically trying to put it out. Cover alls how ever proved to be very flameable and hard to put out. I eventually got them off and then got the fire on my jeans and leg put out. Being in complete shock I went inside and tried to clean it the best I could, I then took some pain pills and tried to go to sleep The next day when the others saw my leg they freaked and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital I said no and sent them to Walgreens to get things for burns not knowing the severity. I arrived home later that night and the girlfriend took one look at the leg and told me I was going to the ER, that was followed by a paramedic friend stopping by the house and informing me te severity of the burns.

I will post more pics, here is a pic from the night before skin graft surgery

 

YEEEEOUCH!!! ..... Looks nasty

Good Luck with the Therapy.

Glad you made it back.

 

That's it, between your leg and Ellis losing a ton of blood from an IV, I'm never going to sleep again.

Heres to a speedy recovery...

 

That hurts for sure. Glad you are back!


Best wish's for a speedy recovery.


Tim

 

Thanks for the well wishes, it gets a little hard having to start over from zero every morning due to scar tissue contracting and tightening every night.
I am basicall re leraning to walk every morning and doing it at the pace of a sick snail. It can be a real bummer, but I have a great girlfriend and family who are helping me through these hard times.

Here's some more pics of the leg after the skin graft surgery

 

caburnside You are in my Prayers.

 

Just WOW!!! Glad you caught it on just the lower leg. It looks extremely painful and I pray for you to have a speedy recovery. Keep us posted on the progress.

 

Well it may not be a huge leap in progress but I am able to stand up and walk (if you use the term loosely) now without the aid of crutches or others. I still get passed by snails and look awkward walking but it is something, and I'll take all I can get right now. The worst part still is cleaning the leg every morning, hurts like a mother in a few places where the skin graft did not take and it is open flesh. I can't stand the sight and touch of the leg much less the others who have to assist me in cleaning at times, ,

On another note, the truck has been sitting at my girlfriends house since January 4th, I plugged t in the day we went to the hospital but had her unplug it one week into my 3 week stint when I realized I would not be set free any time soon. Now it has been 22 days since it has been started. Do yall think It is time for her to start it and let it run for awhile, maybe even let her take it for a drive?

I also think I am having diesel withdrawls, I miss the sound, smell, smoke, and feel, are their any support groups for such withdrawls? I always knew I was addicted but I did not know how hard going cold turkey would be

 

Your truck will be fine!

Get well soon.

 

I feel your pain man! October 29 of last year I had the joy of second and slight third degree burns on my face and hands. 36% I believe was what was on the report. I had a little accident with some very hot oil. I was lucky as anyone could be in that situation in that I had a friend in the ER at the local hospital and got imediate attention. I had to be transported to the burn center at The MED in Memphis and them folks took great care of me! I still have some spots that are healing and I hope one day to get my finger nails back but overall I got lucky.

Its gonna take some time for you but just go with the flow. Keep that skin stretched out and dont let it get too tight. That sucks when it does!

Here are a couple of mine from about three weeks after it happened. Its amazing how fast your face can heal! This is about half of what was burned on me.

 

Wow, I can't imagine it on the face, was it painfull to chew, and how long were you in for? Ya I have to be really carefull to make sure the calf muscle and achilis tendon stay stretched out or else I look like the hunch back walking. my hands had spots of 3rd degree as well, had to get creative with taking a pinch of snuff for awhile. My girlfriend took me out in public for the first time since getting out of the hospital yesterday and refused to let me us my crutches. Talk about getting some funny looks for my walking ability Here's the only picture I could find of my hands it's not a good one cause you really can't see the burns as well, the finger tips were the worst part I think, but hey no finger prints now

 

You sound like me, I made the joke to the doctor about knocking off a bank or something since I had no finger prints!

I was lucky and only spent a night in the hospital and was home the next day. I had to go back twice a week for two months solid for badage swaps and cleanings. I was very lucky.

 

I will have to go back once a week for awhile for check-ups, I wis they were still changing my bandages! My leg grosses me out every morning when I change the bandages and clean it not to mention the pain of putting soap onto basically open flesh in a few spots the grafts did not take.