We were airlifted to The Burn unit at Birdgeport Hospital after David severely burned his leg in a back yard accident involving a campfire.
We spent months in the hospital.. almost 2 weeks in ICU. His leg is healed now, but the scars will always be there... in many different ways.
I was driving by Gardner Lake Fire Department at 4:30 this afternoon when it hit me that today was the day 5 years ago at that exact time that we were at the helocopter pad right there at the fire department being airlifted out... the sky was the same.... the start of a beautiful sunset... it was so surreal being lifted into the air... I had to ride up front with the pilot ( I had dog poo on my shoe and that is all I could think about was how bad it smelled) and the sky was so beautiful... so peaceful.... and yet at that very moment our lives were being turned upside down... we would live in the hospital for months... David would under go many painful surgeries...
Here is a post from a journal I started keeping the night after his accident.. It still makes me cry to read it.... keep in mind 3 weeks beofre the accident, Ben had very involved kidney surgery that kept us in the hospital for 2 weeks... we had only been home with him for 2 weeks when David got hurt.
Hi everybody,
I never thought in a million years that I would be doing another one of these pages.. let alone so soon, but they are a great way to keep everyone informed about what is going on. On Monday afternoon, we had a small campfire in the back yard which is something we have done from time to time with the boys. We're not really sure exactly what happened, we were all right there but it was one of those moments that just happens so quickly that its all a blur. David somehow cought his left leg on fire. By the time I reached him from maybe 20 feet away it was too late. I had to smother the flames with my shirt which I ripped off my own body. I knew instantly that it was really really bad. I started yelling for Ryan to call 911 which he did. Ryan kept it together for me in the first few minutes, getting the emergency vehicles dispatched, getting the kids in the house, and taking his own shirt off and giving it to me to cover up with.. (I only had a bra and jeans on) He then stayed with the other kids and cared for them until Dave got home. We were taken to the firehouse at Gardner Lake where David and I were Life Starred to The Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital. The entire trip took about 20 minutes, it was terrifying but comforting to know that we were getting to where we needed to be so quickly. The Pilot and paramedics on the helocopter were amazing and kind.. they kept me informed and gave David the upmost care.Once at teh hospital Trauma unit David was taken almost immediately into surgery. He has 3rd degree burns from his knee to his ankle completely around his leg. They had to cut the skin to prevent swelling from stopping circulation to his foot. I spent the hour he was in surgery, praying for his life.. It has to be one of my darkest times. I can't even type this without getting very emotional. I felt and still do feel very responsible for all of this, even though everyone has been so supportive and reassuring that I couldn't have changed it.Yesterday (monday) they changed the bandages and decided that he was ready to start skin grafts. So he was scheduled to go back to surgery this morning( Tuesday) to begin the grafting process. He was in surgery for 3 1/2 hours today and they took healthy skin from the tops of both of his thighs and grafted it to the burns. Now we Wait... not an easy thing... until Monday and pray that the grafts take and that they start to grow. David will possibly be in the hospital for a few weeks. They just don't know how fast he will heal, and if there will be any setbacks.. our 2 biggest enemys are infection, and the risk that the grafts won't take. Tonight I am home with the kids and Dave is at the hospital with David. We have been switching back and forth so that we both get at least a little rest and the kids get to see both of us. Everyne has been awesome with helping out here, we have friends and family who are babysitting, cooking, doing laundry, etc.. I appreciate each and every one of you. This is got to be the toughest thing we have been dealt and having the support of all of you has been incredible.I will try to update this page daily when I can. love, Vicki
What an incredible recovery it has been....
Had to share tonight.
~Vicki
We spent months in the hospital.. almost 2 weeks in ICU. His leg is healed now, but the scars will always be there... in many different ways.
I was driving by Gardner Lake Fire Department at 4:30 this afternoon when it hit me that today was the day 5 years ago at that exact time that we were at the helocopter pad right there at the fire department being airlifted out... the sky was the same.... the start of a beautiful sunset... it was so surreal being lifted into the air... I had to ride up front with the pilot ( I had dog poo on my shoe and that is all I could think about was how bad it smelled) and the sky was so beautiful... so peaceful.... and yet at that very moment our lives were being turned upside down... we would live in the hospital for months... David would under go many painful surgeries...
Here is a post from a journal I started keeping the night after his accident.. It still makes me cry to read it.... keep in mind 3 weeks beofre the accident, Ben had very involved kidney surgery that kept us in the hospital for 2 weeks... we had only been home with him for 2 weeks when David got hurt.
Hi everybody,
I never thought in a million years that I would be doing another one of these pages.. let alone so soon, but they are a great way to keep everyone informed about what is going on. On Monday afternoon, we had a small campfire in the back yard which is something we have done from time to time with the boys. We're not really sure exactly what happened, we were all right there but it was one of those moments that just happens so quickly that its all a blur. David somehow cought his left leg on fire. By the time I reached him from maybe 20 feet away it was too late. I had to smother the flames with my shirt which I ripped off my own body. I knew instantly that it was really really bad. I started yelling for Ryan to call 911 which he did. Ryan kept it together for me in the first few minutes, getting the emergency vehicles dispatched, getting the kids in the house, and taking his own shirt off and giving it to me to cover up with.. (I only had a bra and jeans on) He then stayed with the other kids and cared for them until Dave got home. We were taken to the firehouse at Gardner Lake where David and I were Life Starred to The Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital. The entire trip took about 20 minutes, it was terrifying but comforting to know that we were getting to where we needed to be so quickly. The Pilot and paramedics on the helocopter were amazing and kind.. they kept me informed and gave David the upmost care.Once at teh hospital Trauma unit David was taken almost immediately into surgery. He has 3rd degree burns from his knee to his ankle completely around his leg. They had to cut the skin to prevent swelling from stopping circulation to his foot. I spent the hour he was in surgery, praying for his life.. It has to be one of my darkest times. I can't even type this without getting very emotional. I felt and still do feel very responsible for all of this, even though everyone has been so supportive and reassuring that I couldn't have changed it.Yesterday (monday) they changed the bandages and decided that he was ready to start skin grafts. So he was scheduled to go back to surgery this morning( Tuesday) to begin the grafting process. He was in surgery for 3 1/2 hours today and they took healthy skin from the tops of both of his thighs and grafted it to the burns. Now we Wait... not an easy thing... until Monday and pray that the grafts take and that they start to grow. David will possibly be in the hospital for a few weeks. They just don't know how fast he will heal, and if there will be any setbacks.. our 2 biggest enemys are infection, and the risk that the grafts won't take. Tonight I am home with the kids and Dave is at the hospital with David. We have been switching back and forth so that we both get at least a little rest and the kids get to see both of us. Everyne has been awesome with helping out here, we have friends and family who are babysitting, cooking, doing laundry, etc.. I appreciate each and every one of you. This is got to be the toughest thing we have been dealt and having the support of all of you has been incredible.I will try to update this page daily when I can. love, Vicki
What an incredible recovery it has been....
Had to share tonight.
~Vicki
