After a long day of yard work for Tara & I and playing for
the kids, we were looking forward to a relaxing evening. My Dad & Mom had
stopped by to exchange some plants for our respective yards, and margaritas had
been made. Tyler helped light the gas grill and we were waiting for it to warm
up while the four adults worked on planting one of the new plants in the back
yard.
While we were planting the previously mentioned plant
Tyler went to the grill to either put some baked potatoes on it or to check on
them (we aren't really sure at this point), and when he opened the grill a large
fireball came at him. Between the loud screams and the sound of the fireball, we
all new something was wrong and took off after him. By the time we all gathered
at the kitchen sink to run his burns under the water (we used cold, but learned
from the burn unit that tepid water is the way to go) most of the first layer of
skin on his left forearm had already peeled off. We could see that he was
missing some of his eyebrows and that all of the hair on his head had been
singed. After rinsing him off in the sink and then putting him in the shower for
a couple of minutes, Tara & I took him to the ER to get checked out. The final
result was a second degree burn on his left forearm, and first degree burns on
his face and right forearm.
As it has been a few days between the actual accident and
the time I have posted this, the burns on his face appear worse than what we
originally thought. The skin on his nose and cheeks is peeling away, and his
lips are burned as well. It hurts for him to open his mouth due to the burns on
his cheeks, as well. He doesn't really seem to be in major pain, which is good.
As long as he stays on his medication and gets rest, he seems to remain in good
spirits.
The follow-up with the burn unit at Hurley Hospital went
well. They seem to think that scarring won't be an issue at this point, although
sensitivity will be for a while. He is to remain out of school for at least the
rest of the week, and he cannot play in any of his teams baseball games for at
least two weeks, although he can play catch (which is a good exercise for him to
stretch out his skin). As I get more information I will certainly pass it on.
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