[gwenith]

How awful for you Frances!!! They would not have known then about how to deal with burns properly but that sounds - well not the right treatment even for those days.

[teeituptom]

The worst one I ever saw

was over 20 yrs ago, I was in ICU then. A young man had been struck with lightning. Major burns, shirt buttons melted and burned into him, the zipper melted and burned into his genitalia, brain damaged. 90 percent burns. The hosp that normally takes burns was all full and couldnt take him, so they sent him to SICU. I was the recieving RN. surgeon was with him, we were cleanining and debriding him, Then I saw a tatoo on him. He was no longer a John Doe that came in unrecognizably burnt.

He was my Brother in Law

[Franemtnurse]

Originally Posted by teeituptom

The worst one I ever saw

was over 20 yrs ago, I was in ICU then. A young man had been struck with lightning. Major burns, shirt buttons melted and burned into him, the zipper melted and burned into his genitalia, brain damaged. 90 percent burns. The hosp that normally takes burns was all full and couldnt take him, so they sent him to SICU. I was the recieving RN. surgeon was with him, we were cleanining and debriding him, Then I saw a tatoo on him. He was no longer a John Doe that came in unrecognizably burnt.

He was my Brother in Law

How horrible, Tom. Did he live? Or was he so extensively burned, he died?

[Energizer Bunny]

Originally Posted by Frances LeMay

In March of 1964, our house burned to the ground.

My younger sister was in the hospital with second degree burns to her hands, and smoke inhalation for about 4 weeks. She was the fortunate one. You also would not know she had been burned.
My grandfather was found under his bed. They said he died of smoke inhalation, and my mother was burned over 40% of her body.

My mother got the worst end of the deal. She was burned over 40% of her body. There were no burn units then to my knowledge. But the family doctor who I will call, "Dr. Grunt" because he was one of the bad guys. Well anyway, he wrapped my mother in ace bandages wherever she was burned. She died at 04:00 the next morning.

OMG Fran! I did not know this!!! I'm so sorry. I have got to get time to read your book!

[Energizer Bunny]

Originally Posted by teeituptom

The worst one I ever saw

was over 20 yrs ago, I was in ICU then. A young man had been struck with lightning. Major burns, shirt buttons melted and burned into him, the zipper melted and burned into his genitalia, brain damaged. 90 percent burns. The hosp that normally takes burns was all full and couldnt take him, so they sent him to SICU. I was the recieving RN. surgeon was with him, we were cleanining and debriding him, Then I saw a tatoo on him. He was no longer a John Doe that came in unrecognizably burnt.

He was my Brother in Law

Oh, Tom, how horrible! I'm so sorry.

[teeituptom]

Originally Posted by Frances LeMay

How horrible, Tom. Did he live? Or was he so extensively burned, he died?

He lasted 3 days
there was a miracle attached to it though
his son was hit by the same lightning strike
after having been through 3 rounds of chemo and rad therapy for leukemia
he has been in remission ever since and is still doing well todaym who says there isnt a god

[Franemtnurse]

Originally Posted by teeituptom

He lasted 3 days
there was a miracle attached to it though
his son was hit by the same lightning strike
after having been through 3 rounds of chemo and rad therapy for leukemia
he has been in remission ever since and is still doing well todaym who says there isnt a god

Right on, Tom. Miracles are performed every day, that mankind has nothing to do with.

[gwenith]

Originally Posted by teeituptom

The worst one I ever saw

was over 20 yrs ago, I was in ICU then. A young man had been struck with lightning. Major burns, shirt buttons melted and burned into him, the zipper melted and burned into his genitalia, brain damaged. 90 percent burns. The hosp that normally takes burns was all full and couldnt take him, so they sent him to SICU. I was the recieving RN. surgeon was with him, we were cleanining and debriding him, Then I saw a tatoo on him. He was no longer a John Doe that came in unrecognizably burnt.

He was my Brother in Law

Oh! Tom (((((((((hugs))))))))))) that is every nurses nightmare. That the person we are treating for the major injury is someone we know. It is a hard thing to live with.

[vaughanmk]

OMG, that gave me the worst case of the chills I have had in a long time. I am so sorry you had to go through that.

[earle58]

Originally Posted by teeituptom

He lasted 3 days
there was a miracle attached to it though
his son was hit by the same lightning strike
after having been through 3 rounds of chemo and rad therapy for leukemia
he has been in remission ever since and is still doing well todaym who says there isnt a god

in all seriousness, do you think it was the chemo/rad tx or the lightening that saved him? i've heard some pretty incredible stories revolved around lightening....

i am so very sorry about the tragedy with your brother in law...was there a God then? it is not my intent to sound disrespectful; i am feeling a bit confused these days.