Day 9 @ the Burn Center- New Years Eve

Today was an "okay" day for Missy. She had a very painful debriement late morning but seemed to get over it a bit quicker today. It could be the addition of Pregabalin."Pregabalin is used to relieve neuropathic pain (pain from damaged nerves) that can occur in your arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, or toes if you have diabetes or in the area of your rash if you have had shingles (a painful rash that occurs after infection with herpes zoster). It is also used to treat fibromyalgia (a long-lasting condition that may cause pain, muscle stiffness and tenderness, tiredness, and difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep). It works by decreasing the number of pain signals that are sent out by damaged nerves in the body." Kevin, one of Missy's OTs, worked with her today on certain range of motion excercises that she needs to work on before her hands start to retract too much. Missy actually worked on them for quite awhile. She is determined to get past this in quick fashion! LouAnn, Missy's FNP also came in and told Missy that they may still have to graft her left hand. LouAnn missed seeing Missy's last two debriements, so it will be decided maybe by Friday. Her nurse also noticed that the eschar is building back up.

Phil came to the hospital after work this afternoon, as well as Mike. Mike went out to the Tempe Block Party to ring in the New Year and we decided not to stay for the 2nd visitation tonight. Phil rented a couple of movies and I made some nibblers, so we just relaxed for a few hours tonight. Missy was pretty disappointed that I wasn't staying but I think that she understands (maybe a little) that we need some rest too. Dawn and Carol were going to be calling her so it should have gone okay! I'll be back tomorrow, as well as Phil. Phil had planned to finish the flooring in one of our bedrooms during this holiday 5 days that he has off. I think that he will still try to get that finished between the hospital visits.

Day 8 @ the Burn Center

Missy's debriement bath did not go well this morning. The nerve endings are just so fragile anyway but after her surgery yesterday they are even more so. When she got back into the room, the tears were really flowing. As she laid there, the severity of her burns was hitting her and so was the thought of all of her commitments- work and school. I have been told that depression is a big part of all of this as well. A social worker came in and talked to her about just concentrating on herself getting better, nothing else. It didn't help much, but maybe the spirits will be better tomorrow. Today, we also met one of her Dr's. He is going to change some of her pain meds. He is looking for a cocktail of meds that will work for her. He wants to trick the brain about the pain. We will see how this all works.

Sadie stopped by this afternoon for a visit with Missy, as well as Mike before the dinner break. This evening Julie and Damian stopped by for a visit. Julie and I escorted each other thru the parking lot @ 10:15pm.

Missy's FNP looked at my burns today and said that they are 2nd degree. and that I am treating them wrong. The hospital ER released me with a script for an antibacterial cream, she said not to use it. Instead use AquaPhor, which is an over the counter healing ointment. Keep it moist with the oinment and periodically wipe if off, and then replace the ointment. That's my new game plan.

I'm tired! It's almost 1am! I'll start over again tomorrow. Keep those prayers coming!

Day 7- Surgery Day

Today Missy had surgery on her burns. Mostly on the 3rd degree areas but 2nd as well. Today I got in at 9:15am, and at around 10:15am they took Missy and I down to Pre-Op. They changed her IV for the fourth time because the line was clogged and the area looked "angry". She gets IV meds in those lines every 2-3 hours so I guess that they don't last long in the same spot. The OR nurse said that the Dr. scheduled the surgery for about 1 hour. They actually had her in surgery for about 1hr 45min and then in recovery for an additional 45min. We got back to the room about 2:15pm. As soon as we got back to the room the pain meds were wearing off from the OR so she was very uncomfortable. There are certain narcotics that they use in the OR that the burn floor can't use for some reason. Anyway, she quickly got back on the morphine and shortly after Phil and Damian showed up. They both actually only work a few short miles away on the other side of the airport. Missy actually is alot calmer when she has company because she isn't so absorbed with the pain, which then allows her not to fight the urge to doze. It's actually pretty funny to watch her in mid sentence just stop talking (with her hands up) and doze off, and then as quickly as she went away, she is back talking again! Back to the surgery!! The OR nurse came out and talked to me after the surgery to say that the areas all cleaned up nicely and that they didn't do the temporary grafting today. They took off every bit of eschar (Thick, crusty surfaces that are produced by deep third-degree burns. Eschars can become too tight, cutting off blood supply to healthy tissues) in surgery. Eschar can be a real breading ground for infection as well. Missy said that the nurse in the recovery room said that she would be having surgery again this week but the nurse on the floor hadn't heard that so we will see. Tonight she is having another debriement in the bath which she is really looking forward to, because she wants to see what they did in surgery. Her right hand has alot of new skin "buds", which is new growth with raw nerve endings so that hand hurts worse, although the left hand has the 3rd degree. We left at 6:20pm and went down to the cafeteria, which closes @ 6:30pm. Boy were we scraping the bottom tonight! I think tomorrow we will have to venture out of the hospital for dinner. The parking is just awful here, and since I leave at 10:30pm at night, I like not to be to far from where I exist the building. It's kind of creepy out there. Anyway way, after dinner Phil headed home to take care of Casey and get to bed. I got back into the room at 8pm and Missy was in real good spirits, wide a wake. We walked the halls a bit and she had a real positive attitude tonight. I hope that will stay with her but it probably won't. I have a feeling that we will be in for an emotional rollercoaster. We are still only in the stabalizing and healing mode at this time yet. But it was very nice to see her calm and comfortable. We received quite a few calls today from family and friends (in fact, my phone died) sending their prayers and get well wishes. Thanks again for all those prayers out there and thanks for thinking of us during this holiday time when you are spending it with your own families, yet also thinking of mine. Love to you all.

Day 6 @ the Burn Center

They took Missy in for her debrieing this morning shortly after 11am. Her friends Andy and Lindsey (from Prescott) and Jake (from Texas) popped in to see her. We visited for quite awhile while Missy was out of the room. When she got back, she was doing pretty good but not too long after, the really good pain meds started wearing off from the debrieing. The nurse came in a number of times with IV meds and pills. Once all those meds kick in, she's not as distracted by the pain and at that point Benadryl and ice seem to calm her down. After Andy, Lindsey and Jake left, Damian came in and Phil. Damian kept her in ice in a ziplock bag all afternoon. She was dozing on and off. The nurse said that she is not drinking enough fluids, so we need to push that and also getting her up and walking the halls. Later this afternoon, before Damian left, Cindi, Cassie and Kisten stopped by. They were on their way back home from their annual stay at Los Arbregatos (sp- I know that I butchered that one!). For a few days after Christmas every year, they stay there in Sedona with Aunt Gail. Phil and I left @ 6pm after visiting times were over. We went down to the cafeteria to grab a bite. From there, Phil went on home and I went back up to the elevators outside the burn floor to wait until 8pm when they would allow me back in. Mike got there at 8pm and we went on in. There we found Missy sleeping quite comfortably. From 8pm to 9:10pm, she maybe opened her eyes 3 times and then went right back to sleep. We woke her up to say that we were leaving and she said okay. (all the other nights so far that has been hard for her, being left alone). I will be back over tomorrow morning (Monday) @ 9am. They said that they would let me in two hours early. Missy is scheduled for her surgery @11am and will be brought to pre-op @ 10am. This surgery will be to take all of the dead area off on her left hand that is @ 3rd degree and then put on temporary grafts for 3-4 days. As I mentioned before, they won't let her come home to our house until she can manage the pain without IV meds and also until it has healed enough but I wanted to know what then? I didn't know if her medical care would then switch to her primary or what. The nurse said that after she is released, she is then treated through the Burn Clinic @ the AZ Burn Center. Not sure how often that will be. So many unknowns at this point. Kind of making me crazy! I like to plan my day, weeks, months, etc. Can't with any of this, this is all so day to day!

Day 5 @ the Burn Center

The healing process is definitely starting to kick in today.
She now has uncontrollable itching everywhere, even unburned areas! She is on so much pain meds that it is hard to reason with her about what is safe to do and unsafe to do. She is getting Q-tips and shoving them with sauve on up underneath the really bad areas. I'm so afraid that she will do additional damage. The Dr's asked her today if she had been on any other pain meds prior to the accident, because she has a very high tolerance to the pain meds. We are still on schedule for the surgery on Monday, but at this point don't know when. It's the worst case first and then scheduled from there. Today, Maggie stopped by to visit Missy. Maggie and Tom own the business that Missy has worked for the past 6 yrs. They have been very good to Missy over the years. Phil had to work today so he got there at the end of the first visiting period. At 6pm we went down to the cafeteria for dinner. We were going to run out but it was so cold outside and Phil left his jacket @ work. We also popped our head in the cafeteria and Phil saw that fish was on the menu and they sampled him a whole "plank" that we stayed and ate in house. Maggie mentioned that there was a great mexican restaurant just down the street but we had mexican a few days back. We have time to get over there though! At the 8pm visitation- Julie, Chris, Pam and Mike came. Chris and Pam had a scare with Dani last night, her placenta started to tear so she is on bedrest until Tuesday. Her baby is due the first part of April, so she is at 27 weeks right now. Way too much going on! 2009 has got to be a better year!!

Day 4 @ the Burn Center

Today is the fourth full day after the accident. Missy's pain seems to be about the same or worse as when she was admitted, but now we need to add in the "itch" factor. The burned areas that aren't as bad as other areas are on their way to healing and itch unbearably. They give Missy Benadryl injections every 7 hrs. That helps the burning, itching and allows her to catch some sleep. She is also wanting the dressings off, and keeps putting the bedside sauves on Q-tips and shoving them down into the dressed areas. She's worse than a little kid! Alot of it is the morphine and other pain meds that she is given- she doesn't realize what she is doing. It was funny yesterday, when she got out of bed to do something, she kind of stumbled back a bit. I asked what was wrong and she said, "didn't you see that black dog jump up onto the bed"!!!! Her Dr. upped her pain meds and have added anti anxiety medication. She was alot calmer when I left tonight @ 10:15pm. She is scheduled for surgery on Monday. The Dr's will take her in and totally knock her out and do a "mega" debriement! Right down to whatever! After that is done to the left hand (the third degree area) they will put on protective material (pig skin or cadaver skin) for 3-4 days. With this material in place, they will not have to debrie the third degree area twice daily like they have been. Kim, her day nurse (she's an angel!) said that Missy will not be going home until she can manage her dressing changes without IV pain meds. That will be interesting. Missy had a number of visitors today- Uncle, Herb, Aunt Christine, Sandy, Holly and Ginger- and of course, Dad, Mike and mom!

"72 Hrs"

Merry Christmas from AZ. Boy it sure doesn't feel like Christmas! I'm ready to pack this one away and start fresh, but life doesn't always go our way. I am just so grateful that Missy will be okay, it all could have been so much worse!!!! No news in particular today. After her debriement this morning they are still saying 3rd degree- grafting on the left hand The right hand is still up in the air. When we left tonight @ 10:15pm. they were going to take her in for her 2nd debriement of the day, so not sure if anything might have changed after that. I will continue with the daily updates. Today Phil, Mike and myself were there until 4pm, when we snuck out for Christmas dinner with Chris, Pam, Herb, Christine, Julie, Jenny and Tawana. Chris and Pam had a wonderful dinner for us, it was so appreciated. After a short dinner visit, we headed back for the 8pm visiting. Chris, Pam, Julie, Jenny and Tawana all came back to the hospital to visit with Missy tonight.We got in about 1/2 an hour before them. Missy was having real problems with itching and was tearing at her bandages, probably not the best thing to do! Anyway, they took her mind off of her itching when they got into the room. And thank goodness, the nurses didn't kick our crew out. Sometimes, they are real sticklers to the 2 person rule. They must have had the Christmas spirit tonight! The nurses have no goals for Missy at the moment- just to keep the pain controlled and debrieing the burned areas.

Just a quick note: It's midnight and Missy just called in tears and in excruciating pain. She had just gotten back to bed after her debriement. The nurses that do this are not always the same. Some are so much gentler than others. Tonight she had the nurse from hell!!! I feel so helpless, that I can't take some of the pain away for her. I'll have to find out in the morning why they didn't give her that twilight medication. That stuff makes her not remember the pain.

48 Hrs After!

Today as yesterday, we were at the hospital all day. They are very strict with their hours though, 11am-6pm and 8pm to 10pm. We are over half an hours away from the hospital, so we grab dinner between 6pm and 8pm.


Missy had some friends stop by today- Carol, Donna, Chris and Dean. As I mentioned yesterday, they are keeping her pretty doped up, although that does not mean pain free! Of all things, besides all the morphine, oxicatin (sp) and various other pain meds, they give her benadryl injections and that helps with the burning and helps her catch some shut eye! Tonight before we left, they gave her, her 4th debriement. The nurse is saying that she is 3rd degree on her left thumb and palm area. Missy has no feeling there so the night nurse is thinking that there will be some grafting on Friday. Tomorrow night, we will be at 72 hrs, and at that point we should be seeing the worst of it. But again, every shift says a little different story on her condition. I will keep posting picture updates of her recovery. Without seeing her in person, you can only imagine the worse, so I want everyone to know how very lucky she is. Love to You all and please keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery. I've thrown some pics of myself as well. My burns pale in comparison to Missy.

Wow, What a 24 Hours!

As you all know by now, Missy is @ the AZ Burn Center. She was admitted last night (Monday). She had attempted to make us a wonderful dinner that she saw the cook on Semi Homemade on the Food Network make.It was tempura battered shrimp with a mayonnaise szechuan (sp) dipping sauce. Yum!! Well we didn't quite get that far! There was a terrible fire in the pan that she was heating the oil in. The flames were jumping two feet out of the pan. By the time I got to the kitchen she was standing there holding this pan, just frozen and screaming. The pan quickly dropped from her burning hands onto the floor, where she then slipped on the oil and fell into the hot oil. At that point, a fiery ball of flaming oil shot my way ( 6-8') where I caught on fire. By the time I put the fire out on me Missy had gotten up and was standing at the sink. The skin was just peeling back on her hands, that fast. We have a new hospital just about 5 minutes from the house so I got Missy into the car and we headed there. At the time that Missy fell into the oil and I was on fire, Phil came running down the hall (he had been in the shower). He ended up slipping and sliding in the hot oil trying to get the pot covered to get the flames covered and get the pot outside. Meanwhile the house was quickly filling with smoke and all of the smoke detectors were going off. We left him at home to get the smoke cleared and get the oil up as best he could so that Casey wouldn't get hurt. I pulled up to the hospital, threw the car in park and got Missy in ASAP. They got her back immediately. As I was parking that were also getting me admitted to Emergency as well. The Dr's working on Missy, quickly assessed that she needed more care than they could give her so they transported her by ambulance to the AZ Burn Center. Phil and Mike got to the hospital and waited for me to be checked and released, then we drove to downtown Phoenix, where Missy was. By the time we had gotten there, she was being treated. They cut off what dead skin they can before dressing her burns. We left around 2:30am, at that point the morphine seemed to be helping her. She woke up this morning with terrible anxiety about being there alone and in alot of pain. About 1pm today, they took her in for her first debrieing bath. That's where they scrub the burned area to make sure that they get to new skin. She has 2nd degree burns to 5% of her body. (face, neck, upper chest, knees, hands and forearms). The Dr's say that the burns to the face should heal completely over time. Her lower thumb and the area of the palm of the hand that the thumb leads into are the worst. Still a 2nd degree but, I believe they called it 2nd degree with hardness. These areas will involve skin grafting. I am told that burns will continue to "burn" the skin for 72 hrs. So today she could be at 2nd degree (24 hrs after the fire) but they could actually get worse after another 48 hrs go by. She may have surgery as early as Friday, but every shift, sort has it's own agenda, and slightly different story to tell. So we will just go with the flow and wait and see. She is in alot of pain, but they don't spare the pain meds. If she needs it they give it. Of course the IV injected meds help out a lot faster than the pills! I will try to keep everyone posted as I can. I will be at the hospital most of the time. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Phil's Christmas Party

We went to Phil's Christmas Party this weekend. It was at Rawhide-Western Town. The town for 30 years or more was located in Scottsdale and then a few years ago it was forced to move. The Gila Indian tribe wanted it, so that it would add to their resort theme. I don't think that it is as nice as the Scottsdale one. Scottsdale was a whole lot older, so seemed a lot more authentic. It is definately a nice place to go if your visiting AZ though. It just so happens that this year my company Christmas Party is there as well. The dinner was very nice- SOOO much food! It was a shame to waste it. They served us "platters" on the chow line. 1/4 (leg and thugh) chicken, very lg steak, baked potato, coleslaw, baked beans and texas toast! They should have had "girls" plates and "boys" plates.















Jerry and Nadia, friends of ours, had just gotten back in town from Iraq so they joined us as well. They are originally from Iraq, but left when they were around twenty or so. They have been in the US for around 28 years. They both accepted positions in Iraq as interpreters. They don't work for the same co so have been unable to see each other for the 6 months that they have been over there. There both are very protected and sheltered in a secured compound. They are both anxious to get back over there the first of the year.















Phil decided to try out the mechanical bull! The blur that you see, is really Phil!!!!





































Holly put out a warrant for the arrest of the two Mikes. The Sheriff tracked them down and took them to jail!!!

Baby J.C. Arrived Today!

Brett and Ginger's son arrived Thursday, December 18th. Missy called from the hospital this afternoon. Can she possibly be more excited than Ginger?????? Well, probably not, but she is a close second! Missy got there about 15 minutes before Ginger delivered. Missy, Jessie (Ginger's sister) her mom and aunt were all standing outside the "delivery" room and were able to hear Brett coaching Ginger! I think that listening to the birthing experience, kind of quelled some fears that Missy had about the whole birth thing! Missy said that Brett looked like such a proud papa! Shortly after J.C.'s birth, all the gals were able to go in the room and visit. Missy was lucky enough to be able to hold the baby as well! Brett took lots of pics, so hopefully, when they get home on Saturday, I'll have real pics to post!!! CONGRATULATIONS BRETT AND GINGER!!!!!!!