Burn

One of my biggest fears has always been my children or myself getting burned in a kitchen/grease fire. Well, today my patient was a 35yr old mother of three who has 3rd degree burns over the entire circumference of her left leg. Splatter burns on the right leg and on her back and lower abdomen. It's a miracle she did not have worse injuries.

She was cooking french fries for her 4 yr old, stepped out of the kitchen to check on him in the other room. The smoke alarm went off and she went back to the kitchen to see the pot on the stove in flames. In her panic, she pulled the pot off the stove and while stepping back with it, she tripped and fell. She told me that her 4 yr old was so traumatized, seeing his mommy "on fire", and that just broke my heart, because I have an almost 4 yr old, I'd never want him to see something like that.

This woman was so strong though, she puts her child in his car seat and drives herself to the emergency room. Passing out once she got through the doors. People, if something like this ever happens...call 911.., I suppose she was just reacting on pure adrenaline at this point.

She will recover ok, with lots of treatments over time. Right now she is just in so much pain and morphine drip is doing nothing for it. They are trying other pain meds for her, and she is going through all the side effects of that. She's had a rough day...it was quite busy for me. She was in such good spirits though and such a sweet patient to spend my day with.

All in all.....a decent, but tiring day. Back to campus tomorrow for my first tests in Cardio and GU.