Well, since I last wrote, we've had the flu, traveled to San Diego, and survived a third degree burn.
Simmy and Bryce were camping March 6 when a metal hanger flipped out of the fire and hit Sims on the cheek. Unfortunately, his automatic reaction was to trap the hanger between his face and shoulder, and it took a while for Bryce, in the dark, to realize what was happening.
The third degree burn area was about 3 by 8 centimeters, and the second degree area got the bottom of his ear and extended another inch behind. He also burned the inside of his left wrist, which concerned the doctor more than the facial burn. Because it's an area that requires so much movement, the tendency is to hold it rigid, thus causing the scarring to impede mobility. So we're doing hydrotherapy--giving a morning and evening bath and afternoon sink playtime where he keeps his wrist submerged and keeps the burn moist. Now both Simmy and Lydie are hooked on their twice-daily baths!
We've had to change gauze on his face every morning and evening, which is fairly traumatic for everyone involved. Finally, we realized that we needed to divide with one person taking Lydie somewhere else because she was so upset by Simmy's screams that she needed major comforting after it was all over.
Sims has definitely gotten better over the last 10 days. He hates when we take the old tape off and clean the gunk off that has formed on his burn. But he'll stand very still without fussing while we put on the burn cream and tape the new gauze to his face. Then he smears cream on his wrist burn all by himself.
What a process this has been! Bryce came back from Spring Break and time away last night, and the house is much more full of life with him in the house. Grandma Steen has been here helping with the kids and that's been a huge load-lifter. She's been reading Charlotte's Web, among other books, to Simeon and he's loving it. Every night he asks, "Will Grandma be here when I wake up in the morning?" He's worried she'll take off without warning.
Sims has definitely gotten better over the last 10 days. He hates when we take the old tape off and clean the gunk off that has formed on his burn. But he'll stand very still without fussing while we put on the burn cream and tape the new gauze to his face. Then he smears cream on his wrist burn all by himself.
What a process this has been! Bryce came back from Spring Break and time away last night, and the house is much more full of life with him in the house. Grandma Steen has been here helping with the kids and that's been a huge load-lifter. She's been reading Charlotte's Web, among other books, to Simeon and he's loving it. Every night he asks, "Will Grandma be here when I wake up in the morning?" He's worried she'll take off without warning.
In the meanwhile, we're so thankful for what didn't happen.... that the burn was no bigger, that he received immediate help via border patrol who stopped by the campsite soon after the accident, and that the wound has stayed clear of infection, which is such a risk with deep burns. He is already healing so well. We're full of gratitude for it all.
Susan
