Thursday, September 25, 2008

Please Pray!


Hello Everyone,
Some of you I have spoken to on the phone, if I didn't get a chance to talk to you is because as you will be able to tell at the end of this email that I have had a very busy day and relaying info on to family as things changed from one min. to the next.
This morning Vince one of our ground crew guys called me and told me that I needed to come to the job he and Brandon were working on because their had been an accident and I needed to take Brandon to the hospital. He told me that engine oil had exploded on Brandon and that he was running his face and arm under cold water. So as I am getting into the truck to take off to get him, he calls me back with in min. Explaining that we need to call the Ambulance because its burning his skin. So I assumed that he was calling the ambulance. I take off, I am about 20 min to the job and calling my family and his along with our bosses to let them know what is going on and to pray. About 10 min into my journey I call Vince again to see if the ambulance had made it there, and he thought I was calling so obviously they were. So he got off and called 911. At that time I got a little more detail. It (power steering fluid) had splashed on to his face and right arm, and he was still running his face and arm under cold water. By the time I get their, still no ambulance and Vince was still talking to the 911 operator. I run over to see Brandon and help him get the water to the area's it needs to be. At this time I could tell that his arm was blistering all ready. He was concerned about his face the most, so that was the area that was getting most of the water. Certain circumstances could only be God watching over us. The area he was working in was a brand new subdivision. The houses are really close together, closer than our house is to our neighbor. No one is living in the new community and so the house next to where he was working was finished and had the water turned on. While we were waiting I wanted to see if the next house had cooler water, but the water was not turned on. So it was a blessing to have this one work. Vince was still trying to get the dispatch to where we were. This community is brand new, and sits on the border of two counties, this is why we were having a problem with getting one to us. Finally it got to us. He was taken over to the Ambulance and she said he had second degree burns on his body, and were really concerned with the area around his shoulder. She said they were going to be heading to Vanderbilt and would be going at a high rate of speed, and for me not to follow. After the fact Brandon said they went really fast, and that the medic said I need to get him their like yesterday she was really concerned about his shoulder area.
I finally got to Vanderbilt, and he was already admitted to the Burn unit. He was also in intensive care. Mainly because there were no beds on the other side of the burn unit. When I got back to his room, the nurse explained to me that he has second degree burns and that he is going to probably to have a skin graft over the area below his shoulder where it was white. They hadn't taken him to get washed down and that they would know more after that. So about 20 min later he was taken to get washed down, and I went and walked outside and make phone calls to update those who were heading down here. When talking to the nurses, the earliest possible time he would have surgery would be monday because surgery's were already booked for friday.
When he was done getting washed down I walked to his room and he had some good news. They were going to release him and let him come home. Their was really nothing they could do for him other than change his gauze and dressings. And I could do that for him at home. He is going to have surgery on Monday morning at 7:30am for his skin graft. So he need to be at the hospital at 5:30 monday morning.
So right now we have redressed his wounds area with cause and ointment. He has second degree burns, with 3rd degree burns near his soulder where the skin graft is going to take place. He is on lots of pain medicine and is finally sleeping. He feels fine under the circumstances.

Some things to pray about...
1. That he won't be in to much pain tomorrow, and that we can manage it with the meds.
2. No infection
3. That the skin around his face will start to fall off (the dead skin) and that when we scrub that it won't be painful for him.
4. That his arm will heal.

If you want to call him or I feel free. He will just be relaxing this weekend. Monday morning he will be having the surgery, and after that we will have many more prayer request I am sure. Once surgery is over with he could be in the hospital after that for 3 days. We wont' know until after surgery how many days after the surgery he will be at Vanderbilt. I will keep everyone posted. Thanks for all your prayers.

2 comments:

josh, julia, ethan, and amaya fisher said...

Oh my goodness! Please know that we are all lifting you both up in prayer. May God bring you strength and healing. We'll be anxious to hear how the surgery goes. We love you guys.

Kate Lonsinger said...

Rachel-
I rarely get on facebook anymore, but was browsing online today and discovered your story about Brandon's accident.
I am so sorry to hear of it, but I know he is in loving hands with you and his family by his side:)
Please let him know that he is in my prayers as he undergoes surgery tomorrow,
Kate Lonsinger