Please send good thoughts to my baby (18 yr old ) brother

Playing around with his friends and fireworks got himself hurt pretty bad.

I do not know the exact detail of what happened yet but I know a BIG firework went off in his face

This IS my brother the photo was taken in the ER with a cell phone cam.

I'm so upset right now- He looks almost EXACTLY like me he has no eyelashes or eyebrows and Dr said they may not grow back. I'm scared to think of what he looks like under those bandages

Cry

Nana~

My sympathies. Fireworks can be so dangerous. But you have to be optimistic. Besides who cares if he has eyebrows? He's still a wonderful person, and you love him. I suspect he's a bit swollen at the moment, but that will go down and he may look like himself before long. Cheer up. Things could be worse. He's only 18 and young people have an amazing ability to recover. We'll be thinking of you.

Your brother is in my thoughts and prayers.

My Mom burned on her face with a stove accident. She was severely swollen (beyond recognition) and lost eyelashes and brows and the top layer of her skin. It took several weeks for the swelling to go down and several months for the skin to heal, but she has the most beautiful peachy skin for a 78 year old woman I've ever seen. Lashes and brows returned. She was in her 40's at the time.

All the best

A friends son did a similar thing, only he was messing around with firecrackers, and old blasting caps a friend found in his grandfathers garage (from working on a railroad over 40 years ago!). It was highly unstable, and it went off and burnt Chance pretty badly. He too like Pinkylee's Mom, lost eyebrows, eyelashes---he had to have skin grafts, and worst of all, he was blinded, in both eyes for about 2 months, then they finally managed to get the retina repaired in one eye, but the other not only remains blind, it changed from brown to blue!!! He had skin grafts on his hand...he was in bad shape. But today, he has lashes, and brows, and only minor scarring on his face. He wore a pressure mask for several months, and it made a huge difference!

A friend of my oldest DD, was cooking (frying) chicken when her 2 year old, come running by with a plastic bag from Walmart, playing like it was a parachute, and the handle caught the frying pan handle and dumped the hot grease on her, melting the plastic into her. She had 3 different grafts, and also wore the pressure bandages. Now other than an area on her head that will grow no hair, you would not know it had happen!

So do not give up hope. He needs your support, and will rely on your confidence. Boys that age will be mostly concerned over their looks, and it will likely look worse before it begins looking better. BUT it can and likely WILL get much better.

It was a lesson hard learned. I will say a prayer for your brother---and for you. Hang in there....

(((hugs)))

Kat

Yep yep! I was burned badly on my hand as a toddler. No grafts, but weeks & weeks of having to go in and have the dead skin peeled off, over and over. Docs said hair wouldn't grow on that hand, I wouldn't have full range of motion in my fingers, etc. Once healed my hands has never looked any different from any other hand, it's like it never happened.

ER photos have a certain "sticker shock" when we first see them, especially when it's someone we love. THey have amazing therapies for burns now. The white mesh stuff is just there to hold the bandages in place. It's probably not nearly as bad as it looks. DH had some burns from an airbag a while back, and they have him the exact same dressing. As soon as the redness went away - about 2 months total - and the hair had grown back, you'd never know it happened.

Not down playing your trauma at all, it's scary stuff! Just don't let the pictures scare you, and think of all the positive outcomes rather than the negative.

Nana- I hope your brother recovers quickly. Thank goodness his vision hasn't been affected. My brother almost blew his thumb off when we were kids. I think he and some cousins blew up my grandma's mailbox... Fireworks are soo dangerous. Try not to worry too much big sis! I'll keep yoour brother and you in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. - Kim

You and your family are in my prayers.

Nana! I found you! Sending happy healing thoughts your brothers way.......

I hope he gets well soon!

Thank you all for the kind thoughts :huggie:

Nana~

All my healing thoughts to your brother.

I will keep him in my prayers. Remember: God only gives us what He knows we can handle. I know it seems like empty words now, but these words have comforted me many times.

How scary for him, I hope you are able to feel better soon and my prayers for him are for his healing, completly, and for the trauma of this to not have any lasting effects. Bless you.

Nana - your brother is in my prayers!

Mom was told she could take the bandages off today!

She said she will send pics (she is slow getting them out!)

But that it looks really good compared to the other photos.. Like a really BAD sunburn she says other than he has no hair and decided to shave his head because it was all singed (sp?)

I thank you so much for your healing thoughts!

He is talking about coming to visit before his school starts in Aug~

I sure hope so!

Nana~

Nana, just wanted to check in and see how your brother is doing. My uncle had 80% of his body badly burned with 600 degree roofing tar, he was involved in a huge blast, thrown 15-20 feet in the air and was covered in tar from the explosion. He recovered fully, full range of motion and his vision and hearing are fine. I am sure that your brother will do the same. I know that he has great support from you and that you will stand by him while he heals. Send him positive thoughts and let him know that we are LBT are doing the same. Update us when you can. ~Mandy