I got off work early, and learned that my cousin was back home, so stopped off to get the latest news on my uncle's condition.

When I got there he said he'd just got home, and was taking a shower and heading back. His wife came in and asked why the car wouldn't start...long story short, the starter had taken a shit. And it's their only vehicle.

So, since he was wanting to go back to the hospital and spend the night again with his dad, he asked me if I would run him over there. Of course I did.

He didn't look as bad as I feared. The lower half of his face has some severe burns, but not as bad as they could be, mainly deep skin damage, with a couple of small spots, one on his nose, the other on his cheek, with deep tissue damage that will require skin grafts.

Also, on one arm, and one knee, he will need skin grafts. He was wearing coveralls, but there were holes in the knees, and he didn't have the cuffs fastened, so those areas were burned.

I'd understood he had burns over his whole body, but his forearms, knees, and face were the only places burned...where he wasn't covered by clothing.

He was awake for a bit while I was there, but can't speak due to the ventilator tube in his throat. The swelling has gone down in his face, and in his throat some, which the doctor said is a good sign.

When he woke up this morning he motioned that he wanted a pen and paper, and his son brought him one. His first words...

"I really didn't want to go to work today anyway." LMAO...he's in good spirits, and other than wanting the tube out, seemed to be doing well, all things considered. He was more concerned about the others he worked with (no one else was hurt) and the damage to the plant. He's the maintenance supervisor, so go figure.

He'll be on the ventilator for another day or two, but once the swelling in his throat has gone down they will remove it. It is more a precautionary measure than a necessity.

He said he wasn't hurting to much today, but itched all over, another good sign as that means his body is starting to heal itself already. They gave him a Benyadryl shot, and that took care of the itching.

Then after I got home, and hour each way and spent an hour there before the nurses kicked me out, I had to make up five large batches of Amish Peanut Butter Spread. If you've never had the stuff, it's delicious. But it's also messy to make, since it has peanut butter, corn syrup, honey, and marshmallow creme in it.

I filled twenty pint jars, a homemade Christmas gift to family members. Then I had to clean up the messy kitchen...

SOOOO, it's almost 11 and I'm off to bed shortly, I'm TIRED!

Thanks to much to each and every one of you for your positive thoughts, prayers, and concern.

Dirtycopper

My cousin just called and my uncle is going to be okay, although he is in a lot of pain.

Thankfully, the first hospital was smart enough to intubate (insert a breathing tube) him right off as he does have burns in his throat and the back of his mouth, and the tube is currently keeping his airway open.

His lungs are undamaged, so that is good news.

He has first and second degree burns all over his body, the doctor said that in that type of environment when the dust flashes it isn't uncommon to have burns under clothing, as the persons clothing has the dust in it also.

He is in a lot of pain and is currently sedated, but the docs said that he should pull through with no problem. Only two third degree burns, one on his nose and the other on his cheek and both are small.

It was a localized explosion, he was working in an area of the feed mill by himself when the explosion happened, so no one else was hurt. Luckily, the explosion didn't start any fires, or it could have been much worse.

I got a phone call on the way home from work, there was an explosion (most likely grain dust) where one of my uncles works and he suffered burns to his face.

I do know, cause I called a Deputy Sheriff friend of mine who happened to respond to the call, that he was up talking and walking at the scene.

The hospital refuses to give info over the phone to me, and his son isn't there yet, so no real info yet.

I understand the reason for protecting a patients privacy but until his son gets there the whole family is left in limbo. Which sucks.

I do know he was airlifted from the local hospital, that does not have a burn unit, to one an hour away that does. He was awake and talking to the EMT's when they loaded him on the helicopter, so that's a good sign.

So, now I hang out here and wait for a phone call, fingers and toes crossed.

Yikes, what a year it's been.

'Nuff said.

Should I stay here and perv, or head out into the cold woods to deer hunt?

Still got two more seasons in January, but it will most likely be even colder then so...

So, I've been going through some withdrawals myself this last week, LOL. My cell phone took a shit 10 days ago and when I took it back to Radio Shack, where I got it, they said the battery was shot.

Seems they've been getting a lot of complaints on it. The phone was a LG Vu, one that AT&T was giving away free with new contract/uprgrade, which is how I got mine. Anyway, six months left until I can upgrade and my phone is shot. FUCK!

So, my buddy who works as the "Shack" says no biggie, gets online and orders me a new battery $22+tax, (free shipping) and I finally got it today. No wonder the shipping was free, it took nine days to get here.

So, now I got a working phone again and can perv from work and sent dirty texts to the wife and do all the shit I couldn't do for the last week. YEEEHA!! LOL

Which makes me wonder, will the new chat bar be there if I log into the full site from my phone? Guess I'll have to try it and find out. LOL

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Gotta work tomorrow and Weds and then its hunting season Thurs. through Sunday, so I may not be on for a bit.

Behave yourselves while I'm gone.

To those of you who asked. My wife is doing better. The worst of the withdrawals seem to be over, although she is now having trouble sleeping at night.

Trazadone, the medicine the doctor took her off of was to help her sleep, and it did, 24/7. Without it now she's having trouble falling asleep, so we are going to need to find an alternative.

Other than that, we are doing well.

We will being going to my brothers for Thanksgiving lunch, and my wife's cousin is hosting that side of the family for dinner. So, I'll be xxxxxx to consume TWO helpings of it all at a minimum. *Sigh* I'll do my best to do the cooks justice. LOL

Take care y'all.

We had one appt. this morning, the first with an occupational therapist, and that went well. My wife's last appt was scheduled for Friday afternoon, so we were looking at spending the night Friday, driving home Sat, and I'd have to be back to work Sunday morning...doable but major suckage.

Then, the therapist who saw her this morning found out our situation, 8 hour drive home, me having to work Sunday....

Long story short, she pulled a string or two...NO NOT THOSE KIND and got us in to see the therapist who specialized in pelvic pain this afternoon.

So, appt at one, left the Mayo Clinic at two, was packed and left Rochester at 3:55pm.

Pulled into our drive at 10:54pm. UHM, yes, I did say it was an 8 hour drive, and yes, I know that's only 7....

*blush* I tend to get a bit of a lead foot when headed home. LOL

So, we're home, she's tucked in bed fast asleep, and I'm updating my blog on NN....

what's wrong with this picture? LOL

Thanks so much for all the support. Your words of encouragement have meant a lot.

DC

It is nothing physical. We(I) was worried it might be a brain tumor, or a stroke or something similar. We even wondered about her heart and lungs, as in some people with SMA it can develop into issues in these areas that are often fatal.

However, the doctors checked EVERYTHING, and there are NO physical problems, other than the overall muscle weakness that is found in most people with SMA.

Having ruled out all of the above, they took a closer look at her meds, and after some blood test, found that due to a slower than normal metabolism (due to the SMA, and the gastric bypass she had six years ago) her body is not metabolizing her meds at the same rate other people do.

The general internist we saw this afternoon said that basically her body was getting more medication than she could metabolize, and it had a cumulative effect, building up in her body slowly over the last several years, finally causing the symptoms that brought us here in the first place.

He is taking her totally off of one medication, and reducing another by half, as they both have longer "half lives" within the body, and both have sedative effects.

As he explained it, it was like constantly popping sleeping pills all day long. No wonder she has been lethargic, dazed, confused, and appeared drugged all the time. She was!

The relief I felt at learning that it was nothing that was going to shorten her life, and that by reducing the pills she should be back to normal (for her) within a few weeks was astronomical.

Thanks so much for your concern and prayers.