Finally...."the story."

Well, it's taken me forever to finally get "The Story" on here. Sit back and relax if you want to read all of it because it could get preetttyyy long! Here's how it all goes..
The Phone Call: Friday the 26th I was at school when I got 'the phone call'. The one you always dread! My mentor teacher answered it and talked for a minute. I could tell something was going on so I was a little nervous to even pick up. It was Brennen's co-worker Shaun. He said I needed to come to the hospital that Brennen had been burned at work. I didn't ask where. How bad. Or if he was okay. I just left. When I got out to the hospital I was panicking, obviously, but initially didn't think it was that bad. I immediately said, "Oh thank goodness! You're blue eyes are still there and you're still hott." Trying to lighten the situation.
Brennen preceded to tell me what happened, and this is how it happened: Brennen was working on a 4-wheeler at the shed and had been cleaning a filter with some gas. He decided to throw the old gas on a fire they have there. Something they do everyday. When he went to throw it in, it hit the side of the bucket and splashed on his face. However, he initially started on fire on his leg. Not a big deal. So he bent down to pat it out and the vapors blew up and started him on fire. He was on fire from his waist up. The guys at the shed said it was just like the movies. A ball of fire running through the building. They couldn't see any part of his body from his waist up. Thank heavens he was a quick thinker and reacted the way he did. He immediately went to pat it out with his hands but realized he didn't want to burn his hands. So he took off for the door, immediately threw himself on the ground and was rubbing his face in the dirt and throwing snow on his face. Meanwhile, Shaun followed him out and patted out his side and back. He said he felt like someone put their hands over his eyes so he could see where he was going. And I believe it. He was burned right about his eye and his brows and eye lashed were singed.(sp?) I know. Chilling. He said the adrenaline was pumping so fast he hopped up and didn't really feel any pain. Then he started to feel hot so he had Shaun drive him out to the hospital. He said it was the scariest feeling in the whole world. He could see flames all around him on his face.
At the hospital- Like I said before, when I walked in I didn't think it was all that bad. Then I heard them talking about the burn center and started to kinda panic. I called Brennen's parents and they immediately headed to the hospital. Wade Hollingshead was the doc on and he came in and said the U wanted him up there and we would be going by life light. I panicked. I was trying to call my mom. No answer. The Chevron. Busy. I don't know what it is about those words, life light, that made me panic so bad but I did. I needed my mom!! Anyways, I finally got a hold of my brother and they all came right out. In the meantime, life light called and said they wouldn't be able to fly because the weather conditions were so sporadic up north. So they paged the ambulance and had them transport us up to the University of Utah. Brennen's dad Troy and my brother Troy gave Brennen a priestood blessing before we left the hospital. I'm so thankful for the priestood..a whole other post! My mom followed the ambulance to be with me. Jackie and Troy stayed behind because it was Rustin's Junior Prom and they kept Dav. They were going to get up and come first thing Saturday but we were discharged on Saturday so they didn't. The ambulance ride was good. We had fabulous EMT's and a soon-to-be EMT! It made the ride go by pretty quick. They kept Bren pretty drugged up so he wasn't in alot of pain.
The U:When we arrived there they quickly got him in and went to work! They explained what they were going to do, moved him into a bed and hooked him up to all the fun machines. They began by washing his face. Yeah-nasty! Then after they had it all cleaned up, they put shaving cream all over his face and shaved him! Ohh I wanted to pass out about now. I felt soooo bad for him. He had to keep stopping them to give him more drugs. Not to mention, it was a girl shaving him that acted as though she was shaving her worst enemy. Up and down, side to side, and quick! Right after that they put him on some oxygen and just let him rest. He looked really good then. I could hardly tell he had been burned he was just really red. Then we discussed the reason he was up there. First. He was burned up his nose so that created some concern. Second - It takes 18 hours to hit peak of swelling and there was a possibility he could swell so badly it could shut off his airway. Third - They wanted to make sure he didn't have bad scars. So we sat there. I stared at him. Watching to make sure he was still breathing. Thankful I got to watch him breath. Then came night time. He was swelling but not too bad. They told me I could sit in the room but I couldn't go to sleep. Yeah-I'll spare us the time and words on how I really felt about that. I was freaking out wondering if I dared leave or if I should sit in those not so comfortable chairs in the waiting room all night. My mom and I decided to leave and get a motel so I could try and sleep. Pointless. I was up all night checking my phone making sure I didn't miss a call. Praying thanking Heavenly Father for all the blessings. I knew it could have been soo much worse. The night went really well and when he hit his peak of swelling he was off of oxygen and they felt like everything was going really well. I got back to the hospital at 8:00a.m. and it was very evident the reason we were there. The swelling was alot worse than when I had left the night before. He wasn't in alot of pain and things were going really smooth. We then got fabulous news-we got to go home! I had to show them I could change the dressing and properly care for his face. I was quickly reminded why I changed my major. Never one day have I regretted that decision and I was soo reassured I did the right thing up there! Then he had to do physical therapy. A real treat for me to watch. It was pretty entertaining. Not him. Or the pain. The therapist that was telling him to say EWWWW - WEEEEE!! Funny. They were concerned about one area on his neck that was the deepest burn. They said we would have to come back and they would determine if it needed a graft or not. They unhooked all the IV's, we packed our bags and headed home! He has been doing good since we have been home.
Home: It is looking soo good and is healing quickly. He started cleaning his face himself, thank goodness, probably 2 days after we were home. He has to clean it 3 times a day with gauze pads and then apply an ointment. He has to shave every other day and I seriously can't watch. I know. Whimp. But I feel soo bad it looks so painful even though he reassures me it's not that bad. We went back up this last Saturday and they said everything looked pretty good but it was still to early to tell about the graft. He now has staff infection. I'm kinda freaking out. He started an antibiotic today and we're going to go to the clinic tomorrow to get it looked at. We go back up on Monday to find out what the future holds.
Extra stuff:
*I have been amazed at how well Brennen has handled all of this. He has seriously been a trooper. Not ornery. Not bossy. Not irritated. He thanks me all the time for taking good care of him and has really been awesome. He has held up better than me.
*Garments-Oh how I love them. You always hear neat stories about garments and now we have our own. Brennen was on fire from his waist up. It burned his sweater, to his t-shirt but didn't touch the garments. The burns on his neck are a definite line at the garment top. (you can see in pictures) His leg hairs were singed all the way up to his garments and then stopped. It is amazing! My testimony has been dramatically increased through this experience! I am sooo thankful for the gospel and the protection of the garments!
*I'm sooo thankful for my mom. She held me together. She'll never know how much I love and appreciate her - for everything!
*I think it's ridiculous the doctor had a dog right there in the unit. The burn floor has the nurses station in the middle then cubicles for the patients all around it, seperating them with a curtain. Yeah-she had her dog at her desk and totally talked to it like it was a kid. No offense dog lovers, I just found it weird.
*We have the BEST family and friends around! We have had dinner every night since we've been home. Some nights 2 dinners. Goodies, prayers, hugs, texts...the list goes on! THANK YOU!
*His left ear and his lips are the most painful. The ear is nasty. Gettin better but still nasty.
*It could have been sooo much worse. Being up in the burn unit is an extremely humbling experience. We were sooo blessed.
*Dav didn't know what to think about Brennen at first. He wouldn't go to him and kept looking at him, puckering his bottom lip to cry and saying, "daddy have owee". So sad. He was up all night with diarrhea. Poor little guy. Next day right back to normal. Being the biggest daddy's boy ever. He has been really good about not touching him. He often kisses it better.
*They told us Brennen has to wear a cowboy hat or a fishing hat this summer to shade his face. I died laughing-thinking she was kidding. Not at all. So, when you see him sportin some stying hat, control yourself - he is mine!
*To make the week a little better: I took Dav out on Monday(a week ago) because he had a horrible cough and I didn't want him to get Brennen sick. Double ear infection. Again. So he's on another antibiotic. You know what comes with ear infections-no sleeping, no eating, irritable, FUN! Wednesday I woke up with a sore throat and my ears hurt. So again, to be on the safe side I thought I better get checked to make sure it wasn't something Brennen could catch. Double ear infection. They gave me a shot of rossefin(no idea on spelling). Brennen was with me so we walked over to talk to Dr. Oakden. I started feeling really light headed and like I was going to throw up. We were talking to Dr. O and I kept thinking it was going to go away but it didn't. He looked at me and asked me if I was okay. I told him no. He said I was as white as a ghost and they needed to watch me for a minute because I was having a reaction to the shot. I came home that night with a horrible headache. Jackie took Dav because I was soo sick. Thank you-totally saved my life and possibly his too! I drank a Pepsi, took some Excedrin, went to sleep and woke up feeling much better! I feel great now. I'm not so convinced Dav is better yet. We have to take him back in in 3 weeks. But we're managing.
Today: I went back to school. Brennen went to work for about 3 hours. He has to do really light work and can't be in the sun. Now with the staph infection I don't know what the work situation will be like for him. I have 2 weeks left of school so I have to keep plugging along. Somehow.
There you have it. And..I left out lots of details! Sorry for such a loooonnnng story but I need this for documentation:) So teach your children: DON'T PLAY WITH FIRE AND GAS!! and if they do, remember to STOP DROP AND ROLL. There you have it - my shpill!