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[Laura's Babies]

The government got these guys counseling right from the start to help them deal with this. The fella Regina talked to told her the biggest help is with them talking to each other and realizing they are all experiencing the same exact things and that they are not crazy for this effecting them so bad. They talk within their group often and that is the best therapy they can get.

Eddie is scheduled for surgery at 11 am but sometimes they run late. He is alert this morning and talking up a storm. They have both his hands tied to the bed to prevent anymore mishaps like they had night before last. (He told his daughter that pulling that feeding tube out was a MISTAKE and he won't do that again!!!) I told him when I left last night that I was going to get a cup of coffee so he would think I was coming back and stay CALM!! He seems to get most upset when there is no one in there and perhaps he gets bored?

[catcrazylady]

Oh Laura, bless your heart. It must be so hard to see him like this. The news is good and it does keep getting better but I know you all still have to be so worried. I'm sure all the meds that Eddie is on is what makes him do or say confusing things. I'm just so glad they have all these wonder drugs today so he doesn't have to experience all that pain.
Is the surgery for skin grafts? How many places will he have to have grafts done?

I always feel so much better when you update and I'm glad to hear that things are still improving.
We love you and we are still praying hard for Eddie and your family. Let us know how the surgery goes as soon as you can.
{{{HUGS}}} dear friend!

[kimlovescats]

Prayers coming for the surgery today!

[Laura's Babies]

Opps CCL, yes, the surgery is for skin grafts on his hands. They have the grafts everywhere else already and were waiting to see if they would be needed on his hands. His fingers were somewhat uncovered this morning and I got to see his fingers and they looked fine to my untrained eyes but I haven't seen the palms or tops of the hands. That guy that Regina talked to that helped put the fire on him out asked her how the cut on his hand was and that was the first we had heard of a cut on one of his hands. We are hoping he will be out of surgery soon.

I talked to one of his nurses outside today and she said this hand surgery is not going to set him back a bit, he will still be sitting up and eating and she said that burn victems are not scarred as bad as they use to be and she said his face will come out looking fine. (We already figured that out by how good it looks now)

[MULTICATMOM]

that is great news, congratulations to all!!

[momcat]

Hey Eddie! A whole ton of positives are being sent your way--- and also to your family. You're fighting the good fight, a lot of folks are on your side.

How are you doing, Laura? It's so wonderful to keep seeing such promising and positive reports on Eddie's progress. Have you met your heros yet? There are good people in this world! These gentlemen prove that there ARE angels among us. Many prayers continue......

[rg_girlca]

It's so good to hear such positive news.

I hope all went well with the surgery.

Prayers still on the way for you Eddie and your family.

[Laura's Babies]

The surgery yesterday went fine. They took skin from his lower legs to put on his hands and replaced some of the donar skin on his arms and body. Monday he will have surgery again and Friday they will start replacing the donar skin with his own. She said in 2 weeks his legs will be healed enough that they can go back and get more skin from his legs to put where they need it. It is amazing how all this is done!! He was back on the ventalator for the surgery but they said that will be gone this morning since he was breathing on his own ahead of it and it is not needed if he continued through the night.

For all of you that asks how I am doing, I am doing GREAT! Getting PLENTY of excersize walking all over this hospital, eating a lot more than I should be and sleeping like a log.. Our spirits are so high that we sing praises every day, all day long. Regina keeps trying to get me to take that 6 flights of stairs with her once a day but I am not THAT brave!!... and we are meeting a lot of WONDERFUL people here that have a family member here or is a paticent here.. I will tell you some of their stories when I get back home and can stay on the computer longer at a time.

[MULTICATMOM]

THAT IS MORE GREAT NEWS!!

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH EATING!! IN OUR FAMILY WE CALL IT 'STRESS EATING'... WE TAKE FOOD WITH US TO THE NURSING HOME, GRANDMA LOVES IT, AS DOES THE LADY NEXT DOOR!
WHERE CAN WE SEND CARDS & TREATS FOR Y'ALL?

[Laura's Babies]

I finally got around to asking about a address... Guest Services.....Sentara General Hospital...........600 Gresham Drive.......... Norfolk General Hospital.... and of coarse our names, Laura Sibley or Regina Smith, his name is William Smith/sent c/o Regina Smith

Todays surgery is scheduled for 1:40 pm. They are going to replace the donar skin that needs replacing and get him ready for his own skin Friday. He was pretty much out of it most all day yesterday because they had to move his main line. He did eat a few fresh strawberries someone brought us for him and he said they were "rot your teeth sweet".. Yesterday his blood pressure was up a lot and he had a fever but the nurses were not to concerned. Soon as his BP meds were increased, that came back down.

[Rie Rie]

Mom left off the zip code.........
THis is the correct address...
Guest Services
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
600 Gresham Drive
Norfolk, Va. 23507
And of course you have to put theirs names like she said.
You all have been wonderful with all the support and prayers.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

OMG, Laura, I am so sorry for missing this post untill now... !

What a terrible thing to happen! Wounds from burning are very paiful, and it is also very hard for the relatives.
I am so happy to see that Eddie is already getting better. Of course he will be needing lots more of operations, but one day he will heal ! I will pray for him that this happens asap

ps. My parents lost my eldest brother (their first child) when he was only 2. He got burned severily and died after 3 days. Of course, there wasn't great surgery like we have nowadays : it happend almost 50 years ago!

[Laura's Babies]

darn, I did foprget the zip code! Thanks Rie for doing that for me.

M&I Mommie, we have seen several people who have had sever burns since we have been here and it is just amazing how they look now! Some look no more than different color skin, some you can't even tell they were burned. They can do miracles nowdays. To bad your brother wasn't able to be saved, that had to be extreemly hard on your family to loose a child and to loose him like that.

Eddies face was spared the sever burns and it is healing nicely, some healed enough that it is completely healed but there are some bad spots but not many.

[momcat]

Hi, Eddie! How are you feeling today? Everyone at my church is praying for you. Hang in there, Eddie, this too shall pass.....

Hey to you too, Laura, I'm happy and relieved to hear that you're also taking care of yourself at this difficult and stressful time. Positive thoughts, lots of love, and many prayers continue for all of you.....

[Laura's Babies]

Eddie has gone in for his own skin grafts today. This will leave him very delicate now, even a soft touch could distroy that graft and give him and infection and a no visitor rule has been put into effect for everyone but the immediate family. The rules for us are really strict now. He will be out of it most of today but before surgery, he was alert and talking. They don't expect but 50 to 60% of the grafts to take as a rule but I am hoping that Eddie will beat those odds and surprise them all!! We do not know right now how often he will have the surgery to put his own skin grafts on but in this last week, he has had surgery.. Friday, Monday, Wednesday and again today (Friday).

All this seems to be moving so fast that it is hard to keep up with sometimes. Keep they prayes coming!!