Embarrased by burn

I madea trip to the Maricopa Medical Center: Burn ED, today. I wasn't going to go or see any doctor for that matter but my sister, who's daughter experienced a similar burn years ago, suggested I go. Here is why I made the trip. I burned myself on the clothing iron. I was trying to force a particularly stubburn bottom hem on a black sweater to quit flipping up. I rarely iron.

Because it was stubborn my iron was on the hottest setting plus steam. I went to lift the sweater and my arm slid along the edge of the iron all the way up. Apparently when the iron is that hot it generally takes a second or less for it to burn past the layer of skin that feels pain.

It didn't hurt or bother me so I wasn't worried about it. For those of you reading this, that is not the way it works with burns. When it doesn't hurt, you're supposed to worry.

Yes, I am thoroughly embarrased about the whole thing. Especially after comments like, "yes, but how do you burn yourself on an iron. I mean when I am ironing I am very careful", or, " A 2 year old getting burned by an iron I understand but how did 'you' burn yourself?". Yes, I know people. I've already said the same thing to myself I do not need to hear it again.

So, I was putting neosporin and a band aide on during the day and leaving it open to air at night. The center of my burn has a thick rubbery skin. It's the numb part. Well, that part has to go. If it doesn't, it gets infected underneath and can spread and be really really awful. When I went to the burn unit they wanted to 'cut' it out. Now, "normally they give patients nice pain meds but because I am allergic to pain meds I'd just have to deal with it." and, "They can't do a local anesthetic around burns because it can make the burn worse.". I did not like this idea. Fortunately, neither did the head nurse of the burn unit and she stopped the doctor. They decided to give me a new high dose sulfer cream to be applied twice daily to help remove the 'dead stuff', they call this debreeding. They are giving me and the cream, a week to get it off. Other wise they get to do it. They also kept saying that it looked very typical of an iron burn and that it was small. Ha, small, ha ha ha, lucky me. See I can still find the humor.

So, this is my new dressing. When you see me try not to make fun of me. Also, I was very okay with this dumb burn before my burn unit visit but now it is quite painful, so try not to bump it.

The cream makes it sting and burn. That's, "how you know it's working", again, "they normally give patients some nice percocet or vicodin but since I'm allergic, I just have to deal with it". Good times. I have to change the dressing every morning and night and clean and scrape it before I replace the cream and dressings.



Here is what my dressings consist of. Yes that little tiny strip of tissue coming out of the box is the fun tight net sleeve over my dressings. I thought that part was pretty cool actually.

The 2 ointments I mix together in equal parts and then apply. By apply I mean cover burn with about a quarter of an inch thick amount of ointment. Then the non stick gauze pad, then the wrap to keep the gauze pad in place, then the net sleeve. I had a band aide on it when I went in and they told me I could use the bandaide but the nonstick gauze had to go on first, then the band aide, then the wrap, then the net. I chose not to use the band aides.

They sent me home with all these wonderful supplies. They sit on my kitchen counter. Waiting for me every morning and every night. Everything has to stay very clean.Washed hands with antibiotic soap then anti septic cleanser then the burn cleaned and scraped and cleaned again. dressed then hands washed again. Like I said, fun times. In conclusion, I have a new found empathy for Nie Nie!