The Amazing Power of Healing

Look at the amazing difference between these pictures.  The first is Saturday after wound therapy.  The wound clinic worker removed a lot of the dead skin, and everything is red and sore.  The next picture, the following evening shows some healing already.  However the third picture which was taken yesterday at my wound clinic appointment, shows great strides.  There are a few places where the new skin is still weak, but I am healing.  The light spots don't need the antibiotic stuff any more.  The pain is pretty much gone; however there is an itchy phase to healing.  For over a week I couldn't stand putting pressure on my back.  Now I welcome it as it helps to soothe the itching.  I use my pillow to add pressure to my back.  Last night I slept on my back for the first time since the accident on the 13th.

In like fashion, Jesus heals.  I can warrant much of the healing to Caleb's priesthood blessing, which comes from Jesus.  However in life, we all receive little knocks from time to time.  We make little mistakes, and they begin to add up.  I want you to know that Jesus heals.  Just as he healed physical pain through His miracles, He also heals spiritual pain.  More than once he said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee, go and sin no more."  He has gone below all things.  He has carried our sorrows.  He can heal.  He will will.  We just need to reach out to Him.

Progression of My Burn: From Africa to Australia

Shortly after I burned my back, Miranda and Tony said it looked like Africa.  Now it is looking like Australia.  I went to the wound clinic at Valley Medical Center and they removed skin which wasn't healthy, and left the healthy stuff.  Now my back is a nice pinkish red color which is suppose to be healthy.  There are some lighter spots where the bad skin was too stubborn to pull off.  The process was not too painful, however it did leave my back very tender and more sensitive to itches and pain.  Here are some pictures over time.  It is getting better, and the pain is tolerable, and the itching so far hasn't driven me crazy.

After first burned, at Doctor's Hospital

At Doctor's Hospital

at Doctors Hospital

Wednesday

Tuesday

Friday

Saturday before treatment

Saturday after treatment

Sunday (today) after Sheri washed it.

Doesn't it look like Australia now.  I think so.  There is some good healthy healing going on, and most importantly; no infection.  We have gone from silvadene to neosporin as an antibiotic but now also have a special yellow bandage we put on too encourage good skin growth.

I Am Doing Amazingly Well for Having Caught Myself on Fire

Sunday, as we were preparing for dinner, and Sheri had the potatoes on the stove.  I leaned in to catch the warmth off the burner.  I then turned around to warm my back side.  It quickly got too hot, so I moved away from the stove.  The heat didn't dissipate.  I realized I had caught myself on fire.  I did go down and try to roll; but that wasn't putting out the flame.  Sheri was hitting them with her hands.  I jumped up and ran to the entry to the living room, about 15 feet, and in doing so I fanned the flames so I dropped again.  By that time Sheri had a towel to hit them with and put the flames out.  She probably saved my life; but both of us were sort of stupid.  I could have jumped in the shower sooner, or Sheri could have sprayed with with the kitchen sink hose.  Neither occurred to us. She told me to get in the shower with my clothes on to make sure everything was out.  I obeyed, and stayed in the cool shower as long as I could stand it.  I was shivering when I got out.  I then kept a wet towel on my back, because it was the back of my shirt that had burned.  It also singed my hair pretty good, and I pulled ashes out of it.

My under wear (garments) had not burned through, but more melted.  However there must have been plenty of heat as I did a number on myself.  Caleb gave me a blessing that I would be able to withstand the pain.  And I have been able to do so.  It was only bad at first, but I was able to breath through it and it calmed down.  Later I was thinking maybe he should have blessed me that the pain go away.  However after getting home from the hospital I slept well and have not had a great deal of pain.  They gave me a shot of morphine at the hospital.  They also put some cream on it that really calmed it down.  The cream has an antibiotic and a pain reliever.  They also prescribed a couple pain medications.
It have blistered more as some of the heat has settled in.  However it is now healing.  Sheri has been redoing the dressing for me, and we have gotten some of the cream which helps.  I have also taken a few pain pills, but for the most part, it is pain free.  Sometimes if I forget and lean against my back it irritates.  And some of the blisters have popped on their own.  The oozing stuff going down my back feels weird, and itches sometimes.  The worry is the chance of infection.  Especially with the open sores that replace the popped blisters.  However Sheri is keeping the dressings on me.  I am going to try to go to work tomorrow.  I hope it is a good decision and that I won't get bumped on the train.  I keep thinking of how stupid I was to get so close to the burner.

at the hospital

next morning 

today

Ace Train 47: Be Careful

I have talked before about how dangerous the Bascom Station Light Rail could be; especially if trains were coming both directions.  I once saw a bicyclist almost get hit here at the Southwest side of the station.  I usually use the Fruitdale Station rather than Bascom, but went that way today and came upon this memorial.  The memorial is to a 14 year old girl who passed away in January as a result of injuries she sustained in a bicycle, train accident.
 http://news.kron4.com/news/bicyclist-hit-by-vta-lightrail-expect-delays/

This is at Stokes where it crosses the Light Rail tracks.  Northeast of Bascom Station.  This was next to Del Mar High School.  The accident was early in the morning, so she must have been on her way to school.  I am not sure if she was a student at Del Mar or still in Middle school.  None of the articles mentioned what happened, but it is obvious there are friends and family who are hurting.