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Well, I'm making it. Still in pain. But very much not in shock anymore. Just *hurts*. And a bit of that "Damn, I'm lucky to be alive" feeling.
It's all covered in guaze (my chest, and then up my collar bone on the right, and shoulder) for now, but of course, eventually, that will come off. Right now, I can hardly stand the weight of my shirt touching it, so I've been wearing deep V-neck shirts (exposing the ugliness in all its glory  ). It's weird, because the mild area of the burn around the edges are starting to itch (like a sunburn), and the deeper places hurt in a searing type way. The metal pieces embedded are cutting when I move, and the doc said I probably broke a rib (from the force of the explosion) but that it is not good to X-ray burnt skin, especially since they can't really do anything for a broken upper rib anyways. *Sigh*. It hurts deep down (the rib I guess) when I breathe or sneeze. It was so cold today, I got to shivering and shuddering from the cold, and nearly passed out from the pain. Ugg.
I guess my real question though, is that I have a very very important "once in a lifetime" type of formal occasion on Saturday evening. My dress is a bit low cut (but still modest/ appropriate) in sort of a scalloped shape. It does have straps, but they are thin and beaded. I'm not sure if I can go without the guaze by then, although the doc said it was a possibility just for that evening. I'm not sure which is worse/ more distracting though, the guaze, or the burn (there are cuts and metal flecks still too). If I do decide to go without it, does anyone have any experience covering scars? Can regular foundation work? Maybe the liquid kind? Or should I buy the special scar cover up stuff? Any brand recommendations? Also, the skin is obviously not the same color anymore, do I still "match" my normal skin tone?
Normally I wouldn't worry about this, I have all kinds of scars that show in this dress (from heart surgeries and things) and they don't bother me at all. "Battle scars", right? But this just looks so gross...really for the sake of the people I spend the evening with, I need to do *something*.
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~~~Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.~~~
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Re: Cover-up
#173719 - 04/26/05 04:11 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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Could you get a pretty wrap and have it round your shoulders and decoletage (sp?) all evening? That's what I'd go for!
I'd have thought that all the cover ups wouldn't be very nice on recently burnt skin...they're all made for older scars.
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I am so sorry. That's so awful. 
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Re: Ditto!
#173776 - 04/26/05 07:40 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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WOW!! What a terrible ordeal! I'm glad you didn't get hurt worse. I also think a shawl or pretty wrap would be a better choice for this weekend. I would be very hesitant to put any sort of make-up or concealer on a burn that fresh. I would be worried about infection and causing more long term scarring.
As for your eyes, the flash could have burned the cornea's. I would really pay attention to your vision. If it just intermediate blurring, meaning that it comes and goes, its probably just dryness. Systane drops, available at any drug store are the best lubricant. Tears also makes a good one but you have to put them in more often. If the blurriness is there ALL the time, you are light sensative or see LOTS of floaters (like someone through dirt in your face) or see curtains or veils in your vision, you need to be seen RIGHT AWAY by an opthlamologist. I've worked for eye doctors for about 15 years. Let me know if you have any other "odd" vision issues and I should be able to tell you if you need to see a specialist or not!
To help prevent long term scars, I would start using (as soon as the dr says its ok, of course) a cream like neosporin for scars, they really do help make a difference long term!
I hope you feel better soon!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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Re: Cover-up
#173811 - 04/26/05 09:48 AM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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Oooo, gotta side with Linz on this one. Don't go messing with cover-up on burnt skin, you're not going to like the results, it'll get all over your dress, and the aftermath and potential infection factor is way too high.
Go with the shawl or wrap! Borrow one if necessary, I say.
~nelly~
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I just wanted to say that I am glad you are ok! Sounds like a pretty tramatic thing to go through! I agree with the other ladies about the cover-up. I would just find a nice wrap to go over your shoulders. You really can't cover up new burns like that without worry of infection. Also your skin will be peeling so you would just have a flaky yucky mess! Have a good time and hope you are doing well!
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Re: Cover-up
#173827 - 04/26/05 10:23 AM
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mindyj
Reged: 05/14/04
Posts: 494
Loc: Northern Virginia
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Hi Alissa,
First of all, I'm so sorry you're having to go through this! It sounds awful. Actually, I can quite relate. When I was 12 years old I was at an airshow in Germany that ended in a horrible plain crash that killed 80 people and injured hundreds more. I still have burn scars on my arms from that and there are places on the bottom of my feel that I have no nerve endings from running barefoot over charred grass. You do end up in shock and your innitial reaction to the accident is entirely understandable. Don't be worried about feelings over it. But really, it sounds to me like you're a tough girl and you've been through alot in your life, so I'm sure you'll be fine, but I'm sure right now it's a struggle - with your dress for this weekend. On that, I will agree with others, find a nice shawl or a silky scarf that goes with your dress to drape around your neck - less risk of infection and it will add something unique to your look! On the itching - I tell you, burns are the worst healing process in the world! Doctors should have certain alloe type formulations that can be used on 1st and 2nd degree burns, once you get to a third degree burn - you just have to use the gauze for coverings and let the debreeding process take its course. If you do have third degree burns they will probably give you some type of tight wrap soon to avoid the swelling. Also, if they have not told you this already - be careful about dehydration with burns - they cause your body to leach moisture and you can get in bad shape quickly, especially if you have D compounding the fluid loss. I hope the process goes quickly for you and I hope you're working with a good doctor. On the burn stuff, feel free to ask more questions - like I said I do, unfortunately, have experience with this.
Min
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Oh wow....that would be terrifying! I just watched something "blow up in the face"...and I still can't imagine that horror. Wow.
And yeah...I sort of knew that the cover-up would be a bad idea. I mean, I can hardly stand to put the medicine on it...I don't really know what I was thinking. Still in denial maybe. When people ask what happen, I just kind of say "oh, I got burnt, it's no big deal". But it is. And it *hurts like hell*. (I'm sure you know...) Today someone flicked a lighter right when I was plugging in my laptop. I nearly passed out from fright. I hadn't realized that I was still quite so upset about it.
And I'm not usually so vain. Maybe it's just the combination of the "importance" of the occasion, and wanting to think that what happened was "not so bad"...
I had to change the gauze tonight, and I'm not sure I want it off after all. It's mostly 1st and 2nd degree burns across my whole chest, and that part is shaping up better than I had hoped. But where the metal necklace swung back and then got embedded in the skin--that's a seriously nasty burn/ cut. It's a worse burn too, because the hot metal stayed there.
I probably am dehydrated, although I'm always so good about drinking. Generally upwards of 100 oz or more. But it's "that time of month" and that always give me major major D, no matter who good I am with that I eat. We had a probably with the thermostat on the hot water heater, so my shower was too hot too. With D, and period, and a hot shower, I got to feeeling really puny and shakey this evening. I always used to drink juice when that happened, but this time I settled for Chamomile and Rice. Not quite as effective, I don't think.
I'm using aloe and "polysporin" (because I have a terrible terrible immune system, so evidently it has more/ stronger antibiotics than neosporin), and Johnson burn creme. The skin is mostly shaping up, except for the bad bad part in the center. It still hurts, and the doc said the force of the explosion may have broken a rib. Great.
Thanks so much for sharing your story....helps me to feel less alone...
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~~~Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.~~~
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Yes...I do think I will try to borrow a nice smooth/ soft scarf or something. The straps are beaded (ouch!) so I might have to find some creative way for the scarf to be underneath the strap. Also, it hurts if anything touches or moves across the area, so I might have to find a way to use the guaze still, but hide it under a scarf (which would have to be held absolutely still somehow)? I don't move much (probably a cracked rib too) so maybe that would work...
I do have some "eye" questions, if you don't mind...
My vision is still blurry, although not all the time. Sometimes one eye, sometimes the other, sometimes both, sometimes neither. No pattern that I can pick up on. I am definitely light sensative (especially to changes in the light) and sometimes it seems like there are halos around light sources (like the window or the computer screen).
Also, several times there have been these strange things. Not floaters, exactly. More like the aura-type things before a migraine. Silver flashes. I've had them occasionally (maybe once every couple years) in the past, but they are happening very frequently, and the flashes grow/ spread. Twice they have covered my vision until I couldn't see anything left of center. I tried looking up what they might be, but I guess I'm not describing them well enough to have a good word to search by.
Also, as a note--I have no eyelashes because of another medical condition. I also took some medication awhile back that absolutely dried up my eyes and mouth. I quit taking it almost 2 years ago, but I'm still dependent on eyedrops and chapstick. For what it's worth, I wear contacts (the 2 week kind) and was wearing them during the explosion. I took them out and got clean ones the next morning.
Thanks so much! That's one of the great things about this board...we all come together with our different experiences...Makes for a great wealth of knowledge. 
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~~~Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.~~~
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Regarding the flashes you are seeing...fid you hit your head? I am wondering if that might be as a result of a head injury and causing the halos to appear. The other thing is do you suffer from migraines? Chances are that might have something to do with the vision problems now.
I remember reading something about people who are hit by lightning and have a close encounter/near strike having halos around things they see. Just a thought.
Michelle
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