A few years ago, I had walked away from saucepan with some oil on the stove top and created a grease fire. I attempted to turn off the range but I couldn't get to the knob, so I tried to remove the saucepan from the range ... that was when the flame came toward me and I burned my hands, arm, singed some hair and left my face looking like I had a terrific sunburn. A blister started to form on my right arm and I knew that I wouldn't be able to drive since it hurts to even try to make a fist. A friend helped get me to an InstaCare and I was able to get some medical attention I needed for the first and second-degree burns I suffered.
The process of healing took a while. It involved multiple visits to the doctor's office and lots of pain medication. During a follow-up visit, a painful procedure had to be done to pop the blisters and remove the dead skin, leaving raw flesh exposed. I was in so much pain, but this was necessary for proper healing.
Of course, I was limited in my mobility during this healing period. I had to keep the dressing dry, so I couldn't take showers for the first few days. Baths were out of the question because the still waters could harbor bacteria that might infect the wounds. I couldn't give myself a sponge bath with both hands bandaged and didn't want anyone else to give me one. It took me an average of 90 minutes to get ready for the day. Being right-handed, having to do everything with my left hand was a challenge. The wound itched like crazy, but that was a good sign of healing.
This incident came to mind, because I have a friend who is struggling as a consequence of her poor choices. This friend had committed a felony some years ago, served some time and had made the restitution asked of her. She was recently fired from a job because she had failed to disclose this crime on her job application. She is frustrated that she should "continue bear the punishment" inflicted on her after she had made restitution. I can't help but see the similarity of her experiences to my grease fire incident. In life, we will make mistakes. We will go through some painful experiences as consequence of our poor choices and judgement. However, time and proper attention to the situation will heal the wounds we've inflicted upon ourselves. While we will eventually be able to go on with life, some scars will remain with us forever and that is not something that can always be hidden. My scar in the picture above is barely visible, but I'm glad to have it on my hand because it serves as a reminder to me that we are to learn from our past mistakes.
This handkerchief is 18 years old. That's right, 18 years old! If it was a child, it'd be graduating from high school and starting college.
The other day, I was waiting to cross the street, when I noticed a man standing around the corner smoking. No big deal, until he turned around and I saw that he had an oxygen tank attached to him. Some people just can't wait to die!
11 days to Christmas and I've not even started my shopping. Forget the Christmas cards, I have not even made my list. It's NOT the most wonderful time of the year, it's the most STRESSFUL time of the year!
