Steamed Like A Clam
FYI: Since I get this question a lot.
For the last ten years, my husband and I have lived 300 miles apart. We see each other every other weekend, with each of us taking turns driving from one home to the other. This time Greg came to me...complete with injuries.
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A few days ago Greg sent me pictures of wounds he received after he'd been hit by a burst of steam from a pressure valve. Horrible! He received 1st and 2nd degree burns on his face and arm.
He refused to go to the hospital, then refused to take the rest of the day off. The man tests my patience at every turn!
Here's what happened: Greg is a supervisor at a chemical plant. He accompanied two of his operators to check on some equipment and just as he passed a steam pipe, the damn valve bursts, scalding him with pressurized steam.
They're doing an investigation, but right now it looks weather-related. (Long story, so I won't bother explaining the technical aspects on how it's weather-related. But at least it wasn't human error.)
I went rabid on him as soon as I saw the pictures. This is why he sent me the photos after he had me on the phone to assure me he was all right. I think he prefers to control my reaction to a rolling boil.
As usual in situations like this, I yell at him. --Just to let him know I care. *g* Then I baby him. But the yelling has to come first. That's my rule.
After I yowled and made a fuss when he refused to go to the hospital, I made him send me new photos of his wounds for the next couple of days so I could see its progression.
He came up to see me yesterday and I got to see the war wounds for myself. They're horrible burns, but I guess he'll be okay. Just a few more scars to give him character.
Poor guy, he had real trouble sleeping last night with those burns. I do feel sorry for him. I wish he had gone to the hospital, but at least his boss made him see the plant nurse and she stocked him with a big bag of bandages and salves.
Am I the only wife who gets angry when her husband gets hurt? Do you make a fuss or do you baby him right away?
Personally, I think yelling helps. It helps me, anyway.
And he'll be fine. Well...maybe a little deaf now. :o)
It's always an adventure at the Zannini household.
For the last ten years, my husband and I have lived 300 miles apart. We see each other every other weekend, with each of us taking turns driving from one home to the other. This time Greg came to me...complete with injuries.
***
A few days ago Greg sent me pictures of wounds he received after he'd been hit by a burst of steam from a pressure valve. Horrible! He received 1st and 2nd degree burns on his face and arm.
He refused to go to the hospital, then refused to take the rest of the day off. The man tests my patience at every turn!
Here's what happened: Greg is a supervisor at a chemical plant. He accompanied two of his operators to check on some equipment and just as he passed a steam pipe, the damn valve bursts, scalding him with pressurized steam.
They're doing an investigation, but right now it looks weather-related. (Long story, so I won't bother explaining the technical aspects on how it's weather-related. But at least it wasn't human error.)
I went rabid on him as soon as I saw the pictures. This is why he sent me the photos after he had me on the phone to assure me he was all right. I think he prefers to control my reaction to a rolling boil.
As usual in situations like this, I yell at him. --Just to let him know I care. *g* Then I baby him. But the yelling has to come first. That's my rule.
After I yowled and made a fuss when he refused to go to the hospital, I made him send me new photos of his wounds for the next couple of days so I could see its progression.
He came up to see me yesterday and I got to see the war wounds for myself. They're horrible burns, but I guess he'll be okay. Just a few more scars to give him character.
Poor guy, he had real trouble sleeping last night with those burns. I do feel sorry for him. I wish he had gone to the hospital, but at least his boss made him see the plant nurse and she stocked him with a big bag of bandages and salves.
Am I the only wife who gets angry when her husband gets hurt? Do you make a fuss or do you baby him right away?
Personally, I think yelling helps. It helps me, anyway.
And he'll be fine. Well...maybe a little deaf now. :o)
It's always an adventure at the Zannini household.
Comments
Yelling is definitely good.
Have a good Saturday.
Ref: Do you think he should still see his doctor?
Probably not anymore. The wounds have crusted over. He cleans them every day and applies the salve so I think the worst is over.
My biggest worry was infection.
Two votes for yelling. Yay!
**
PS Glad you're better too, Dru.
Hopefully he'll recover quickly!
BUT speaking as a mom who spent 2 weeks in a burn ward with DS#3 who at 20 months old pulled a mug of boiling hot tea off the counter onto himself. You should make your hubby see a doctor. The hospital can give him a cream that will help with those burns. Also, a rule of thumb, the burns that heal within 3 weeks of the injury will not leave scars.
Hope your hubby feels better soon!!
Considering the things he's survived, I truly think he has angel looking out for him.
Greg had another accident where the hospital gave us some silver-something-or-other. Good stuff.
So sorry to hear about your child going through that.
Luckily, his face is scar free. But the 3rd degree burns on his shoulders and one upper arm did leave scars. With his red hair, I'm glad he didn't lose range of motion which would have required grafts (and more scarring). Today, he's a well-rounded 6 year old!
If his eyes got burned, I'd strongly encourage him to see an ophthalmologist. Just to make sure everything's ok there. You wouldn't want him going blind over this in later years.
He probably didn't want to affect his company's safety record. They make a big stink over incidents, to the point where the person who received the injury is pressured not to report it. If he doesn't report it, it didn't happen. Which is the opposite of what is supposed to happen.
Since he didn't report it, he also can't charge the company for his eye doctor trip. But he should go anyway.
This is true on all points. unfortunately, he he has good arguments for all of them too.
He wore safety glasses. Because he's responsible for so many people, he makes sure he always follows safety procedures.
Plus the fact, he's an Incident Commander for the plant's fire and rescue team. He's trained for such emergencies. And although medical professionals should never diagnose himself, he felt it wasn't serious.
(I thought differently.)
35 years of this I've had. We have a running joke between us that he has a Klingon head. He takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.