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| Alejandra with her younger sister. |
Alejandra's accident, told by her mother:
"Six years ago, when Alejandra was three years old, she fell backwards into boiling water. I took her immediately to Univalle Hospital and she stayed there for one week. They didn't know how to care for her burns properly and she got worse and worse as time went on. She developed an infection and her body kept swelling more and more. By the time I took her out of that hospital her 2nd Degree burns had turned into 3rd Degree and her skin was coming off all over her back as if there was nothing holding it there.
After leaving Univalle Hospital, I took Alejandra to Hospital Viedma and she was treated by Dr. Romero. She was constantly bandaged up and began to slowly improve over the next month. By then she was well enough to leave the hospital.
We went to Juana and Maria to get a Pressure Suit. Alejandra had to wear it 24/7 for one year...we came back every 2 weeks to get it adjusted in the beginning, then after a while, we came back every month. I had 10 Pressure Suits for her so that I could make sure they were always clean on her skin. I used lots of sponge and silicon to also help the skin heal correctly, smooth and flat.
I was terrified that Alejandra was going to have Keloid scars, so I did EVERYTHING possible to keep her skin healing well. I quit work and I didn't sleep for the first six months...my entire life revolved around Alejandra. I watched her at every moment to make sure that she never scratched her skin. If she started itching, I would use sprays, creams and cold water baths to hydrate and soothe the area. I took her every day for her Physical Therapy sessions at the hospital and even signed her up to do extra therapy in the pool, since I heard it was good to keep the skin moist all of the time. Each day after her Physical Therapy and pool time, we would come home and I would put her in a bath of Manzanilla...she basically spent that entire year in pools and tubs!
She continued all of the therapy appointments for one and a half years. Right after the accident, it was hard to see that my daughter couldn't move well and how painful it was for her to put on the Pressure Suit. But, it slowly got better and better...now her skin is beautiful and she can move and play just like the other children.
The most amazing part of her treatment was the Pressure Suit. The Burn Clinic and Maria and Juana saved her life. Many children don't have the Pressure Suits because their parents don't know about them or can't afford them. Juana and Maria always helped me. Anytime I needed them, they were there for me. Anytime I couldn't afford to pay for something, they worked it out for me. I had everything that I needed for my daughter to get better because of these women. The Pressure Suits made it possible for Alejandra to move and play like the other children. Every burned person MUST have a Pressure Suit.
I am still very careful that she does not get sunshine on the scars because I don't want her skin to discolor...other than that, she is back to normal! I don't know why things like this happen, but I know that God always has a plan and a purpose for everything...we will just have to see what the reason was for this to happen to Alejandra."
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After hearing the mom's account of the accident and treatment, I tried to talk to Alejandra about it. She told me that even though she was only three, she remembers the accident, the hospital, wearing the Pressure Suit and how hard it was to move around in the beginning. I could tell that she was going to cry so I stopped talking to her and talked to her mother again. Her mother said that Alejandra still cannot talk about the accident without crying, but that she wrote her story down in a journal. Her mother said that Alejandra is not like a normal child...she is always very cautious. She thinks hard about everything she does and recognizes when something could be dangerous. Even when her younger sister is playing, Alejandra will stop her and warn her when she is doing something that could hurt her. So, yes, she has healed physically and her scars look wonderful. However, after such a traumatizing event, it is hard for many people to ever be the same mentally and emotionally. You may be healthy, but your life has been changed forever!
People who are burned need more than just Pressure Suits...they need good nutrition, education on how to care for the burns, physical therapy and to be able to see a counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist!!! However, most people cannot afford much more than the basic hospital bills...
Alejandra would not have healed well without the help of the Pressure Garment and Burn Care International...please help Burn Care International improve the lives of burned victims all over the world!!!
Please CLICK HERE to visit BCI's website to learn more about our important ministry.
-You can DONATE ONLINE by scrolling to the bottom of the website and clicking the DONATE button.
-Or you can MAIL A CHECK to:
Burn Care International
419 Woodland Drive
Florence, SC 29501.
All donations are tax-deductible and will change the life of a burned victim!!!
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