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IamA 63 % burn victim (third degree, except luckily my face is second degree - it will heal.) AMA!
My short bio: Enter stuff here
Hi, in the night of august third I was in my toolshop to repair an old mercedes station wagon. Well, I was emptiieng the gasoline in a container standing on the floor of our repair pit.
The repair pit is rughly 1,60 meter deep and kinda narrow. It is more like a little cellar room. After I was done setting up the container, I climbed out and did stuff on the work bench, i listened to iron maiden, judas priest and some megadeth and drank trusty german beer.
When I was done with that for the night, I put out the lights in the toolshop, lastly the handlight in the pit. It had a cable which went into a wall plug thingy, and I simply pulled out the cable.
big mistake. A spark ignited the gasonline fumes, which had spread out in the whole building. I even smelled the whole shebang, but my mind was elsewhere, I simply didnt bother.
Well. A very cute little tornado of flames formed, but very quickly the tornado grew and engulfed me with a sound I will never forget: it was the sound of the biggest match igniting, combined with a very loud sound like wet clothes ripping.
I panicked and knew I was in BIG trouble, and that I did a huge mistake.
I was wading breathlessly through that ball of fire and managed, with iron will, to reach the stairs of the pit. I even had to wriggle out of it, because I Parked the car halfway ofer the staircase. My mind was racing, scanning through my options. I was in panic, and while I was climbing the stairs, My arms reached out to find another human- panic did that. My voice whincing and whining, I begged for help-.
Standing next to the car, A part of my brain noticed that my t-shirt was burning. I grabbed for it to pull it over my head, but i only found my burning skin. I was in flames. I wondered ewhy it was so light in the garage, had I put out all the lights before. But it was so light because the whole interior of the building was already beginning with catching fire. I ran for the door, kicked it open, and ran 150 meters for the garden pond and threw myself in it.
I turned and watched lights flickering in the trees, and I heard the sound of burning.
I'll write the rest of the story when I get responses.
My Proof: Enter link here Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur Imgur
second part of story:
I stayed in the pond for 30 seconds. Than i ran for the window of my uncles room, and banged my fists on his window to wake him up. I screamed "fire! FIRE!". than I ran to my neighbours, which were alredy standing outside. they saw a black figure wit completely torn trousers and combat boots, upper body naked and black like coals, face totally wrecked.
I told them: "YOU ARE GETTING ME AN AMBULANCE, AND YOU ARE PHONING THE FIREFIGHTERS, ASAP!"
than I ran of to the burning gagare. Outside, a friend already tried to splash the already incredibly high flames with a Fire extinguisher. It was very, very hot. but still, in my wanting to undo of me setting fire, I went inside the garage and reached for a hose. I attached it to an outlet. I tried to put out the flames in the repair pit,but it was no use. it was at most 3 or 4 minutes after the accident. it was there and then where I lost the abbility to strech 4 of my ten fingers; i went to far into the heat. now I have hands like a which.
My friend screamed at me to stop it and take a break. I calmy said, dreamlike:" allright, I'll go into the pond again.", which I promptly did.
I said in the pond and watched the flames in silent guilt and regret and horror. I knew I was in deep trouble. I heard loud explosions from spray cans and the like. I had stored parts and fluids and tools for a couple of grands in the garage.
I heard sirens and screams from the arriving firefighters and neighbours; they tried to find me in the dark. I began to get very cold in the water, and I told them where I was in the dark, and they fetched me a blanked and i got out to go to the ambulance. I lied down on the stretcher, and answered questions and stuff, police and firefighters came to make sure i was the only one in the garage.
I began to shiver hard, violently. I bounced up and down like a jackhammer, andt tried to stop that, but couldnt.
I told my friend that i just realized that I was severly wounded, and not just a little like I thought before. I told him ten times and more not to worry, I would make it through the night.
then I count from one to 50, repeatedly, to keep me sane and ahed of the surging shock. then they put me to sleep. my coma began.
I survived only and by the skin of my theeth because I am mentally strong, didnt drink (just beer, thats not considered drinking in germany), didnt smoke and was working as a construction worker- strong body.
my body temperature was 33 degrees celcius when I was arriving in the shock room of my hospital.
but i made it, like I told my friend!
THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVING AND CARING RESPONSES! it really helps me a lot. thank you , reddit.
yes, i am german, and my genitals are totally unscathed by the haunting accident. the building is being paid and repaired, insurance covered it. about 20 fire cars were involved with about a 100 firefighters. normally you get airlifted to the hospital, but the heli wasnt available.
Paul
my dick is still there :-)
pictures of today, friday fourth of december
this one is showing wounds were they took the skin off Imgur
pictures of how I looked before the accident:
paukipaul845 karma
haha, you betcha its painfull! like hell! you get painkillers, but you still feel the pain under and on your skin. I feel it right now, even after 4 months. you get loads of painkillers though, you just need to ask. but the most, most evil,painful feeling was when they drilled a hole through my shin to get to some vein. they had to inject some sleeping drug when I was in the ambulance, shortly after I qas burned. they then put me in a two week coma.
Princeofplop292 karma
When did u come to the realization that you were not gonna die? Was it relief or was it awful thinking about the pain?
paukipaul523 karma
I never felt any pain, except in the first few seconds, when the whole thing blew in my face. I didnt believe that I was severely damaged, I thought it to be just a freak accident, and the i was to spend one week with doctors appointments. I am the fifth month in hospital
vaultboy1269 karma
What was it like being in a coma? Did you dream during it and how did you feel when you woke up?
paukipaul23 karma
i was awake in the coma THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME and i dreamed i was in the garage of hell, honetly. i crwled paralyzed on the floor to escape a horrible scathing tornado of flames which was beating me mercylessly, i tried to flee, but i wasnt to fast, crawling through debris. i heard friendly voices and tried to reach them, but ech time they would vanish before i could reach them. I haven saw THE LIGHT a couple of times, but it did nothing for me. my dad read me the fellowship of the rings each day, but he had to switch to children story because my pulse was getting to fast.
paukipaul358 karma
well, I spent 4 month in a serious hospital, specialised in burn victims. now I just moved to a rehab center. I will stay there until, lets say, spring. then I will spent 1,5 years until I am considered healed.
sparcs89127 karma
that looks awful, im so sorry this has happened to you, how has support been from family/friends? Do you have to pay anything in damages? I wish you all the best in your recovery
paukipaul262 karma
well, i am really lucky, because I have a vast familly. virtually 3 times each week somebody visits me. I have to pay nothing in damages, it was our own toolshop, and insured. they already began to pull of the roof for repair. I feared that my familly would despise over the loss of the building, but they are saying that I could be dead, I barely survived. my body temp was down to 33 degree celsius.
orangejulius508 karma
What was treatment like when you got to the hospital? I've heard it's incredibly painful and that pain management is really hard for burn victims.
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