I burned my arm last Friday night. Big time. Hell-raising home chef that I am, I was prepping a friend’s gas grill when the whole thing went up in a fireball. Starter malfunction combined with a high flow of gas and basic gas grill unfamiliarity (mine is charcoal) conspired to singe my brows, my eyelashes and every single hair on my right arm...from hand to axilla. In streaks, it burned the skin, too, so that once the adrenaline had worn off my arm felt like it was unrelentingly aflame.
ER or GP? Luckily, my GP is one of those old-fashioned docs who answers her beeper with an alacrity most of us deny exists elsewhere in human medicine.
No ER, she says...not if you can stand the pain. First degree burns just hurt––more so when they affect a wide swath of skin. So go take some Tylenol, keep the cold compresses coming and I’ll call in some Ultram.
Despite the tramadol I didn’t get much sleep that night, tossing and turning in pitiful, arm-preserving ways. So it was that by six AM I was feeling thoroughly sorry for myself; more so because I couldn’t take the prescribed pain reliever in advance of a full roster of Saturday morning appointments. (Floating through appointments is NOT recommended. Pain is always preferable.)
Yet halfway through the AM the pain had reached a crescendo. It was either time to call it quits and go home or suck it up and power throgh. It was then that I shoved down a couple more Tylenol and grumpily went in to see my “walk-in” appointment (AKA, someone who has not taken the time to call for a scheduled time slot). One look at the patient, however, and all my pent up hostility evaporated.
The eight week old kitten had sustained some kind of trauma within the past week or so. Both right feet, hind and fore, had been crushed. The few remaining toes were either “degloved” (entirely devoid of skin, as if it had been pulled off) or hanging by a stubborn bit of sinew. Worst of all, these feet smelled rotten. And the young “owner” was in tears.
She had no money, couldn’t take the kitten home to her parents’ house, had found the kitten an hour ago and had been unable to let her remain by the side of the road, etc. etc. A familiar tale that leads inevitably to a sign-over. As in, leave whatever you can afford to pay at the reception desk and sign this piece of paper proving the kitten is now Dr. Khuly’s to treat, take home or euthanize. $100 did the trick.
By now, my arm was feeling soooo much better. Miraculous, really. But how could it not? Compared to the kitten’s painfully rotten feet, my wounds seemed like nothing more than a simple scratch. Pain meds were rapidly aboard and I swear she was purring within ten minutes of her dose.
Perhaps it’s because I once suffered a fracture sans pain medication. Maybe it’s the rare migraine that informs me. Or the natural childbirth I can’t manage to forget. My frequent burns (including a horrible scalding a couple of years ago) can’t but contribute, too.
It’s when we suffer pain and retain the capacity to recall it vividly that we’re extra willing to work quickly and effectively to alleviate it. We remember that every second counts when it hurts. And that if they feel even a fraction of what we do along with the stress their limited cognition confers, it’s an agony they shouldn’t have to bear. Not when we have drugs to make it go away.
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This fits in with a conversation I had with two different professionals of different fields recently.
The "mind/brain" is the most powerful control over the body. What you illustrated is how deep empathy for another's pain caused your pain to take the "back seat". The mental health professional told me that the story of one waking up & literally overnight hair turned "white" is no joke or made up story. The part of the brain controlling stress hormones can do a "mighty job, albeit unconsciously".
What I find amazing is the "lack of compassion or empathy for pain" or different perceptions over what should be relieved with treatment readily available.
Is it connected to sight, to hearing/verbalization, to posture ? Does it have to connect to a memory that you can relate to?
Surely, as discussed with the veterinary professional, animal pain is apparent regardless of any "overt clues", whether visable on the outside or invisable and internal.
Dr. K: Hope your arm mends quickly!
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Barbara/NH November 9th, 2009 10:33:50 AM
"By now, my arm was feeling soooo much better." Adrenaline is the best pain reliever ever! Ultram makes you float? Lucky dog you!
"it's an agony they shouldn't have to bear. Not when we have drugs to make it go away." Thank you, keep spreading that message please!
PJB November 9th, 2009 10:44:13 AM
Dr. Patty: I have friends who swear that honey relieves burn pain. I don't know whether it works this far after the fact, but they are people whose word I trust.
I second PJB's plea to keep spreading the word!
Susan Rosenau November 9th, 2009 10:52:33 AM
I burned my knee when I was 4 or 5. Never forgot the pain. My grandmother put butter on it which helped. Hope you and kitty are doing better.
Carol November 9th, 2009 11:12:44 AM
Dr. K, so sorry about your arm -- but so glad it was not worse. I have been telling people for years that gas grills are potentially very dangerous. I once responded to an emergency call were a homeowner had torched the back of his house, and severely injured himself.
Pls keep us posted on the kitten's progress. Her wounds sound miserable; glad you brought her some quick relief.
Moongirl November 9th, 2009 11:25:22 AM
Just an FYI, Tramadol doesn't make you dopey.
Amy November 9th, 2009 12:22:58 PM
Is kitten still among us?
Would it be a violation of blogger ethics to set up a paypal account to pay for her care and take contributions through your site?
I burned myself after college, badly, on a burner. Tried to go without pain killers but by the middle of the night I broke down and took the percocet the ER had given me. Ouch.
Reminds me of a case on FDMB Community board last night. Dog came home frrom a vet procedure (I think it was a dental) with horrible burns in the groin area. The owner knows the vet uses warmed fluid bags to keep patients body temp up and believes they probably overheated the fluid bag and put it next to her. There is really no other explanation for the horrible burn blisters right on her lower belly.
We will see if they do the right thing by offering to cover ER care and followup as these burns don't look like something that will heal in a few days.
Stefani November 9th, 2009 12:34:17 PM
"Tramadol doesn't make you dopey." Makes my son loopey but not me; seems to depend on the person/animal.
PJB November 9th, 2009 01:35:10 PM
Amy: I must be having an aberrant response then. ;-) A small percentage of my patients can't tolerate it bc of the apparent sleepiness. Guess I'm just one of those––though not sleepy, just floaty and not quite all there, you know?
Dr. Patty Khuly November 9th, 2009 02:52:15 PM
Dr. K - not necessarily aberrant _ i have never found an Rx painkiller that doesn't give me that not all there feeling - and it's not a feeling I enjoy.
Reading about your burn made me cringe in sympathy as I am a frequent burner myself - then I read about poor kitty and could understand how your arm suddenly felt better and how motivated you were to help ease her pain. Best wishes to you both.
Di November 9th, 2009 05:24:31 PM
If anyone is interested, the vet involved in the burn case I referenced above did take responsibility and offer to pay for ER care. Also arranged for a meeting between the client and the responsible staff member (called a "tech" but I'm betting not an LVT) so client can get her apology.
Nice when people do the right thing. Now, my only remaining concern is that procedures be evaluated as well as supervision. It's easy to scapegoat low level staff when there are often not clear instructions, training, or supervision that are more systemic as an issue than one person's mistake.
They seem contrite so I hope they do put some changes in place.
FWIW, the honesty appears to have earned a deal of goodwill from the pet owner and she does not appear to be considering filing a complaint.
Food for thought.
Stefani November 9th, 2009 06:05:29 PM
I've found a full-blown scare is a very good pain-killer too. Dumping my motorcycle on Sunset Blvd proved that one for me. All sorts of things hurt like hell a few hours and days later though. However, the Vicodin didn't make me spacy and the nightmares convinced me that I'm not really drug addict material.
Anyway, I hope the arm feels better soon and that kitten survives too. You were lucky a flash burn is all that happened, as you no doubt know.
Will November 9th, 2009 06:30:36 PM
Stefani: I'm glad you posted the outcome and certainly glad the right action has been taken.
Fortunately this was not a fatal mistake, so this made it easier for both parties to come to agreement and forgiveness.
(after all , how do you explain a burned groin and deny responsibility??)
Barb A./NH November 9th, 2009 06:35:04 PM
So? How's the kitten?
Hope both the kitten and your arm heal quickly.
Sarah November 9th, 2009 06:36:19 PM
Hope your arm is better, but really want to know how the kitten is.....having several abandoned and handicapped cats myself, I really feel for these guys. And kudos to the girl who wouldn't leave the kitten by the side of the road to die.
LorriM November 9th, 2009 10:16:35 PM
The first thing our vet did when we brought Zippy in as a two month old feral, and she had pretty much the same wounds except on both front feet, was give her something for the pain. He's a big believer in controlling pain, as he says "there is no good reason for them to suffer when we can stop that". He did surgery on her feet and saved a few toes which have never grown fur but at least she has them. This is why he's our vet...compassion is a rare thing even in veterinary medicine. My husbands doctor won't give him any more pain medication, just tells him to take tylenol which really doesn't do it any more. I understand he's concerned about people abusing it but he gave him a weeks worth after his surgery and that was it! The cat was on pain medication for almost a month after surgery, that's the difference in compassion. I'm praying for a good outcome for kitty, let us know how she's doing.
Donna November 9th, 2009 10:47:56 PM
Well, like everyone else, I'm hoping you pulled off a miracle (fixing kitten up) in anticipation of another miracle (finding a home for a crippled kitten) but I know that'd be hoping a lot. If you sent kitten purring into darkness, I'd be grateful for your generosity in doing that. Thanks for helping kitty, whichever way it went.
And I hope you were able to drift into Ultram fuzz after work and start your own healing!
PJB November 9th, 2009 11:08:06 PM
spammers untie....<lol>
LorriM November 10th, 2009 01:24:04 AM
LorriM: Don't worry...I'll be moving to a spam-free environment within the month (I hope).
Dr. Patty Khuly November 11th, 2009 06:44:18 AM
As to the kitten...things didn't go so well. She suffered an adverse anesthetic event while recovering (that's when it usually happens). Though we were right on it and she never missed a breath, it took us a couple of crucial minutes to get her heart started again. She's now pretty neurological. We're giving her plenty of valium and hoping she'll recover. Her feet, btw, look beautiful. I managed to save two pads on each foot. It's too bad she'll probably never get a chance to use them. :-(
Dr. Patty Khuly November 11th, 2009 06:47:14 AM
That's sad. I was hoping for a happily-ever-after tale but those are all too rare in the real world. Maybe, with luck... Thanks to the girl and y'all for trying.
Will November 11th, 2009 08:50:03 AM
Thanks for the kitten update. It is indeed sad but you most certainly tried your best. At least she is not out on her own, slowly dying in pain.
Moongirl November 11th, 2009 09:52:31 AM
Prayers for kitten. I choose to believe she knows what you're doing for her. I have a cat who sustained a head trauma as a kitten - tossed from a moving vehicle by people ditching a litter of unwanted kittens and he was the only one to survive impact. He has periods of Insanicat even now at the age of 13 (it's approximately his birthday about now). Overall, he's a pretty nifty, normal cat with a bit of OCD for self cleaning and a bit of a permanent snarl from a lip tear that didn't heal perfectly (but it only shows when he sleeps on his back with all 4 in the air :). Hopefully, kitten will make it and have a long life despite being neurological.
PJB November 11th, 2009 07:56:08 PM
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