BurnWatch '09 - Day 7

Warning: Graphic photos ahead




As Burn Watch moves into day 7, as you can see, I am clearly well into the healing phase, and I think the worst of it has passed. My usual routine includes wearing it wrapped during the day, and removing the bandages at night while I am home (in my own germs). Yes, I sleep with it uncovered. My dressings of choice are

1. 1% Silver Sulfadiazine cream (Silvidine), as a topical cream
2. 3"x4" non-adherent pad, as a sterile covering
3. Cover-all tape (sticky), to hold the non-adherent pad in place
4. Powerflex wrap, to hold everything in place, but also for looks
5. Tongue depresser, for Silvidine application
   

The shots below are after a shower in which I wash the old silvidine and any small amount of fluids that were discharged during the day. I usually don't wrap the powerflex to tight because I want to be able to walk comfortably and have my calf muscles still be able to contract. It doesn't bleed at all; if anything, just a tiny, tiny amount.

BurnWatch '09 - Day 3

Warning: Pictures may be too graphic for the weak-stomached individual. But they're not that bad, wimp!


As you can see the heat blister has "popped" or peeled, I guess, and revealed underneath the "meat" of my leg. I say popped because in the previous post, you can see my finger running across the affected site, as the skin somewhat rolls under my fingers. That is because there was "pressure" within the burn, and it felt really warm, compared to the other parts of my leg. So, I did what any Athletic Trainer would do, and immediately applied ice, and compression. Of course, I dressed up an anti-adherent pad just to reduce any friction, but I believe my gastrocnemius (calf) constantly contracting/relaxing is what caused the skin to "pop" therefore, opening up the burn. I will go see Dr. Miller tomorrow, who is our Athletic Dept. team physician.

Us vs. ULa La

Shots from our road game versus Univ of Louisiana-Lafayette. About a 5 hour ride of fun from Nacogdoches, along H 49. We won, by the way, but I can't seem to remember the score. I think it was 3-2. Afterwards, to celebrate we ate good at Prejean's Cajun food.

Ky's foot contusion. As a new Athletic Trainer, I live for these moments. Big ups to her for toughing it out, too =)

My "Welcome to the World of Motorcycles" moment

Alright, alright...just stop it right there, if you are one of those people who typically say "I told you so," then you might as well just stop reading right now. It's so easy for people to say that "I told you so" in retrospect, but there's no way you could ever predict what will happen in the future....so hold all judgements, unless of course, you are a fortune-telling, mind-reading, faux Ms. Cleo, in which you should have warned me.



Usually, any "Welcome..." moments in the motorcycle world involves a crash, or a near-crash; but as with any situation from sports, to work, or academia, a "Welcome..." moment is anything that gives you a wake-up call, or a lesson, with the results of you respecting whatever you do, much, much, more. This just happens to be an incident of me being careless.



This afternoon while parking, I had to go out of my way to run over a locust (cicada, to some) that was conveniently sitting in my usual parking spot. Now, the ironic thing here is, I think it was already dead. They usually start buzzing whenever they hear anything that resembles the sound they make, which my exhaust pipe does. Nevertheless, I ran it over. I cut the engine, threw it in Neutral, and just positioned myself to run right over the big, nasty, freaky looking bug. While still on the bike, I just backpedaled into my parking spot making sure to be close enough to my locking-spot, and just before I could dismount the bike..."WHAM!!!" My leg caught a piece of the exhaust pipe. Yes, I was wearing shorts. I was returning from covering Soccer practice, and on my way to meet my coworkers for a training session.


Some have said this is Karma for killing my locust/cicada bug-brother. But, I don't think so because, like I said, I think it may have already been dead. Those who are familiar with this species of bug know they tend to just lay there doing nothing until you step right by them, then, they want to start buzzing the hell out of everything, scaring the living-$#%! out of you. I consider this payback, not karma

So, I am now chronicling the progression of my what-seems-to-be 3rd degree burn, by posting pics, and giving my notes as to texture, size, color, feel, etc., until I reach a point where it no longer has to be covered in bandages. I'm calling it BurnWatch '09. Some have said this is Karma for killing my locust/cicada bug-brother. But, I don't think so because, like I said, I think it may have already been dead. Those who are familiar with this species of bug know they tend to just lay there doing nothing until you step right by them, then, they want to start buzzing the hell out of everything, scaring the living-$#%! out of you. I consider this payback, not karma



WARNING: Pictures may be a little gross for the weak-stomached individual
















If you look closely, about 2-3 inches below the burnsite, you can kind of make out an oval-looking dark spot, which is a scar, from when this VERY SAME thing happened when I was 7yrs. old.

Why I decided to buy a motorcycle

Kinda kept this one on the low-low, but not really, though. "On the low-low" as in, didn't tell my family members; and as in family members, I really mean my Grandmother, because if she had found out, she would definitely disapprove, and although I am an adult and think/work/earn for myself, if she says "No," then it ain't goin' down! So, I did what any thinking/working/earning adult would do in this situation, and I didn't tell her =)

Needless to say, I went out and bought a motorcycle.

Why? I've always had a fascination with bikes since a little kid when my Uncle Ricky first took me on a ride on his Harley, and I was sooo scared that (even though we only went around the block), that I had my eyes closed the entire time. Then my cousin (his son) began riding mini-bikes and scooters, which only fed into my fascination and admiration. My brother soon after got one of those old Honda scooters, you know the big red ones with the 8" wheels, for like $300 and we'd ride that - before it broke down. But I suppose the height of my fascination came when Giovanni (you may know him as the Red Bull guy) and I went on a weekend-long trip to MotoGP in 2006 at Laguna Seca Raceway, and it was there, where I really learned about the lifestyle, comradery, and fraternity-like inclusiveness that comes with being a part of this culture.

Ever since that weekend, I just needed a reason to get one. And that reason came in the form of an indirect "demand" from an unnamed Program Director, and I began my search in Februrary-March 2009 to buy my first motorcycle. The research was extensive, from reading online reports, messaging friends on Facebook, registering for Forums asking questions, making phone calls, studying California/Texas motorcycle laws, calling dealerships, scouring Craigslist.org, etc. I was all over the place.

Finally got entered in a Safety course, which I highly recommend, and not just for the Insurance break, but to actually learn something new, or reinfornce what you already did know. Passed the course, and passed the written test (on the 3rd try! Hey, the questions were sooooo vaque; they're intentionally that way, too), and now the only thing left was to track down the perfect bike. Well, maybe not perfect, but affordable, stylish, economical, low-maintainence, fast, dependable, and downright fun! Ladies and gentleman, I present to you, Mean Green

I love this motorcycle, and the pictures here don't do it any justice; it is a beauty in-person. Rode it from Houston to Nacogdoches in a little over 4 hours. I'm still sore... =)

Not enough Trainer stuff

As you scroll down through past post, you may realize I'm not really talking about anything related to Athletic Training. Well, part of that is because I've been on Summer vacation, and the other part is simply the things outside of AT are a little more interesting - at least, for people (other than AT's) to read. But I've come to realize, this blog was originally created for AT-related stuff, so I plan to focus a little more of that from now on. But of course, I'll throw in my little random encounters/thoughts/pictures from time-to-time.