You've come a lonnnnng way, my baby!

Today is the 2nd anniversary of my son, Clifton's accident. Most of my readers know of it but for the new ones, I'll give a quick explanation. I received a phone call on this morning, 2 years ago, from the hubby...telling me not to worry but that there was an accident @ our shop & our son was being care-flighted to Parkland. He assured me that the EMT's said that it was minor burns, not much worse than a really bad sunburn & it was just a precaution that he was being care-flighted. So we headed to the hospital & the whole way there, I'm anticipating him being released & was planning what meals I'd make for him. When we arrived @ the hospital however, we were immediately ushered into a private consultation room w/ a Dr & a social worker. I knew it wasn't going to be good but nothing could have prepared me for what they told me. They told me that there was a good chance that he would not live & that if he did; his life, as he knew it before, was over. That he would be disfigured & disabled & that he suffered 3rd (& even 4th degree burns on his right hand) over 43% of his body. My world came to an end on that day ...or so I thought at the time.

I still suffer from anxiety attack flashbacks when I think about those days. I'm serious.... a full-blown anxiety attack.... w/ my heart racing & feelings of panic...just from remembering. I don't see how I functioned! But I did & in the process, I learned a whole lot about myself. I learned that I'm a heckuva lot stronger than I ever would have thought & although I may have feelings of panic, I don't react to them. I do what I gotta do 'cause that's the cowgirl way! ;o)

I don't think I will ever be able to celebrate the 4th of July again though. I'll never forget sitting in the hospital waiting room, praying my son would live, trying to will it into being; & seeing the fireworks display on the TV news. I was completely astounded that the world went on....how could that be, when mine had stopped? So fireworks will always be associated w/ that & all the feelings that I felt at the time. Not to mention all the firework related burns I heard about during my time @ the burn unit. Anyway, Clifton spent almost 2 mos in the hospital & had a long, hard fight ahead of him. But what a fighter he is...Chuck Liddell ain't got nothing on him!

I'd like to share w/ y'all just how far he has come w/ a pictorial over the past 2 years. For those who didn't see the extent of his injuries, it's really hard to grasp the severity of them. Cause Clifton has come that far! He had multiple skin grafts (I think it was 6...those days are a blur but it was both arms, both hands, right shoulder, abdomen & right thigh) & 2 fingers were amputated from his right hand (he was burned down to the bone...which is fatal more often than not). The Drs told us that our lives would never be normal, that Clifton's life would never be normal (healing powers they were full of but sooo lacked in bedside manner)....that he would require my care for at least a year. But they didn't know Clifton! He was not only self-sufficient but caring for a newborn w/in 4 months.

This first picture was taken just a few weeks before his accident.

This picture was taken after he had been released from the Burn ICU (so the bandages from his face had already been removed) & was in the Acute Care ward. It was a little over a month after his accident. It was too soon for him to be released from BICU but there had been an explosion @ a local factory & they needed the bed. Clifton was in the best shape in the BICU so he was it. He had an in-room, round the clock nurse for the first couple of weeks though.

Clifton has asked me why we didn't take pics right after his accident, when his own mother didn't even recognize him. *rolls eyes* It kinda wasn't a priority...DUH! Anyway, this was his first time to stand, so of course I snapped a shot w/ my phone, to share w/ the family. Not only did he stand, he walked the full length of the hall, amazing the PTs. But it was just the beginning of Clifton's determination to work @ getting better...only the beginning!

Clifton's firstborn Noah, was born one month to the day after he was released from the hospital. And although he was in great pain, Clifton stuck it out during the entire labor, then c-section delivery & hospital stay.

Here's the family home from the hospital. At this point, Clifton still couldn't use his hands to put in contacts so he wore glasses.

This picture was taken late Sept...just 3 months after the accident. To see the pain on Clifton's face is just heartbreaking for me.

But he & Stacie drew strength from each other. Love this sweet, sweet picture (taken the same day) capturing that. We are so fortunate to have her...Clifton sure knows how to pick 'em! A whole lot of women would have cut & run but she stuck it out... through thick, thin & burned. (Clifton is always making dumb jokes about his burns so he'll appreciate that little attempt @ humor)

This was taken @ Halloween & as you can see, by then he was able to use his hands to put in contacts. What a feat!

This was a shot from an article in the FW Star Telegram in November. It was taken in front of the burned wall of our shop. In a nutshell, Clifton was draining diesel fuel that someone had mistakenly put into a gasoline powered car. He was using an electric fuel pump to drain it & although it's standard practice in the automotive industry, in this instance it somehow ignited. Clifton's brother Dustin, wrapped Clifton in a tarp & pulled him away before the car exploded.... thank you God & Dustin! The reporter who first covered his story was so touched by it that he did a follow-up.

By Thanksgiving day (just 4 months after the accident!), Clifton was tossing the football around. Those Drs didn't take into account, my boy's determination, in their prognosis, did they?

This shot taken Christmas'time of '08, shows you just a bit of his wounds. His abdomen was even worse (when he was released from the hospital he had wounds deep enough to stick the whole tip of my finger in...up to the first knuckle!) & his other arm was also burned up to his bicep...it just doesn't show in the pic. Anybody who has any dealings w/ burns, knows how incredible it is that Clifton is sitting w/ his arm stretched out over the couch, w/ burns under his armpit. That should have taken him years to achieve, if ever. He's just incredibly strong & determined! And of course Baby Noah provided him w/ lots of inspiration.

Christmas-time '08

By Easter of '09, Clifton was looking just as handsome as ever.

And really kicking his nephews' butts @ football!

May of '09...the fishnet like texture of the skin on his arm & hand is from the grafting. It's absolutely amazing that it's not more noticeable! He just looks like he's spent a bit too much time in the sun. That florrid complexion he & I have (& hate!) was very good for the burns. Since the blood flowed so near the surface, it aided in skin regeneration. It's why his face has so few scars even though it was also burned. I guess I probably should stop complaining about my florrid complexion, huh? I mean, I passed it on to Clifton & it helped in his healing so I should be very thankful that I have it.

Summer of '09...still playing football. Here he is in a huddle w/ his nephews for a girl/boy football team. If I remember correctly the girls won....HAHA!

another one from late summer

Noah's first birthday...mid Sept. I told you Stacie was awesome...she lets Clifton have a room to keep all his "bachelor days" decor in. It's a mecca of neon lights & beer signs. LOL

late Sept '09

Christmas '09

By February 2010, Clifton was back out on the field playing semi-pro football!

You can read more about his miraculous return to playing football in this post. I have to share w/ y'all what Clifton said when he read that post. He said (& I quote), "I quit thinking of it as an accident a long time ago & started looking on it as an opportunity." Is that not a remarkable attitude or what?

I'm sad to say though that Clifton suffered a torn ACL in his second game of the season & he says he's tired of being hurt & that his football days are over. GLORY HALLELUJAH! (over the end of his football playing...not the torn ACL). I will admit though, that his determination to be back out on the field, was a huge inspiration to work, work, work despite the pain, pain, pain & that he has benefited from all that work. I'm just tired of worrying about him being hurt!

This last heartwarming picture was taken on Mother's Day 2010. I cannot tell you how proud I am of these 2 people! It took a lot of love, determination, prayer, support, inspiration & drive but I am very, very happy to say that "alls well, that ends well" & this story certainly has a happy ending.

I'd sooo like to say that his fight is over & that he is now pain-free but I can't. Just yesterday, after a day of working on his sister's car, his face was sooo full of pain that it broke my heart. I'm not gonna dwell on that though but instead, thank the stars above that he has the strength to deal w/ it & overcome it & that every day, he proves those doctors wrong!

Clifton, your amazing spirit & grit, gifted not only yourself, but your entire family w/ the gift of a normal life. You will always be my hero & I love you so!