There was a campaign on TV when I was a kid. It said that hot water burns like fire. Those campaigns work. Yesterday my daughter pulled a bowl of boiling hot water on herself and as I put her in the shower under cold water and took a look at her hot red skin as it peeled away from her body, that phrase repeated in my head over and over and over. It’s still doing it.
Xanthe’s OK. Some serious bandages and lots of pain relief have helped. She’s playing and giggling like normal. The first few hours were horrible, but she’s good now.
We’ll be back at the hospital for a dressing change and assessment of the burns. We’ll be doing this for a couple of weeks. I don’t think she’ll enjoy that much.
We’ve put a baby gate at the entrance to the kitchen. This will not happen again. It could have been so much worse, I’m grateful for that at least.
This could have been avoided though, and the guilt is huge.
Oh hun, you can not watch them 24/7 and sometimes they do get into tricky situations, they wouldn’t be kids otherwise. Be kind to yourself, it’s hard not to repeat it over and over in your head. xx
Sending so much love your way. Try and forgive yourself, because accidents happen. Even the preventable kind.
She is just the most adorable thing ever though, bandages or not. I am glad that the painkillers are working for her. xx
Oh no Toushka! Poor Xanthe. (My kids are looking at her picture and recognising her and feeling sad for her). So glad she’s okay now. What an ordeal for you to go through as a mother. Feeling for you. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Guilt is a sucky emotion. Forgive yourself – it could have happened to anyone. Let me know if I can do anything to help. xx
Oh no – this is absolutely terrible! You cannot blame yourself at all. Accidents happen, and that’s why they call them accidents. Hard to let go of the guilt though, I can’t even begin to imagine. Lots of pain relief and cuddles!!
This is my first time commenting here but 6 years ago this was me. My son was 14 months old when he got burnt, I’d always been so careful with leaving anything hot lying around so I was in complete shock when it happened. Like you I had him in the shower quickly, I can’t be sure if it was the shower or the bath at hospital to clean the burns but he became terrified of bath time and the bath room for a long time. Guilt is awful, everyone says it is a waste of time but not everyone is replaying the moment over and over again in their head. For about 6 months afterwards I woke up every single night with nightmares but they passed and I eventually wasn’t terrified to go in the kitchen again. My son needed a skin graft and now sports quite a big scar, but it could have been much worse. A walk through a burns ward a the childrens hospital gives you a glimpse into how bad it could be. I send you and your daughter every positive thought, I really do understand what you are going through and hope that recovery is swift.
oh gosh Jo, how horrifying. I hope he’s doing ok now, apart from the scar. Thank you for commenting. We are both lucky as it could have been so much worse.
Hi toushka, glad she’s going to be ok. I can’t tear my eyes away from the photo…she could honestly be a poster child for these kind of accidents. It sums up everything. My nephew ended up inhospital when he pulled on a tea towel that happened to have acup of boiled water in it to clean his dummy while they were on holiday. The other week a sibling of one of the kids jammed her finger in the shower door and it was hanging on by a piece of skin. I think any kid who makes it through childhood without a major accident are just plain lucky. Accidents happen even when we’re right there.good luck to you all for the recovery.xxx
Oh Toushka, what a horrible experience for you both. I hope she heals up well. We had a similar incident. I didn’t realise how far CrashGirl could reach until she pulled a cup of tea onto her face while I turned my back to put the milk back in the fridge. It was straight in the shower with her too and then hospital. You did well to get her into the shower. It can be such a difficult and emotional situation.
Hugs and kisses
Laney x
Huge hugs.
Accidents do happen and it sucks that it happened in your house. I’m sorry.
So sorry to hear that, Toushka. I hope she gets well soon. I totally hear you on the guilt… Big hugs…
Sending so much love. Accidents happen but the mother guilt – oh, the mother guilt.
Whilst Xanthe looks so sad and forlorn in this photo she also looks so so cute and is still managing to model whilst in pain!!! I’m so sorry you all went through this Toush and please, altho’ it may seem impossible, don’t beat yourself up about it!!! Try to think of all the days you’ve managed to keep your children safe and happy and counter that against the days they haven’t been, the former wins out by a long shot!!! You guys are great parents with fabulous kids and sadly accidents do happen! Just keep breathing and smiling and take each day as it comes… x
I’m choking up looking at that photo. I agree with Sharlene, if a kid can get through childhood without at least one major event it’s more to do with luck than exceptional parenting (or bubble wrap)! They’re just so quick. We’re thinking nine steps ahead to protect our kids, but sometimes they’re on to step ten xxxx
OMG TOUSHKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I felt sick the minute I clicked that this was not just a random warning nor a stock image from a photo library!!!!!!!! xxxxx I imagine the guilt is awful, and no amounts of “it wasn’t your fault, accidents happen!!” will take it away but it really is true!!!
Oh no, poor Xanthe
I’m glad she’s ok, but it must still be a painful and scary experience for her. Most accidents are preventable, but you’d have to have four eyes and eight arms to prevent them all, try not to feel guilty that one slipped by your watch.
Oh jeez
I’m glad we have a gate on the kitchen door.
Oh my lovely Mama, not good to see. How awful for her & you. It’s hardest to bear the pain of a little one who’s hurting. Mums want to make it better. All will be ok soon & glad you’ve taken steps for greater safety. But don’t feel bad ( worse!?) each of us has a story to tell as mums of little ones. Hugs D xx
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