Nate’s electrical burn
While Mic and I were cleaning, we set the boys up in the living room with the electronic babysitter (in their case – Gummie Bears). While I was in my office (3 feet away heh heh), Nate decided to touch the plug for the living room lamp. Before I knew it, there was a nice blue flash and the lights went out on the fish tank.
I was expecting a scream or yell or some sort of reaction from Nate – but nothing. I jumped up and ran to him – when I saw he was just sitting there staring at me – I blasted him. If he was okay – he was in trouble! I’ve told them how many times not to play with wires?!!??
A snatched him up and headed towards the kitchen. Michelle was doing some dishes when I dumped him on the counter to check him over for burns. The back of his left hand, right above his wrist had a flash burn with a nice charcoal steak of black. It appeared to be simply a proximity flash burn so I didn’t worry all too much. I scolded him and his brother to remind them how dangerous wires can be.
Michelle doesn’t know how to treat electrical burns and she has seen the same electrical safety videos as I during our hydro/cabling training. If there is an entry wound – look for an exit wound and determine if the electrical path crossed the heart. If it did – you are in trouble. Either way – if there is an exit wound, you are in for a bad time.
We stripped him down to make sure – nothing. Just a localized surface burn probably not even a conductive burn at all. Still not knowing how to treat an electrical burn and not wanting to underact, we called tele-health. They, of course, suggested we go to emerge. So – we packed up and headed in.
They said that it wasn’t serious – just make sure no infection sets in and gauzed him up and sent us home with enough dressing for the next few days.
The best part? He never cried. No screams when it went ‘bang’. He seemed more upset I yelled at him than anything. The dude has no fear and no sense of pain.
