A MOTHER OF THREE has been left scarred for life after falling into a fire pit.
Alexa Osterman, 43, suffered 60 percent burns to her body when she fell asleep at a party.
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Alexa envisioned a day of fun in a linen dress that was on fire
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Alexa woke up six weeks after the incident after being put in a comaCredit: HotSpot Media
She woke up in the hospital after being in a coma for six weeks.
Alexa from San Diego, USA doesn’t remember how she got into the bonfire and is still looking for answers.
Now she’s speaking out to raise awareness for other burn survivors.
Alexa says, “Being burned was the worst time of my life.
“I have never felt such pain.
“But I survived and I keep fighting.”
On July 4, 2020, Alexa was at a party with her ex-husband and children.
When she arrived, they gave her an alcoholic glass, which she drank.
For the next two hours, she took pictures of the partygoers and chatted with various guests, over a few drinks.
In the early hours of the next morning, she woke up on the homeowner’s porch.
Shocking pictures show burn victim ‘turned into a MERMAID’ with fish skin bandages to heal horrific wounds
Alexa says, “I had no idea how I got there.
“The place was deserted and I couldn’t get back into the house, despite knocking on the front door and calling friends on the phone.”
She noticed that the open fire in the garden was still burning and feeling chilly in her linen dress, she added another piece of wood and sat down on a chair nearby.
Soon Alexa fell asleep.
The next thing he remembers was waking up at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland.
She was in an induced coma for six weeks.
NO MEMORY
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Mom suffered 60 percent burns on her body when she fell asleep at a party. Credit: HotSpot Media
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Surgeons grafted healthy skin from her back to her chest and neck to get rid of her chinCredit: HotSpot Media
At first Alexa thought she had been in a car accident because she had no memory of that night.
But a nurse informed her that she had suffered 60 per cent burns after falling into a fire pit and that her ex-husband had rushed her to hospital after finding her in flames.
She says: “I was so shocked. I wasn’t drunk so I had no idea how I ended up there.”
Alexa underwent an emergency tracheotomy, where a tube was inserted through an incision in her neck to save her life, allowing her to breathe.
But she was barely able to speak.
My memory was so fuzzy, but I knew I wasn’t drunk that night, so I kept thinking about different scenarios. I still couldn’t believe it had happened
Alexa
The surgeon explained how they performed 12 skin grafts and managed to save her nipples because her chest was badly burned.
However, she lost part of her ears – she was distraught.
Alexa endured excruciating daily skin peeling to clean her wounds.
Two weeks later, when Alexa finally saw herself, she was horrified.
She explains: “My once long brown hair, down to my elbows, was burnt. And I had bald spots on my head.
“There were red raw scars all over my face and chest.”
Then, in October of that year, she underwent surgery to remove the tracheotomy, before being transferred to a rehabilitation center.
SCARY FLASHBACKS
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Alexa’s chest was badly burned – luckily doctors were able to save her nipples Credit: HotSpot Media
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Although Alexa is on the road to recovery, she still has horrible memories Credit: HotSpot Media
There, with the help of a physiotherapist, she learned to walk, eat and dress herself again.
After a month, she was finally fired and moved in with a friend.
However, Alexa has suffered terrible setbacks.
She says: “My memory was so fuzzy, but I knew I wasn’t drunk that night, so I kept thinking about different scenarios. I still couldn’t believe it had happened.
“I was wondering if my drink had been spiked.”
The police never investigated the scene because it had already been cleared when they arrived.
Alexa has undergone 21 surgeries to date.
During an eight-hour procedure this February, surgeons grafted healthy skin from her back to her chest and neck to remove her chin.
THE ROAD TO RECOVERY
He now hopes to undergo ear reconstruction and scalp hair transplant.
She says: “The truth is that I will need medication and treatment until the day I die.
“But I’m happy my hair is growing back.”
Now Alexa works as a waitress in a restaurant which has helped her self-confidence.
She adds: “I want other survivors to know that they can go on and rebuild their lives.
“There is life after burns, you can get through it.”
How to treat burns and scalds
Burns are skin damage usually caused by heat.
They can be very painful and cause:
- Red or peeling skin
- blisters
- Swelling
- White or charred skin
The amount of pain you feel is not always related to the severity of the burn.
Even very serious burns can be relatively painless.
Treatment of burns and scalds
To treat burns, follow the first aid tips below:
- Immediately remove the person from the heat source
- Remove all clothing or jewelry
- Cool the burn with cold or lukewarm running water for 20 to 30 minutes
- Keep the person warm
- After cooling the burn, cover the burn by placing a layer of transparent film over it
- Use painkillers
- Elevate the affected area if possible
- If it’s an acid or chemical burn, call 999
When to seek medical help
Depending on how serious the burn is, it can be treated at home.
For minor burns, keep the burn clean and do not pop any blisters that form.
More serious burns require professional medical assistance.
You should go to a hospital emergency department for:
- All chemical and electrical burns
- Large or deep burns – any burn larger than the injured person’s hand
- Burns that cause white or charred skin – of any size
- Burns on the face, neck, hands, feet, all joints or genitals
If someone has inhaled smoke or fumes, they should also seek medical attention.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education