My husband....the Fireman

Hey Honey!!!
Ouch!!
President of the city council, Lisa Borders and his Lieutenant Don Cole
At home!!

As the wife of a Firefighter, one of my greatest fears is the phone call from a Captain, beginning with, "Mrs. Borders". The movies with the red chiefs car driving up in the morning while the wife is preparing for a new day is a vision that I think of often. When Stephen asked me what I thought of him transferring to a bigger and better department, (City of Atlanta), I told him as long as I never got that phone call and he always came home, I would support what ever decision he made.

Well, yesterday I got that phone call. Actually I was on the front porch with Mom and Pa watching the kids play, and didn't have my phone. But my father -in- law got the call next and came home to find me.

Stephen was in a house "pulling ceiling", (That is when the fire is in the attic and you have to pull the ceiling down to get to the fire) , when a small piece of metal get lodged between his coat and his hood. It was on fire when it got stuck, and burned through the "fireproof" hood onto the back of his neck. When he realized he was on fire, he yelled to the FF next to him with the nozzle....well you cant yell because you have on a mask...he motioned to them...to put him out.

To make a long story short. Stephen was taken by ambulance as a trauma patient to Grady hospital. When I was able to speak to him...the first thing he says is....Hey baby...I am fine. Can you bring the camera? That is my husband!

He has a full thickness burn to the center of his neck surrounded by partial and superficial burns. It is on the center of his neck, and hurts like crazy.

After 18 mg of Morphine, a debridement, visits to the ER from the President of the Atlanta City Council and The Head Honcho chiefs coming in on their days off...we were discharged from the hospital. The ride home was filled with a yellow and green faced man vomiting in his mouth and keeping it there as to not mess up the new minivan. How thoughtful!!!

Today was a fun filled trip down to Grady to the burn clinic where the follow up appt reveals a possible skin graft and AT LEAST the next to weeks at home.

I cannot imagine my life without Stephen. He is my rock. My other half. He complete's me in every way. I hope I NEVER get that phone call. Please pray for a speedy recovery. Also for Stephen, he has to hang out with us without going to work. We get on his nerves pretty bad!!!

In a percocet fog Stephen updated the blog below this one, so check it out....pics of the house!!!