A New Year without GLOVES!

What a difference a year makes! I am so glad to not be repeating the beginning of the last 2 years. 2 years ago we were in the hospital with Ty for 9 days and last year was crazy with Ty burning his hands. This year has started out wonderfully! Ty is no longer wearing any compression gloves. He loves having free hands and stuffs them in his mouth regularly. Just before Christmas I talked with the UoU burn center. I was at the point of needing to order new gloves at 212 dollars a piece or checking to see if he could really be done! We did a test run and took off his gloves for 2 days. The scars did not rise up which was a good sign for us. We were told it takes a good year from accident for all the scar remodeling to take place. After that point there is not a whole lot you can do. So for the last year we have changed dressings, massaged, stretched, cried, worn braces, and washed and replaced gloves constantly. We have had many little miracles and been blessed countless times.

(Above) Ty one year ago
(Below) Ty now
He still loves cutie oranges

Reflecting back a year. Ty after surgery with huge bandages. I remember it being so difficult to not let him crawl for a while because we didn't want the grafts disrupted. If he walked I followed him around so he wouldn't land on his hands.

A couple weeks after surgery and when grafts more secure we started the dreaded brace wearing 23 1/2 hours a day!

The gloves became Ty's constant companion with braces at night. At night we had to put socks over the braces and pin it to his shirt so he would not take them off.

Now a year later, his hands look amazing! The right hand still has a ridge around where the graft was but he uses them without any difficulty. I have no idea what his sensation is like. They say it is different but it is probably normal to him. We will continue to watch him as he grows. We are still a little concerned about the tightness of his thumbs but it does not appear to be a problem now. It depends on how fast he grows if he will ever need more surgeries. So for now we are grateful and so HAPPY!


Looking over this past year I sometimes wonder how we all did it. Then I am quick to realize I was never alone. I had the comfort and guidance from our Savior the entire time. He helped me feel peace when needed and he helped me be strong when there was no other choice. He provided angels to help our family along this journey. The angels came in the form of friends, family, wonderful doctors, nurses, and physical therapists!