May the Fourth Be With You

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, it was a very very bad day. 

It didn’t start that way. It started out a good day at school, followed by a sweaty track practice. It was unseasonably warm for May and my best friend and I were working on a Spanish project for school, making churros. 

Something went wrong with the recipe and a churro ended up popping in a pot of hot oil, causing a chain reaction for the oil to explode all over the kitchen, including me. 

My quick thinking parents rinsed me off with cool water and rushed me to the ER. I was transferred to Saint Barnabus’s burn unit and stayed there for 11 days. Eleven percent of my body was burned with first and second degree burns on my face, side and right arm and a third degree burns on my right hand. 

It was a pretty crummy situation for my parents and my thirteen years old self to go through, as well as our close family and friends, but I always refer back to this day as one to express gratitude.

I am so lucky I was not permanently disfigured and scarred. I was able to avoid needing a skin graft. I was fortunate to have such a great support system. And the most important take away, was that this terrible experience helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life when I grew up.

My in hospital PT got me motivated to get out of bed everyday by using my love of kids to get me moving. My outpatient PT helped me to regain full use of my right hand as well as use my left one to be just as helpful. 

The experience also made me more understanding to what patients are feeling and going through. What the fear, uncertainty, and pain feels like and how to help people cope with it. Why home exercise programs are important. What a wearing schedule for a splint or pressure garment feels like. What stresses a sick child places on parents. 

When this happened, May the Fourth was not a thing. Every year on this I am reflective and careful and my parents hold their breath for something terrible to happen. But now that it is a Star Wars Fan holiday, I am even more grateful for all the lessons that time taught me 20 years ago. 

Please enjoy our Star Wars May the Fourth Be With You photoshoot ❤️