Hi all,

So sorry it has been sooo long since I've updated this.  I'm in Paris and it has been a world wind of a few days and I also couldn't get into my account until now....very sorry.  I'm sure you all probably know by now that Christie has gone home to Kamploops.  She is doing amazing!!!  She is writing something for me to post on here so I will put it up as soon as I get it.  

Also I will try to post a recent picture of her...she looks absolutely amazing!!!!

I spent the day with Christie today giving her a pedicure and shaving her legs.....so fun!!! She keeps on marvelling everyone as she heals and improves everyday. She got to see her grafted hand and was very pleased with how it looked. She is a bit uncomfortable because now all the burns are starting to itch but as her sister keeps reminding her this is a good sign. This means that the skin is healing. If you notice in one of the pictures Winn is spraying her with a water bottle. There is a special goldish bandage that they have on her burns and if it is kept damp it helps to draw out the bad "stuff" helping there to be minimal scaring.

Tomorrow will be a painful day for Christie so send all your good thoughts and positive energy her way. She will have all the bandages taken off. She is especially anxious to see the grafting on her neck as she's been so careful not to move her head to much and to keep it straight to help the grafting take. If all the grafting takes and looks good she will not have to have anymore surgeries...so fingers crossed. Her face looks like its healing well she may have to have some work on her nose but I think we'll know more tomorrow. She is hoping that if she keeps improving as she is that soon she can be moved to Kamloops hospital that way Aaron can start working as he is spending everyday at her bedside.

She's been reading the blog and is overwhelmed at all of you who care so much for her. Even though she's doing so well right now she'll need our support and positive energy for a long time while she goes through this long healing process. Thanks everyone for your support and for caring!!!

Hey all,

Here's some pictures of Christie she said we could post. You can see from the pictures she's in excellent spirits. The guy in the sun glasses is her nephew Rod, the blondie brown haired one is her brother Ken, the darker haired one is Aaron her bf, then her dad and her sister Winn. Her dad and sister Winn just got down yesterday. I'm heading in today to give her a pedicure and manicure. I'll see if there's any medical updates on her and I'll post later tonight. Take care.

Hi all, Christie just called me. She's doing ok had a bit of a rough day. She's says its funny the things you take for granted when you are healthy and able to do normal things for yourself.

She isn't allowed flowers in her room so maybe we can all hold off on the flowers till she gets home or something. Not that she doesn't appreciate them and all. Also for anyone trying to call her, she usually tries to settle down for the night around eight so she can't take phone calls after that. She doing well just resting and using her energy to heal. Thanks everyone for caring!!!

Goodmorning, I got to see Christie yesterday. She looks so good from when I saw her that first night. The swelling in her face has gone down, she can open her eyes and the tube is again out of her throat. When I arrived they had just down a bandage change which is VERY painful. Those who were in the room with her said it was the most painful thing they have every seen someone go through. Aaron said the grafting on her hands look really well done. What part of her face I could see looked really good and looked like it was healing nicely. She is so strong!!! She can't move her neck because of the grafting so her mobility in bed is limited.

She is in amazing spirits and says she is trying to follow everything the doctors and nurses tell her to do so that she heals quickly and well. She is still in a lot of pain and frequently has to ask them to up her meds but she was laughing and making jokes when I was in there.

I will let you know when she is up for visitors but she rests a lot right now and because of her limitied mobility doesn't want too many visitors. She wants to be able to be a better hostess she says:)

So just a little more news....they had to put the tube back in during surgery so she can't talk so well again, but surgery went well. Those that have seen her say that what they saw of her left hand looked better. Her right hand and right side of the back of her neck were burnt pretty bad as they "think" her hair might have caught on fire so she tried to put it out with her right hand and pushed it into her neck. We are not 100% sure but thats what it seems like. She is pretty drugged up but in good spirits.

So Christie's surgery went well. I guess as soon as she got out of surgery she phoned to talk to her brother...crazy girl!! I tried to call her but wasn't able to speak to me just then so I'm gonna try in a bit and will let you know if there's any more details. Just wanted to get out to you all that surgery went well. Thanks for all your support!

Christie has been moved to the Burn Unit and will have surgery tomorrow. The family and Christie ask that no visitors come for a little bit until some of the surgeries are finished. I will be sure to post as soon as she is able to have visitors. I will also update tomorrow or as soon as I hear how surgery went and all.

Christie's breathing tube was removed today so now she has no tubes running down her throat. She seems to be a lot happier with this becuase now she can talk a little, although her voice is still very faint and laboured. She is still on a lot of drugs but they are giving her max dosage and it still doesn't help her to sleep so we can hope that they find something to help her so that she doesn't have to be alone and awake long into the night.

Although she is in a lot of pain and on a lot of drugs she is still in good spirits often making jokes about some of her injuries. Today the nurses were putting her feeding tube down her nose and they said something to her about being careful because her nose is quite burnt and she replied, that's fine I never did like my nose now I can have plastic surgery :) She's still got her spunk and spirit and still doesn't take no for an answer. She was demanding that she get her iphone, she got upset when they told her no. Once she had it she sat there scrolling through it, I'm sure this give her a sense of familiarity and control. She's a funny girl, she's fighting and this just proves to us all that not gonna give up!

I hope to get to go see her tomorrow or Tuesday so I'll hopefully have some more to report on.

In the next few weeks Rod will be reading Christie her emails and the comments on this blog that you all make and send to her, so send comments and notes to her through her or facebook or email. I'm sure she will love to her that everyone is supporting her. She was excited when Rod suggested this to her. Thanks you!

Christie is doing well today. Rod was in with her for 3 1/2 hours today talking with her. She, of course, was really excited to see him. She makes letters in the air to communicate. She is very alert and wants to talk so communicating like this is very frustrating for her at times. There is a 90% chance that she will get the breathing tube taken out today and then she will be able to talk to her family.

She, of course, is worried about her injuries and how she will look but the nurse came in today and reassured her that it is alot better then they expected and she probably will heal quite well. This seemed to help her to hear this. She is enjoying that her family is there and even though she can't talk to them that well, she loves to hear them talk and tell her about how everyone is pulling for her and all of your well wishes.

Doctors and nurses are still amazed at how well she is doing!!!

Just got a call from VGH and Christie is able to communicate when she wants someone. She can't speak but she was signing and she can now open her eyes temporarily. We are so excited because they did not expect this from her so soon!! The nurses say they've never seen a burn victim doing so well. She is a real trooper and fighter!!

June 12, 2009

Hi all,

As many of you know Christie was in an accident last night involving her BBQ blowing up. She was badly burned with what they thought at first to be third degree burns but if we're lucky the doctors say may only be second degree burns on her face, neck, and arms. Her hands may have been the most damaged but at this time we do not know for sure the extent of all her injuries.

The good news is that she is stable and all her vital signs are good. Last report I received from the family was that she was doing better then the nurses and doctors had anticipated. The next few days and weeks will be very crucial in her recovery and because of this the doctors have said no visitors other than immediate family.

I am writing this blog to help deter some of the phone calls from the family as they need this time to come to terms with what has happened and to direct their attention to helping and supporting Christie during these hard times. The family will contact me with any changes and improvements and I will post it here as soon as I know.

The family thanks you for all your support.