Help Yvette & Doug Recover from Burn Tragedy
Donation protected
I can't express how thankful I am to all of you that reached out to my mom and me to offer words of encouragement. Quite a few people have contacted me and requested that I proceed with starting a support platform for my parents. We are exhausted, disoriented, terrified, and grasping at straws trying to get through each day... so I apologize for any grammatical errors or confusing statements. I'm going to try my best to explain the situation and the need for help... Please bare with me as this is very difficult to write.
On Thursday, June 11th, my parents property caught on fire. My mom was at the grocery store while my dad tried to battle the flames in an effort to save the animals and the house. The fire climbed up towards their house at a very rapid speed so my dad ran to get a longer hose to hook to a faucet near the edge of the spreading flames. Tragically, he tripped and fell face-first into the fire. He wasn't able to see anything so he rolled around until he couldn't anymore. Luckily, their next door neighbors called 911 when they saw the flames, having no idea that my dad had fallen and was IN the fire. The firetrucks cut through the neighbor's back fence in order to gain access to my parents property. Almost all of their 5 acres burned, but luckily the horse, sheep, and dogs were safe as was the house. My dad, however, was far from okay.
He was taken to UCD Med Center and admitted to the ICU burn center. 40% of his body sustained 3rd to 4th degree burns. He also has lung damage from smoke inhalation, possible brain damage from lack of oxygen while he was on fire, heart damage (persistent atrial fibrillation), and of course, horrific burns. It took 4 days to get him stable enough to attempt surgical debridement, which thankfully he survived. His wounds are infected--I'm sure many of you know that the biggest risk for a burn patient is succumbing to infections. He has a feeding tube inserted, oxygen, and far too many bags full of different fluids and medications as the burn unit staff monitor him 24/7 trying to keep him alive. He was lucid the first day, likely due to being in shock himself, but is now far less responsive. He is getting blood transfusions to replace that which continues to leak out of his extensive wounds. He has tubes coming out of every wound bed (literally everywhere) and his dressings have to be changed constantly. They are struggling to keep his blood pressure up. He is literally fighting for his life. When he was still lucid he told my mom that he just wanted to close his eyes and never open them again... the pain he is in is indescribable. I think I've painted the picture fairly clearly... it's really, really bad. It makes me ill to write these words knowing that I'm talking about a real person that this happened to... and he just so happens to be my dad. Parts of me think that I will wake up from this nightmare, but it has been a week now, and there is no waking up to a different reality. So we shall try to press onward.
My husband and I walked the property the night of the fire to check on the animals. There were areas smoldering everywhere and we could see the red embers as the sky darkened. The fire department came back out to address the "hot spots" as I walked around in disbelief at what I was seeing. Everything was black. Their beautiful trees were black. The air smelled awful of burnt earth--a smell I will never forget! I saw the area on the ground where they found my dad. The dirt was disheveled were he had been rolling... until it wasn't. That must have been where he could no longer move, because I saw his outline quite clearly among the ash and soot. I saw his hat and other parts of his clothing. It felt like I could feel the struggle that had occurred there just a few hours prior. It took every bit of strength I could muster to not vomit and drop to my knees in that moment. The fire came SO close to the house and the barn... I am SO thankful that my mom still has her home while she tries to navigate her way through this. I sat in a borrowed truck bawling my eyes out while a friend removed all the burnt debris from the bottom of the pasture... the rakes had literally burned into the trees. There were remnants of what used to be their wheelbarrow and other tools that were no longer recognizable. I HAD to get that stuff out of there because my mom literally can't go outside in her yard without seeing everything burned and a graveyard of the things they used to have. My heart aches so badly for her.
It turned into an intense fire very quickly...
I've been hesitant to write this plea for help, but it has become crystal clear that my mom is going to need a lot of help-both emotionally and financially. As the shock of this event lessens, the reality sets in and I realize that I have to act now to do everything I can to support my mom while they navigate this horror story they are living. It is estimated that my dad will be hospitalized for up to a year while they perform lord knows how many skin grafts and try to combat the infections that are trying to end his life. I can't imagine what the medical bills will be, but for now, the reality is that my mom is struggling to afford the $18 parking fee per day so that she can see him. We offered for her to drive my husband's car as it is easier on gas and noticed that the check engine light is on in her own car. Both of my parents vehicles are on their last legs (tires?). Perhaps these facts help explain the intense fear and anxiety I feel as I know that resources are completely lacking yet completely necessary.
At home, my mom has a geriatric horse (31 years) named Bonique that has to eat very expensive special feed as she has literally outlived her teeth and is also being treated for Cushings disease ($$!), a geriatric sheep (19 years!!) named Cilantro that I bottle raised when I was in college who is also on a special diet, and 2 beautiful, sweet golden retrievers who are probably the glue holding her fragile world together right now. The dogs names are Finn and Pearl (with the curl) as she has a very wavy coat. My mom takes such good care of her animals and I know it's expensive to manage their senior ailments, but she would be absolutely lost without them... especially now. My mom is diabetic and therefore requires expensive medications of her own. She keeps telling me that she thinks she will be okay and is okay, but I'm her daughter... I can see the fear in her eyes as she forces a smile as to not burden others. My mom doesn't ask for help... ever... and now she's asking... I guess I'm glad she is reaching out, but it also scares the hell out of me because I know she must be absolutely terrified of what is to come if she is actually asking for help.
Meet Bonique, Cilantro, Pearl, and Finn <3
I'm so thankful they were safe and are still with her! The love between her and her animals is quite mutual.
I hate, hate, hate having to ask for donations for this disaster fund, but I have exhausted what I am able to do to help her (I will be selling some of my jewelry to supply her with a little extra $), but I think this is going to take a village for them to make it through this. I have no idea how much money my mom is going to need. I know that just parking at the hospital daily for 6 months is over $3,000. She is concerned about the cost of parking... she debates whether or not to go because she is trying to protect the tiny safety net she has. This isn't okay!! She needs to see him and vice versa... he has a lot to overcome and I know he is going to need her there encouraging him to keep fighting. If you can help, it would be so incredibly appreciated. If you can't, that's perfectly okay... perhaps you can send positive thoughts and prayers for my family. There have been times when I was able to donate to other peoples' GFM requests and times when I could only offer words of encouragement. I hope what I've written doesn't seem like I'm fishing for pity or trying to guilt anyone. There's a lot going on in the world right now and I know that EVERYONE is struggling, so my thoughts are with all of you as you navigate the chaos. Thank you again for the support. I'm so scared. I don't know if my dad will ever leave that hospital. I don't know how my mom is going to handle all of this. But I do know that ultimately we will somehow get through this.
I know my mom has many, many friends and is well-loved by all that have met her. I think she needs her tribe now more than ever. Let's all be a great support network for her. She is afraid to burden or bother anyone... but I told her that’s what family and friends are for!!!!! If you’d like to send her a message, emoji, or chat with her, you can click here to go to her Facebook page. She also has Facebook messenger. Again, please don't feel obligated to contribute. I know times are really tough right now.
I wish with everything in me that I could go back to this day when the smiles were wide, the hills were green, and we didn't seem to have a care in the world. <3
But this is today's reality.
This is day 7. I chose the least graphic of the photos taken (the blanket is covering a lot) so you could see what my mom sees when she visits him. It's heartbreaking.
Life can really change in an instant... treasure each day, friends! Be well, be happy, and remember to live life to the fullest. If any of you are struggling as well, please feel free to reach out to me and I will help if I am able. <3
XOXO
-Erin McCarty
PS- my mom goes by "Yvette," her middle name. Her legal name is Sylvia Yvette McCarty in case there is any confusion.
On Thursday, June 11th, my parents property caught on fire. My mom was at the grocery store while my dad tried to battle the flames in an effort to save the animals and the house. The fire climbed up towards their house at a very rapid speed so my dad ran to get a longer hose to hook to a faucet near the edge of the spreading flames. Tragically, he tripped and fell face-first into the fire. He wasn't able to see anything so he rolled around until he couldn't anymore. Luckily, their next door neighbors called 911 when they saw the flames, having no idea that my dad had fallen and was IN the fire. The firetrucks cut through the neighbor's back fence in order to gain access to my parents property. Almost all of their 5 acres burned, but luckily the horse, sheep, and dogs were safe as was the house. My dad, however, was far from okay.
He was taken to UCD Med Center and admitted to the ICU burn center. 40% of his body sustained 3rd to 4th degree burns. He also has lung damage from smoke inhalation, possible brain damage from lack of oxygen while he was on fire, heart damage (persistent atrial fibrillation), and of course, horrific burns. It took 4 days to get him stable enough to attempt surgical debridement, which thankfully he survived. His wounds are infected--I'm sure many of you know that the biggest risk for a burn patient is succumbing to infections. He has a feeding tube inserted, oxygen, and far too many bags full of different fluids and medications as the burn unit staff monitor him 24/7 trying to keep him alive. He was lucid the first day, likely due to being in shock himself, but is now far less responsive. He is getting blood transfusions to replace that which continues to leak out of his extensive wounds. He has tubes coming out of every wound bed (literally everywhere) and his dressings have to be changed constantly. They are struggling to keep his blood pressure up. He is literally fighting for his life. When he was still lucid he told my mom that he just wanted to close his eyes and never open them again... the pain he is in is indescribable. I think I've painted the picture fairly clearly... it's really, really bad. It makes me ill to write these words knowing that I'm talking about a real person that this happened to... and he just so happens to be my dad. Parts of me think that I will wake up from this nightmare, but it has been a week now, and there is no waking up to a different reality. So we shall try to press onward.
My husband and I walked the property the night of the fire to check on the animals. There were areas smoldering everywhere and we could see the red embers as the sky darkened. The fire department came back out to address the "hot spots" as I walked around in disbelief at what I was seeing. Everything was black. Their beautiful trees were black. The air smelled awful of burnt earth--a smell I will never forget! I saw the area on the ground where they found my dad. The dirt was disheveled were he had been rolling... until it wasn't. That must have been where he could no longer move, because I saw his outline quite clearly among the ash and soot. I saw his hat and other parts of his clothing. It felt like I could feel the struggle that had occurred there just a few hours prior. It took every bit of strength I could muster to not vomit and drop to my knees in that moment. The fire came SO close to the house and the barn... I am SO thankful that my mom still has her home while she tries to navigate her way through this. I sat in a borrowed truck bawling my eyes out while a friend removed all the burnt debris from the bottom of the pasture... the rakes had literally burned into the trees. There were remnants of what used to be their wheelbarrow and other tools that were no longer recognizable. I HAD to get that stuff out of there because my mom literally can't go outside in her yard without seeing everything burned and a graveyard of the things they used to have. My heart aches so badly for her.
It turned into an intense fire very quickly...
I've been hesitant to write this plea for help, but it has become crystal clear that my mom is going to need a lot of help-both emotionally and financially. As the shock of this event lessens, the reality sets in and I realize that I have to act now to do everything I can to support my mom while they navigate this horror story they are living. It is estimated that my dad will be hospitalized for up to a year while they perform lord knows how many skin grafts and try to combat the infections that are trying to end his life. I can't imagine what the medical bills will be, but for now, the reality is that my mom is struggling to afford the $18 parking fee per day so that she can see him. We offered for her to drive my husband's car as it is easier on gas and noticed that the check engine light is on in her own car. Both of my parents vehicles are on their last legs (tires?). Perhaps these facts help explain the intense fear and anxiety I feel as I know that resources are completely lacking yet completely necessary.
At home, my mom has a geriatric horse (31 years) named Bonique that has to eat very expensive special feed as she has literally outlived her teeth and is also being treated for Cushings disease ($$!), a geriatric sheep (19 years!!) named Cilantro that I bottle raised when I was in college who is also on a special diet, and 2 beautiful, sweet golden retrievers who are probably the glue holding her fragile world together right now. The dogs names are Finn and Pearl (with the curl) as she has a very wavy coat. My mom takes such good care of her animals and I know it's expensive to manage their senior ailments, but she would be absolutely lost without them... especially now. My mom is diabetic and therefore requires expensive medications of her own. She keeps telling me that she thinks she will be okay and is okay, but I'm her daughter... I can see the fear in her eyes as she forces a smile as to not burden others. My mom doesn't ask for help... ever... and now she's asking... I guess I'm glad she is reaching out, but it also scares the hell out of me because I know she must be absolutely terrified of what is to come if she is actually asking for help.
Meet Bonique, Cilantro, Pearl, and Finn <3
I'm so thankful they were safe and are still with her! The love between her and her animals is quite mutual.
I hate, hate, hate having to ask for donations for this disaster fund, but I have exhausted what I am able to do to help her (I will be selling some of my jewelry to supply her with a little extra $), but I think this is going to take a village for them to make it through this. I have no idea how much money my mom is going to need. I know that just parking at the hospital daily for 6 months is over $3,000. She is concerned about the cost of parking... she debates whether or not to go because she is trying to protect the tiny safety net she has. This isn't okay!! She needs to see him and vice versa... he has a lot to overcome and I know he is going to need her there encouraging him to keep fighting. If you can help, it would be so incredibly appreciated. If you can't, that's perfectly okay... perhaps you can send positive thoughts and prayers for my family. There have been times when I was able to donate to other peoples' GFM requests and times when I could only offer words of encouragement. I hope what I've written doesn't seem like I'm fishing for pity or trying to guilt anyone. There's a lot going on in the world right now and I know that EVERYONE is struggling, so my thoughts are with all of you as you navigate the chaos. Thank you again for the support. I'm so scared. I don't know if my dad will ever leave that hospital. I don't know how my mom is going to handle all of this. But I do know that ultimately we will somehow get through this.
I know my mom has many, many friends and is well-loved by all that have met her. I think she needs her tribe now more than ever. Let's all be a great support network for her. She is afraid to burden or bother anyone... but I told her that’s what family and friends are for!!!!! If you’d like to send her a message, emoji, or chat with her, you can click here to go to her Facebook page. She also has Facebook messenger. Again, please don't feel obligated to contribute. I know times are really tough right now.
I wish with everything in me that I could go back to this day when the smiles were wide, the hills were green, and we didn't seem to have a care in the world. <3
But this is today's reality.
This is day 7. I chose the least graphic of the photos taken (the blanket is covering a lot) so you could see what my mom sees when she visits him. It's heartbreaking.
Life can really change in an instant... treasure each day, friends! Be well, be happy, and remember to live life to the fullest. If any of you are struggling as well, please feel free to reach out to me and I will help if I am able. <3
XOXO
-Erin McCarty
PS- my mom goes by "Yvette," her middle name. Her legal name is Sylvia Yvette McCarty in case there is any confusion.
Organizer and beneficiary
Erin McCarty
Organizer
Placerville, CA
Sylvia McCarty
Beneficiary