Support Kevin's Recovery After Burn Accident

I'm Jackie Doud. My husband Kevin is the burn victim in the images. We had been cooking on our charcoal grill Sunday, 08/11/2024, and apparently didn't shut it down properly.

4:00 AM, Monday August 12, Kevin woke to strange noises and thought an animal was on our covered porch. There wasn't, but 2/3 of our large wood deck was on fire.

I woke to yells, "Jackie, we're on fire, Jackie, we're on fire"

We ran outside and started the garden hose. Kevin was going to start spraying the flames closest to the house and I was to call 911.

As I was fumbling with my phone I suddenly heard even more frantic screams, "I'm on fire, I'm on fire!" Kevin had stepped onto an unstable part of the deck and fell forward into the hot coals and embers.

I was able to grab his right hand to pull him out. Thank goodness our deck is only a foot off the ground. But we had no idea how badly he was burnt at the time. I sent him to the front of the house to call 911 for an ambulance and firetruck while I continued to douse the flames. He recalled later that he remembered one of the EMTs grabbing some rubber gloves to remove the skin that was hanging off of his left arm.

---He was eventually transported from Riverside to Loyola Burn ICU on Monday, August 12. On Thursday, August 15 he had skin graft surgery. From what I understand, 3rd degree Full Thickness Skin Graft surgery on his left shin from his knee to his ankle and skin grafts on his left arm for 3rd degree burns including his elbow and then all the way down to his wrist.

There are several 2nd degree burns as well that we are doing wound care for ourselves and didn't require surgery but are still really difficult.

The doctors at Loyola are now looking into some home care because the level of care for his wounds is outside my ability.

It's hard to accept help. It's even harder to ask for it. Kevin doesn't have disability insurance. I guess we just thought it was included in his benefit package, like life insurance. Apparently not. I don't consider myself a naive person and neither does Kevin. But I guess we are. We didn't know we had to ask for it or sign up for it separately from his other benefits.

It's only been two weeks and we are already without a paycheck. On top of that we have to send $645 a month to his employer to maintain our medical insurance which we really need right now.

BUT...we know it's a hard time. Prices are higher than ever and wages have not increased to compensate and if they did the prices would be even higher. Our friends, please do not feel obligated. We will get through this one way or another and are going to work with our creditors to find solutions.

My main concern as I know is the same for all of you, is that Kevin heals and recovers.

I would be happy to live in a cardboard box so long as I'm with Kevin. He is my home, my world, my everything, and on top of all that, he is my best friend, my rock, my support and keeps me half ass sane. Not an easy task...and then, still only half-ass.

He has been taking care of me for a long time in so many ways. Now I need to take care of both of us in a big way.

He will be off work for an additional 4 weeks to 4 months, we are getting conflicting estimates right now. The requested goal should cover 5-6 weeks if we are thrifty and if we can get some loan extensions.

Friends, if you are able to help financially, we can't thank you enough. If you are not, your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated.