A year already

Hard to believe but it's been a year today since my Dad* was almost killed in a steam pipe explosion on the UNH campus**.  He's made a remarkable recovery, there were a few days we really didn't think he was going to make it.  

He was flown to Mass General where he remained in the ICU for I believe 27 days, then additional time in another room within the burn unit.  We were told he would remain in the hospital for a minimum of 80 days - this is calculated by the % of burns - and he would then need additional time in a secondary rehab center.  We knew he'd never be there that long, he's superman you know.  For as long as I remember we've made fun of him for working out so much, calling him chubby and telling him to give it up old man, it's a good thing he was in as good shape as he was or he wouldn't have made it.  He was home in 78 days - the day before Thanksgiving and just 8 days after the twins were born, you should have heard the sadness in his voice when he learned he wouldn't be able to be at the hospital when they were born - he worried I'd be upset, silly man!

Here's a few pictures of him before and after.

With mum when Lorelei was born June '06

With Lorelei Christmas '06

With Sadie mid-December '07

back to work (on our bathroom) mid-April '07

As you can see he's changed a bit, he's a little bit grayer and a little bit older, and he's still quite scarred, including the mother-fucker of all scars on his chest, but just on the outside.  We all know he's in a lot of pain still, but he refuses to let it get him down.  He told us while he was still in the hospital he planned to be back to work by spring - who goes back to work after this?!?!?!  I don't know another person who wouldn't have just sat home and collected the workers-comp checks, myself included!  But not this guy, he was back to work in 6 months 1 day - unbelievable. 

*OK technically he's my step-dad but you know what they say if it walks like a duck it's a duck, right?

** There are a few errors in this story.  He is a plumber not a construction worker, he actually received 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 80% of his body and he works for another (not to be named here) plumbing company not Harvey Construction.