Exploring our Roots, Part 1: The Bad Burn

The Summer of 2010 the Andrews Family travelled back to the birthplace of our roots: We visited Mitchell, South Dakota where Wes' Mother Lavern Fay Nichols was born May 20th, 1947. At the time of her birth, LaVern's family lived in Forest Burg, but her mother, Ruby Fay, travelled to Methodist Hospital in Mitchell for her birth. She was born at 2:40 pm and weighed only 5 pounds and 7 ounces.

LaVern Nichols

We arrived in Mitchell on July 7th in the evening. We had driven from Nauvoo, Illinois, about a ten hour drive. We had gone through several amazing thunder storms and torrential downpours of rain in Iowa along the way, but arrived in a sunny and warm Mitchell. We pulled over about 8pm at the local KOA to camp for the night.

 Our pretty KOA campground in Mitchell.  And our cute kids.

The children were excited because the KOA had a mini golf course for kids, a playground, and a pool. They played while we got our tent set up and our fire roasting--we were hungry for dinner. Roasting hot dogs is a child-favorite at a campfire, so we gave the kids their dogs on a skewer and they set to roastin'.

Poor Elias. He was so wiggly in his little camp chair that before any of us could prevent it, he tipped his chair and rolled across the grass and right into the fire ring. His whole backside from bum to neck sprawled against the metal fire ring. He reacted quickly and jumped up like a torpedo--but not quick enough to prevent a burn on his left arm just above his elbow. His shirt had melted slightly along his back and left fuzzy spots of material stuck to his back, but fortunately not melted into his back. We were grateful for that. The elbow was bad, though. The burn was roughly 2 by 3 inches. There were no red spots or blisters---there was simply a large white indentation that was fringed with blackened, charred flesh. It was gross.

Here it is the next day after the hospital staff scrubbed it. 

When we saw more clearly what we had to deal with, I stayed calm. I knew he wasn't going to die. Wes got angry. That is just Wes. He reacts in anger when he is stressed or worried. I took in the situation and reminded Wes calmly to be faithful, not negative. We had had some kind of conversation about this earlier in our road trip as we discussed the tribulations the Mormon Saints had endured. Wes took my comment in stride, changing his attitude immediately.

I said to Wes, "It is hardship and trial that unite families."

"Is that why your family is so close?" He asked. We laughed, thinking of all the accidents and dilemmas my siblings and I have had----struggles, fears and hardships that have built us. I guess we wouldn't have been able to declare this a true vacation without Elias having some kind of tragedy! He has been true to his past traditions! I had a moment of peace and serenity as I watched our family pull together to take care of Elias.

"Ouch."  Ryanne and Leah love are taking care of Elias.

I knew there wasn't much we could do for poor Elias' burn, but also knew how painful it must be. So, despite what 3rd degree burn rules we knew, we iced it. Wes cupped his ice-filled hands around the burn for almost ten minutes.
Elias had been screaming.
Wes did this amazing thing where he kept saying to Elias, "focus on my eyes, look at my eyes; breathe; stay calm, it's okay." Elias stared into his Daddy's eyes and trusted him and calmed himself. I gave him some Tylenol and some Benadryl (to help him sleep). Leah and Ryanne were very compassionate sisters. They fetched his little blanky, his pillow, and his toys-- anything they could think of to make him feel comforted. Ryanne played games with "Moley", his stuffed mole, making it talk and squeak and dance. That made Elias laugh.




Mckay let Elias squeeze his hand as hard as he wanted when it hurt. He also cooked Elias a hotdog (which Elias actually ate). He helped Wes get the consecrated oil. Wes gave Elias a blessing. He blessed Elias that the pain would stop and Elias would be at ease. He blessed him that there would be minimal scarring on his arm.
After the blessing Elias looked up and said, "My arm doesn't hurt anymore." He didn't cry anymore after that. Once we reached that stable point, Wes and I had to decide what to do. Was a hospital trip necessary? How would we be able to clean the burn? Would it get infected? Could we just wrap it up? I always stress over the decision between money and proper care. I hate to be over- worried and act unnecessarily, but also do not want to deny my children care they need. So I did the best thing I could. I called Wes' Mom! She advised going to the hospital where the wound could be properly cleansed. She also told me they would give him a salve that would promote healing. Wes took him to the emergency room.





 I layed in the tent with the other kids and tried to read a book but mostly I just worried. Wes came back with a sleepy-headed Elias. He told me stories of a laughing little boy who entertained the nurses and doctor with lively and amiable chatter. No crying and no fear in the boy impressed the medical staff. They gave him a lidocaine shot and scrubbed and clipped dead tissue off his elbow. They sterilized the wound, salved it, and instructed Wes on dressing care. The bill came two months later--$100.00 copay for emergency room visit! We love that boy!


Sometimes I feel the adversary is really after Elias . . . on the converse, the Lord is definitely preserving him. I hope that Elias grows up to be a great servant to the Lord in building up His kingdom. I am thankful that by his laughter and love, and even by his accidents, he pulls our family together. Bless the boy. And bless the Lord for sending him to us.

Elias: "Mom torturing me. 

She wanted to make sure I kept my burn clean and un-infected

since we were camping and

I was running around in the dirt all day."

The next day the Ace Bandage we wrapped around it to keep the dirt out kept falling off. 

Ryanne and Mckay were trying to help him clip it back on. 

A little bit of Daddy's help is necessary!

P.S. Elias later wanted to write about his story himself.  I helped him and we sent it into the Friend magazine.  He appears on the inside front cover of the March 2011 edition!