Tayton

It's been a horrible day and I can't sleep. I feel like everything is bottled up inside and writing is the best therapy for me. So here is Taytons story. Today he was walking home from school, then I heard him come in the door just screaming. I looked at him and gave him a big hug and asked what was wrong. Then I smelled him and got a good look at him. He said the boys lit a big fire and he was burned. I looked at him and closer and couldn't believe what I saw. I told him to get in the car and we headed for the hospital. Why I was driving I called 911, and they told me just to wait for an ambulance. Seeing my boy like that, I couldn't wait. I drove about 70 miles per hour on the back road of Perry. I got him to the hospital and they took really good care of him. They started putting burn wraps all on his arms and face. He then said that some older boys were lighting gasoline on fire and he was just watching. He was screaming and crying, the skin was falling off his arms and his poor little face was just black, all of his hair on his head was burned, eyelashes burned. I never wish that on any parent to see their child like that. Well the hospital sedated him and put a breathing tube in because his throat got burned and they were worried if it got to swollen he would have a hard time breathing. Soon they had life-flighted him to the UofU burn center. We left the hospital and it seemed like the longest drive of my life. We got to go in his room and his poor little face is so swollen it doesn't look like him. He has 14% of his body burned. His hands and arms are the worst with 3rd degree burns on them. His face is 2nd degree burns, but on the positive side his lungs and throat seem to be ok. They have him sedated and plan on keeping him that way for the next couple of days, because of the pain and the breathing tube. It looks like he will have surgery on Monday maybe Tuesday for skin graphs on his hands, not sure on his face yet. We are going to have a long recovery ahead of us. At least 2-3 weeks in the hospital and months and months of therapy and recovery. He is still in critical condition right now and the next 24-48 hours are going to be the hardest for him. They are very optimistic he will make it through. He is a fighter and I'm praying for a miracle. Tayton seemed to have been burned the worst out of the five boys. So please teach your children about fire danger. I know 2 of the other boys he was with, but I didn't know the other two. I can't believe something like this could happen just from walking home from school. I just think he saw the older boys and was curious what they were doing. I am just greatful he wasn't the one lighting it on fire. I am feeling every emotion. I'm sad for what happened, happy he is still with us, mad at lots of things, including myself for letting him walk home and not teaching him enough. I just want everyone to hug their kids tonight and make sure they tell them how much they love them. I am so greatful for an amazing family and support system. I will try to keep you all updated on his progress. Thanks for all the prayers and messages. We still could use them. Kali