Keith Barker
Effects on the Family
Sometimes there is a bit more to a burn survivor’s story than just being a burn survivor going through life, with physical and emotional scars.
At the age of 9 going through an ordeal like that, is unimaginable for most. Now 55, I grew up in Campbell River, BC. When my burn occurred, there were 3 of us at the start; one was 10 and his brother was my age 9 who decided to play down closer to a small swamp behind my friend’s house. My friend had gotten a quart jar of gasoline from his Dad’s basement, which was about 3/4 full. Finding some sticks we used them as spears, by dipping them in the gas trying to light old stumps on fire. When the flame on the end of the spear went out we would dip them in the gas and light them up again.
At one point another friend had come down to see what we were doing, he was 8 and decided he was going to tell his parents, as he knew that we weren't suppose to be playing with the gas. He left the 3 of us and started walking towards his house. At that time we continued to dip our sticks in the gas. The 10 year old boy was holding the jar of gas when we went to dip our sticks in it. As we stood there you could see his brother’s stick was still on fire, which ignited the jar of gas.
As we turned to run the boy holding the gas I guess just panicked as a 10 year old would, and just tried to get rid of the jar, and I was immediately burned on my back from trying to run from the ignited jar. The boy that was on his way to tell his parents was also burned on his back. Even until this day I do not know how he got burned because he was actually half way up a small hill towards his house probably 30 feet away from us.
One of the other boys had a small burn on his stomach and the one that lit the jar didn't have any burns. I remember I had to roll around where the swamp was a bit muddy to put the fire out. After the fire was out we went up the bank towards our houses I had come around the corner of the house. Just then my Mom came running down to see what was happening, for by that time the whole neighborhood had heard us screaming.
I will never forget the look on her face as she saw me standing there with my skin and clothes hanging from me.
Soon everyone was around cutting our clothes and burnt skin off that was just hanging there as we got into a car and drove to the hospital. After being patched up in the Campbell River Hospital, having to decide whether they were going to have to amputate my left arm as it was so badly burnt they decided to wait and send me off to St Joseph’s hospital in Victoria.
So now the long healing procedure begins with the countless operations getting skin graphs and physiotherapy. Sometimes the skin graphs wouldn't take and they where running out of places to get skin from me. I guess places that they had taken skin wouldn't heal fast enough so they could get more. After about 4 months or so my friend was well enough to go home. I was still in a striker bed where I spent most of my days lying on my stomach until my back got better.
My Dad worked at the pulp mill in Campbell River so Dad and Mom would come down most times Dad had his two days off. I was always upset when they had to go home especially now that I was there by myself.
At this point my 10 year old big sister.....bless her little heart was worried that everyone had forgotten about me so she wrote a letter to the papers.
Dear Sir;
"I read in your paper about the different things like the boy who was unconscious for three months in St Josephs Hospital. He was in the room across from my brother, Mom and Dad used to go in and talk to him every time they went to see my brother.
My brother was burned by gas on March 2nd and is still in St Joseph's Hospital in Victoria. Mom and Dad have gone down every week when my dad gets 2 days off. They leave home at 6:30 in the morning and when they have the money they stay 2 nights cause my brother cries when they can only stay one. My brother has to have lots of skin graphs yet and will be there for a long while. So I am wondering if you could put something in your paper so he won't think people have forgotten him.
Mom writes to him every day and hasn't missed one day and she prays every night for him and all the children with him. He's going to be lonesome now he is alone. Mom was crying today cause she can't go and see him. Dads working and mom has to wait till pay day to go see him. This is the first weekend they have missed since he was burned. I guess all I can say except don't tell my mom I wrote because it would upset her. Just say something in your paper please and Mom will cut it out for my brothers scrap book. He puts all his cards and things in it. You could phone my mom collect if you want to know anything else. Please don't tell her I wrote to your paper. Please just pretend you wanted to know something yourself for the paper. Mom used to say she wishes she could help other kids and moms and dads so kids won't be burned. She thought maybe a picture of Keith like he is maybe that would help but she said they would forget in time. Well goodbye sir and thank you. If you can't I will understand."
Miss Shelly Barker, Campbell River
That was the actual letter my 10-year-old sister had written at the time. So about 2 months later I was allowed to go home. In the meantime it was pretty amazing all the get well cards and letters I received from all over the place from people I didn't even know.
They say time heals all wounds, growing up as a burn survivor you don't realize until later on in life the emotional and financial scars that were experienced by others especially one’s parents. No parent can ever imagine unless they have gone through similar circumstances. And it is something we hope nobody has to go through.
With peer support, connections to THE FUTURE IS MINE, there are now ways to connect for support, which brings this unique community together. By sharing this story I hope that the doors will remain open to help families in need and to be able to share their experiences.
By: Keith Barker and Family
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