DISCLAIMER:this has lots of words. i mean a lot. i feel like writing (writing is really really therapeutic for me). normally i would write in one of my old notebooks lying around here, but what is in my head would take far too long and i dont know if i want to sit and actually write it out. typing is a little less "personal" i guess and my emotions are already shot to hell.
it was between here and my blog, and well...tdub is my blog kinda so i decided here.
i may copy and paste later.


so, as some of ya'll already know my grandparents house caught on fire last night.
the reason i am making a thread is well, i can feel my heart in my stomach, i mean, i can honestly feel it in there.
i was at the hospital back home for most of the night last night until they were transferred to UNC then i came home and got some sleep.
im going to chapel hill this afternoon, but for now im just trying to clean and just....do stuff.

i figure talking about it wont hurt that much either.

my parents heard the boom. they live like 1 mile away (if that far) and thought someone was shooting in the woods. a few minutes later my mom got the call from a neighbor that the house had caught on fire and within minutes had exploded.
she flipped and ran out there in her pjs, the police and whatnot had just got there and she was screaming at the top of her lungs to find them. she told me that she just knew they were still in there and it was the most horrible feeling in the world.

then she heard my grandma.

they were in the backyard. both covered in soot and slightly tinged. a lot of my grandmothers hair had been burnt off. they couldn't see anything because of the smoke and the fact it was dark out.

they were rushed to the hospital.

apparently grandpas chair caught on fire in the living room. he smelled it but it took him a minute to realize what was happening. my grandma was in the attic getting christmas decorations out.
he yelled for her to come down and when she did the whole chair was in flames.
she tried to throw a rug on it to put it out (you have to keep in mind, my grandmother is a badass woman) but it just sorta swept out from underneath and caught her on fire.
she ran outside and tried putting herself out and by the time she had done it, most of the house was engulfed, and my grandpa wasnt out.
she went back inside.
my grandpa was in the back room trying to call 911 but the phone was dead and the power was out.
he couldnt see anything.
my grandma was yelling and told him to follow her voice.
im not sure what happened after this exactly, but all i know is that they got out and a few minutes later the fire hit some propane tanks.

when i got to the hospital pretty much my whole family was there.
my mom was a wreck.
i got to go back and see them and my papa was on an adrenaline rush. he was making us smile saying things like ..."well, i didnt like the way that house was facing anyway". he was also on a lot of pain meds too (he's on daily dialysis). he had a little raw spot on the top of his head and when i came in he wanted to hug me but he didnt want to get soot all over me
i laughed and told him i really did not care one bit.

my grandma, she didnt look as good. she was intubated from where her throat was closing up.
she was in a different room.
we just sat there and told her it was going to be ok and that the machines were breathing for her and she could relax.
i can still see her eyes. im tearing up thinking about them. she was just so....scared.
her nose was charred on the edges.

they told us they were transferring them.
they told us that everything looked really really good.
they told us that they looked bad externally, but they were holding up well.

i came home and on the way home my mom and i stopped by their house.
i sat there for a minute.
it's gone.
the whole house.
it's unbelievable.
you can see through the roof throughout the entire house.

i snapped a couple of pictures, but i couldn't do much more.

my heart was in my stomach.

this morning my mom called.
my grandpas throat closed up on the way to chapel hill and they had to intubate him too.

now they are starting to wonder ig maybe theyre is a little more lung damage than they originally thought.

the next couple of days are gonna be decisive.

and while they arent doing great right now, they aren't getting worse.
which i think is pretty key, ya know?

and this leaves me here now. the doctors are fairly certain they will be in the hospital for at least one month.
but thats just what theyre saying now.....

ill update this thread as i find out more...

12/6/2010 11:50:38 AM

12/6/2010 11:51:47 AM

holy shit, sorry this happened

12/6/2010 11:52:44 AM

Wow. I don't know what else to say. That really sucks.

12/6/2010 11:58:05 AM

so sorry joie. thanks for sharing with us - i know a ton of tdubbers are thinking about you and your family today

[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 11:58 AM. Reason : hopefully getting it all out in words helps you. i know it can for me sometimes as well]

12/6/2010 11:58:20 AM

That's awful. I'm really glad that they got out more or less ok.

12/6/2010 12:00:34 PM

so sorry to hear this. What a horrible scenario...I wish you and your family the best.

12/6/2010 12:00:44 PM

That sucks.

Curious as to how the chair caught on fire. Had to be electrical or from a nearby fireplace (is there a fireplace)...or does he smoke?

I've got one grandparent left on a dad's side to whom I'm not close to. But lost both grandmother and grandfather from my mom's side...and they were pretty much like a second set of parents. So good luck to you.

12/6/2010 12:03:25 PM

Quote :

"hopefully getting it all out in words helps you. i know it can for me sometimes as well"

yeah it does. documenting things in general gives me this weird sense of security. i can't explain it.

here are the photos i snapped last night.



and in this one...if you look at the far back left corner. you can make out my grandmas car....


[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 12:04 PM. Reason : ^theyre still not sure yet, the closest idea they have is a heating blanket....]

12/6/2010 12:04:09 PM

I'll pray for you and your family.

12/6/2010 12:05:45 PM

Jesus...


[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 12:09 PM. Reason : .]

12/6/2010 12:08:55 PM

at least they didnt die, its all too easy to die when shit like this happens

and better still that one didnt lose the other.

12/6/2010 12:15:20 PM

I'm glad there was a quality burn center available to them. They both seem like very strong people and I'm sure they'll pull through. Here is to a speedy recovery!

12/6/2010 12:15:45 PM

oh wow. i'm so sorry. please keep us posted.

12/6/2010 12:16:21 PM

Quote :

"at least they didnt die, its all too easy to die when shit like this happens and better still that one didnt lose the other."

i agree 100%

[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 12:19 PM. Reason : and thanks for the lovin guys ]

12/6/2010 12:19:00 PM

Wow, this is really terrible. But I agree with BHS, at least they both made it out.

I will keep your family in my thoughts.

12/6/2010 12:23:15 PM

Today, we are all Joie's grandparents.

Hope they recover quickly.

12/6/2010 12:24:03 PM

so sorry to hear

wishing them a speedy recovery

12/6/2010 12:28:27 PM

I'm glad to hear they made it, and things aren't any worse than they are. I hope they pull through with good spirits; I'll be sending hugs your way.

12/6/2010 12:32:08 PM

thinking about you and your family

12/6/2010 12:35:43 PM

my girlfriends dad got burned pretty badly earlier this year...50% of his body 3rd degree burns. he was there for a month and besides some scars, he's fine. the pain meds made him really emo, so we laughed at him a lot. haha

im really sorry this happened. the UNC burn ward is one of the best in the world. they're in good hands. i live nearby. let me know if i can do anything.

12/6/2010 12:36:58 PM

geezus!

As I said before...sending good vibes your grandparents' way for a speedy recovery, and strength for them, you and your family during this time.

12/6/2010 12:40:04 PM

is it too early to ask if that is a treadmill in that second pic?

12/6/2010 12:41:48 PM

it was a golfcart

12/6/2010 12:43:13 PM

Quote :

"is it too early to ask if that is was a treadmill in that second pic?"

[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 12:45 PM. Reason : ]

12/6/2010 12:44:51 PM

wow...

12/6/2010 12:44:56 PM

wow Joie this is terrible. I hope everything turns for the best! stay strong

12/6/2010 12:47:55 PM

wow...that's unbelievable.

sorry you guys have to go through this...

[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 12:52 PM. Reason : holy damn...the golf cart is all ]

12/6/2010 12:49:42 PM

This is so incredibly sad and scary. Your family is definitely in my thoughts.

12/6/2010 12:50:08 PM

oic the golf cart now, but I still think that is a treadmill in the background

12/6/2010 12:51:43 PM

oh no. behind it is a grill.


(my grandpa LOVES cooking on the grill)

12/6/2010 12:54:46 PM

I see where he's getting the treadmill...or stairclimber/elliptical...I can see what looks like the long handles coming off of those things.

12/6/2010 12:59:33 PM

im not sure what those handles are o_O

[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 1:03 PM. Reason : actually it may be the back frame of the golfcart]

12/6/2010 1:02:42 PM

nm

[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 1:06 PM. Reason : ppl wont get the joke]

12/6/2010 1:03:37 PM

I shall remember them both in my prayers.

12/6/2010 1:34:49 PM

Quote :

"This is so incredibly sad and scary. Your family is definitely in my thoughts. "

12/6/2010 1:42:07 PM

^ ditto



I'm glad they were able to make it out and receive prompt medical treatment. So sorry to hear about this.

12/6/2010 1:45:53 PM

damn this is some crazy shit.

I hope that your grandparents are ok, that the family doesn't have to deal with too much bullshit from the insurance company regarding the fire, and that they get healthy again soon and things return to normal.

12/6/2010 1:51:49 PM

holy crap

your grandma is like an action hero

12/6/2010 2:17:49 PM

You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. That is just crazy.

12/6/2010 2:22:03 PM

<3 &
Good luck to you and your family, stay strong, and everyone complaining about their finals and other troubles, think of this. It's an inspiring and saddening story, but hon, stay strong, good luck, and wishes of a speedy recovery!

12/6/2010 2:25:30 PM

upon further review, what I thought was a treadmill is definitely a part of the golf cart

12/6/2010 2:55:51 PM

Sorry to hear about this


My thoughts are with your grandparents and your family.

12/6/2010 3:30:03 PM

Wow...really sorry to hear about that. A house fire is one of the things I've always been terrified of, and the fact that it spread so quickly...hard to believe. But at least your grandparents were awake and alert when it happened, and were able to both get out (relatively) ok. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for both of them, both physically and, as far as is possible, mentally/emotionally. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.

12/6/2010 3:42:11 PM

HOLY SHIT....sorry to hear about this Joie. I'm glad no one got seriously injured. Its crazy how fast fires can spread. Do they know what exploded?

12/6/2010 4:16:29 PM

gas tank i believe is what she said.

12/6/2010 4:17:07 PM

Hope they get better

12/6/2010 4:19:28 PM

Joie's grandpa confronts his worst fear

12/6/2010 4:22:24 PM

damn... I hope everything turns out good for them (and you.)

12/6/2010 4:23:19 PM

my wife did a nursing rotation at the UNC burn center. it's an incredible place, like someone said, one of the best in the world.

for such a huge accident, to come out with only superficial burns, your grandparents are very very very lucky. the nature of burns, many people go into a burn center and dont survive. many of those who do are in tremendous pain for a long time and return scarred beyond recognition. it sounds like your grandparents are going to be spared all of that.

i'm not religious, but i think your family is blessed. Other than having a devastated home, I'm glad for you, that it didnt turn out worse. In some ways, you can look at it as a message to be thankful.

that it happened, that they're all alive and safe







[Edited on December 6, 2010 at 5:15 PM. Reason : ]

12/6/2010 5:11:02 PM