My officemate was late one day and called me in our California office to say, “I’m in Houston. My brother-in-law was severely injured in a gas fire last night. I got on the first plane I could, and now I’m here to help my sister. Please tell everyone and I will call you again later.”
She was gone for six weeks.
He worked in an oil storage facility that was lax in their maintenance and safety rules. The was alone (he should have had a partner with him) high up on a tank checking readings near a leaking pipe (that was known to be in need of maintenance) which exploded when he touched it.
By the time my co-worker returned, her sister, husband, and their kids were rich. Lawyers swooped in immediately and offered an immediate lump sum in the millions, lifetime monthly payments, and full health insurance with mental health and home care included among other perks. "Accidents" like these are not uncommon in oil country, and the powers that be are ready for them 24/7.
My co-worker the accountant got most of every offer doubled by standing firm with the attorneys and not letting her sister or the husband sign anything that was not seen by the attorney they got on their own. She went into "That B%itch The Accountant" mode and fought like hell.
She also got money for herself and two of the husband’s family members to also be assisted with travel and living costs for the next five years. ("My damn sister in not going to be disturbed by paying for that!")
She and the other two began traveling to Houston in shifts to support the family and she was now often off work and back in Texas.
What good is all that money when you look like a monster and three of your four kids are scared of you? Only the infant does not care. But you can’t hold him because you are chemically burned from the naval up, in severe pain, and still smell like gas?
And who will help the demon in your head who wants to relive the time you were screaming and trying to grab the railings with your burning hands as you ran to get to the ground and find help that was not there since everyone else ran?
He wasn’t wearing the safety goggles they did not provide onsite. But fortunately he did wear glasses and so was not blinded.
A couple of years and many skin grafts and other surgeries later and though still in physical therapy, he was getting better, the smell was gone, and the kids were no long scared. The family had moved to a home on one floor and better suited for their new lives.
The worst of the burns on his upper chest were still a big issue. But his face was not something you would gawk at and my office mate said, “The surgeons have done great work and at least he can look pretty normal with a shirt on and get around ok.”
My post is for the #freewrite daily challenge by 
