Burn Photos Photo Gallery by Matt Rodenbeck at pbase.com

Burn Photos

Welcome to my gallery of burn photos. You will find photos from my 20 month healing journey that began on April 23, 2006. If you find these photos useful, please leave a comment at the bottom of this page telling me so and why you are viewing them. As I type this, it has been three years since my flap surgery. I am happy to report that my leg is still doing well and has been trouble-free, just as a leg should be. I am happy so many people have found this gallery useful. It was started as a way to keep myself encouraged visually as it can be difficult to see improvement from day to day. Now that my leg has healed, judging from the comments left by others, it appears to have turned into a powerful teaching tool as well as a vehicle of hope for others dealing with traumatic burns. The burn photos are a good example of the healing progression of burns. I hope you have found this gallery useful regardless of the reason you are here. Thank you for viewing and please leave a comment. May God Bless you all!

Boss Hoss Trike	April 24 Photo 1, 1 Day After Burn	April 24 Photo 2, 1 Day After Burn	April 26 Photo 1, 3 Days After Burn
April 26 Photo 2, 3 Days After Burn	April 26 Photo 3, 3 Days After Burn	May 2 Photo 1, 9 Days After Burn	May 2 Photo 2, 9 Days After Burn
June 7 Photo 1, 46 Days After Burn	June 7 Photo 2, 46 Days After Burn	June 7 Photo 3, 46 Days After Burn	June 7 Photo 4, 46 Days After Burn
June 26 Photo 2, 7 Days After Skin Graft, 65 Days After Burn	June 26 Photo 1, 7 Days After Skin Graft, 65 Days After Burn	June 28 Photo 1, 9 Days After Skin Graft, 67 Days After Burn	June 28 Photo 2, 9 Days After Skin Graft, 67 Days After Burn
June 28, Right Leg	June 28, Skin Graft Donor Site on Left Thigh, 9 Days After Skin Graft	July 3 Photo 1, 14 Days After Skin Graft, 72 Days After Burn	July 3 Photo 2, 14 Days After Skin Graft, 72 Days After Burn
July 17	July 17	First Day Back To Work	July 24
July 24	August 3	August 3	August 10
August 10	August 10	August 10	$600 Miracle Medicine
August 26	August 26	September 6	October 22
December 17	January 17 Drainage	January 17 Dressing	January 17 After Cleaned
January 17	February 10	Feburary 10	February 10
One Week of Antibiotics Down!	6 Week Antibiotic Junkie	February 23	February 23
February 28	February 28	February 28	March 9
March 9	March 18	March 18	March 31
March 31	March 31	April 18	April 23
April 23	May 14	August 29	August 29
Comfy in the Hospital	Having Fun	Gown Fashion Model	Donor Site
September 7th, One Day After Surgery	September 7th, One Day After Surgery	September 7th, One Day After Surgery	September 8th, Two Days After Surgery
September 8th, Two Days After Surgery	September 8th, Two Days After Surgery	September 9th, Three Days After Surgery	September 9th, Three Days After Surgery
September 10th, Four Days After Surgery	September 10th, Four Days After Surgery	September 10th, Someone Missed Me!	September 12th
September 12th	September 12th	September 12th	September 13th
September 13th	September 13th	September 13th	September 13th
September 18th	September 18th	September 23rd	September 23rd
September 23rd	September 23rd	September 28th, Three Weeks After Surgery	September 28th, Three Weeks After Surgery
October 4th, Four Weeks After Surgery	October 4th, Four Weeks After Surgery	Leg collage 10-4-07	October 8th
October 8th, My View	October 8th	October 10th	October 10th
October 10th	October 14th	October 14th	October 14th
October 25th	October 25th	October 25th	October 31st
October 31st	October 31st	October Progress	November 3rd
November 3rd	November 10th	November 10th	November 18th
November 18th	November 26th	November 26th	November 27th
November 27th	December 4th	December 18th - Inside View	December 18th - Front View
December 18th - Outside View	April 2nd - Front	April 2nd - Inside	April 2nd - Inside Close Up
April 2nd - Front	April 2nd - Outside	April 2nd - Outside Close Up	March 27, 2012
March 27, 2012	March 27, 2012	March 27, 2012	March 27, 2012
March 27, 2012

comment |

Charlotte		07-Mar-2016 12:45
Hi there, I'm studying makeup for media and performace and I'm looking for reference pictures of real burns. I was burnt myself as a child - by boiling water - I have skin grafts on my chest. They have healed well. Thank you for sharing your burn story.

Reshma		27-Jan-2016 05:35
Thank you this has helped me to show my kids what happens when you get burned.To be more aware of when they were using the heater or the stove they are 8 and 6 years old. My daughter who is 8 can make noodles and heat the water on her own while l supervised. Than l started noticing her doing that on her own and as my son who is 6 they are both very close was right behind her. so when l showed them these photos they didn't try doing any cooking on there own.

Caitlin		08-Jan-2016 17:24
Hello, My anatomy teacher used your gallery to teach us about burns. My class really enjoyed viewing your journey and found it eyeopening as to what intense burns are truly like. By the end of the slideshow, all of my fellow students were raving about how incredible the human healing process is. It was astounding to see the massive improvement picture by picture. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us!

Amanda Meehan		14-Nov-2014 20:43
Hi Matt, NY name is Amanda Meehan and I was lookin up how to explain a graph and stubbled on ur page.. I had my body 80% burned from head to toe.. Was in the hospital 2 yrs b4 I finally healed. I've always wanted to share my pics like u but idk where or how u even do it.. Its such a learning process when ur burned. U jus learn so much and I personally wanna help others now that I'm a survivor.. In which a couple friends have been burned and I helped :) and im sure u would agree unless being burned urself,u have no idea the pain and suffering u go thru. I suffured phy. Ment. And emotionally.. I was burned in a house fire where I lost my fiance and our pitbull and everything I ever owned including our house.. Its still hard at times but I get by.. I hope all is well after u healing up. Thanks for sharing ur photos. If u could help me in how to post mine I would appreciate ur help in any way..

Guest		11-Jul-2014 00:35
Hi. I'm actually looking for a place to donate to child burn victims and came across your site. Thank you for educating me on how deep a burn can go. Looks like you've healed very well!!!! Thanks again!

Guest		07-Apr-2014 18:38
my hand burn one month n doc suggest for surgery n im m pragnant im vry dippress

Guest		06-Apr-2014 15:11
Thank you sharing,Matt, I think you're very brave. I hope you don't mind my reason for viewing - I'm researching a novel set in WWI and needed to see pictures of what burns injuries look like, though I suspect they would have appeared differently in those days. I feel rather guilty - voyeuristic and intrusive on your personal page - but I'm very grateful for your bravery in sharing. Many thanks once again.

Guest		19-Mar-2014 15:33
Thank you for sharing your journey. My mother was burned in the kitchen a month ago and I came accoss your website searching for burns and the progress. It seems as if she has long way to go. Seeing your pictures shows me that the burns will heal over time and she will be back to doing normal things. Thank you and may the Lord continue to Bless you.

Joanne Klimak		09-Mar-2014 02:22
So glad you got through that, because it looks really painful. For homework, my art teacher asked the class to either draw burned skin photos or hair. I chose hair at the time, but tonight I decided to look up burned skin photos, because I have 20 texture drawings to do. I notice you have a cat. Cats can be comforting. So glad you didn't lose your leg. I think you did good for yourself by creating this picture website and helped a lot of other people in the process. Knock on wood...I'm sure you're feeling great by now.

Liz		18-Feb-2014 22:21
Hi Matt! Thank you so much for posting these images online. I am a special fx makeup artist currently putting together a giant booklet of photos for reference when I am out on the job. It is hard to find pictures that are the real thing online but you made my search a bit easier today. Thank you again for posting these images, and I wish you a speedy recovery and a happy life :)

Guest		25-Jan-2014 17:47
Hello, I am glad that you have made a wonderful recovery. I am in school for coding and I am currently working on coding burns so finding you photos has helped me to better understand the degrees and how to code them. Thank you for sharing them and allowing others to understand how one can be so strong at a very difficult and trying time. Best of wishes to you!

Zannah		03-Nov-2013 17:17
Hey Matt. Thank you so much for posting your journey and pics. My younger sister was in a motorcycle accident yesterday in TX and received 3rd degree burns to her lower back- going all the way down her legs. She is in the ICU right now and they were going to operate last night but can't stabilize her blood pressure. It keeps dropping. They are keeping her sedated and deciding if she can handle the surgery today- but said she is definitely going to need skin grafting- which they have decided to pull from the sides of her body. We (my family) are all trying to work out flying in from different states to be with her now (she was only in TX visiting a friend for a few days) but we really have no idea what to expect from this type of burn or from the skin grafting itself. I'm glad that I found your site. She will have a long recovery ahead of her but it is encouraging to know that she will get there. Thank you again for posting.

Guest		25-Oct-2013 19:01
I am doing a paper and presentation on skin grafts - thank u for sharing it will add alot with the visual

Guest		21-Oct-2013 18:54
Thank you for this gallery. I came to the site looking for photos on healing of skin grafts. I had a chemical burn to both knees from a concrete pour - yes wet cement can burn. Both knees required skin grafting. This gallery is very helpful to see what my progress will eventually look like.

Guest		07-Oct-2013 02:52
Same thing happened to me but I had a small skin graph and I'm still recovering it started out red then bubbled an hour later.

Clive		07-Jul-2013 08:31
Hi Matt, I am training oil field workers in electrical safe work practices and have recently had the traumatic experience of seeing a fellow worker fatally burnt by electrical arc flash. Your photos do more to give substance to my training in electrical safety than a thousand words. God bless and keep safe!

gitika garg		12-Jun-2013 06:20
very nic u all r treat them

Rob		07-May-2013 21:56
Hello, I was in an accident on Easter Sunday and now have a large skin graft across my belly. Thanks for posting all of these photos...I am searching for anything I can find on the Internet. I am surprised so many others have found this...it wasn't easy for me. I'm glad everything worked out so well for you.

Ayrica		05-Mar-2013 22:35
Our daughter takes it as a personal dare when we say stay out of the kitchen when oil is going. So as we did with her older brother it was time to show her pictures. Thank you for posting so others can use these experiences to educate our young ones.

Jennifer		16-Feb-2013 17:57
About 30 mins ago my daughter came to me with a lighter. "Landen had this," she said. Landen is my 6 year old son. As soon as she handed me the lighter I could smell it. I smelt burnt plastic, but at that moment in time I smelt my life burning up. Turns out he decided to burn a plastic bag that was under his bed. The bag caught a few papers on fire and burnt those as well. Thank God no one was hurt and we still have our home. I sat him down and talked to him about the dangers of fire. He just looked at me like I was telling him to stop picking his nose or something. I burst out in tears and sat him down at the computer. Showing him Googled images of children burnt in fire (some dead, most scarred for life)really got his attention. Thank you for your story and photos. After showing him the reality of being burnt, surgeries, pain, and scars, I can only pray that he will never play with fire again.

Guest		02-Feb-2013 17:57
My daughters (8 and 10) and I are reading a book called Firegirl about a girl who is badly burned and comes to a new school while receiving treatment at a nearby hospital. Since my children have never seen someone with scars from a burn, they started asking what she really looked like since the other students in the book say that she look like she melted. My youngest really wants to see a picture so she can understand. I think your pics will give her a good idea without completely grossing her out. Thank you for posting them and I wish you continued good health.

Guest		17-Jan-2013 09:55
Thank you for sharing your journey and photos- I am planning on using them to educate others in the dangers of fire and burns. Hope you are continuing to heal and recover

Guest		22-Dec-2012 21:25
Hi Matt, My husband and I were talking to our son about playing with fire. He likes playing with candles. Now that he has seen these photos he is thinking twice about "playing" with the candles. Thank you for shareing and hope you continue to heal.

Guest		21-Dec-2012 02:55
Hi Matt, I was searching some photos to show my Diploma of nursing students, during their session on Burns. Thanks, for sharing I am glad to know you did get better. Mariam (Educator Careers Australia Victoria)

Muffy		08-Dec-2012 17:21
Hi Matt- I have an sci too and got what I believe to be a partial thickness burn from my computer on my lap. Was researching what burns looked like to confirm it is a burn and came across your site. Thanks for sharing your healing process it has already helped so many and will continue to help many more. All the best, Muffy

Barbara		14-Nov-2012 21:43
Matt, wow, your results look wonderful and so glad you are much better. It has been a long haul. Thank you for sharing your photos and your journey. I am a nurse and am teaching students about burns and burn care. May I use some of your photos in my powerpoint presentation? I would much appreciate it. Thanks so much. Barbara

Guest		29-Sep-2012 19:44
hi i was wondering what were your extents of damage?

Guest		29-Sep-2012 19:41
What were your long term effects? and side effects to your surgeries?

Lynn		11-Sep-2012 04:33
Thank you for the pictures. I am going to use them at work to encourage the employees to be more careful working around our hot processes. People have no idea how bad burns can be.

Guest		27-Aug-2012 18:05
that must hurt

Guest		11-Aug-2012 03:25
Matt--thank you for burn photos posted on line-my husband recently suffered 3rd degree burn after his L leg became wedged between his motorcycle engine and foot board rest. Your burn was in almost exact location his is now and his butn is eerily similar to your's in appearance as your early burn photos. Your burn pics have been very helpful as it will be easier now to follow the progression of his burn using your photos. Thank You again!

Frank Harrison		01-Aug-2012 02:01
Thanks for the photos and history of your burns. I wanted something to show my 3 boys, to show how dangerous fire and any other heat sources can be. My childern are getting to the age of wanting to play with the items as lighters or matches and I have been showing them the wright safe way to start campfires and lighting candles just incase it is needed and only with their parents. I hope and pray they never do play with these items, from help as of yourself showing your photos and ordeal and the length of time. No matter, sometime what a parent says to their childern to be safe and not to do something, they will find a way behind our backs but your photos will paint a picture in their minds and hopefully stop them before they act and maybe also stop any of their friends and let them know what they saw by your pictures. Thank you so much and I send good thoughts to you and yours.

Guest		25-Jul-2012 18:47
Thank you for sharing this long journey with everyone. It is amazing how much your story and careful log helps so much in a time when often not much can be done. I appreciate it whole heartily.

Guest		23-Jul-2012 06:56
Hi Matt... I came across your site while doing some research. My son was badly burned on father's day weekend. He had gasoline all over his body and unfortunately he was the ignited. This has been very hard to deal with. He has had five skin graft surgeries already and we worry ourselves to death fearing the outcome. Your pictures of your brave journey and recovery bring some comfort to see that the burns will heal. It seems that you had some amazing doctors and I am so happy to see that you have put this out there for other people to learn from. God Bless you and thank you! Sincerely, Margie

Deanna Fossen		19-Jul-2012 20:15
I am a Nurse Instructor working for California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. This photo journal of your journey to recovery is amazing-you have done so much for so many people by sharing. I came across your website looking for pictures of second and third degree burns to share with employees I am training in wound care. What an invaluable tool you have given. I sure hope it is OK to share a few of your photos with my staff. Thank you so very much. Warm wishes.

Guest		13-Jul-2012 22:34
Amazing recovery! I was looking at these as I have to cover burns in my nursing class. So glad you are over this!

Jessica		31-May-2012 13:20
Thank you for your pictures. I am currently healing from an infection that caused the whole top of my foot to be skin graded. I'm 3 weeks into it and I have spots that aren't taking and I'm so scared of what might happen. I'm grateful to see your recovery and also the failure of your surgery. I keep telling myself it will get better everyday but it doesn't seem to be getting better. Thank you again for sharing your experience with others, it gives hope!!!!

Guest		27-May-2012 06:35
Hello Matt, I too am a burn victim from a cast and I was very interested to see your pbotos and progression, as alot of your photos look like my calf burn from a cast. Just a big thanks for sharing your photos of progression, after 4 months of pain and suffering I am finally getting new skin growth and relief:)

kerry		26-May-2012 17:35
Thank you for sharing. Extremely helpful to this nursing student. Your strength is encouraging. I hope you continue to progress well and best of luck. God bless.

Guest		01-May-2012 02:37
This is a wonderful site for special effects makeup artists who need real images of wounds, injuries, burns and bruises. I would love to join up with you on Linkedin and also register for your site. Thank you. Veronica

Cassandra		25-Apr-2012 03:57
Matt. This had been extremely helpfully for me.I got burned by dry ice. Utterly was only 12% of my body. But practically my whole front of my left thigh. They took the skin graft from the the back of the dame thigh. The frost graft did not take. My skin is black quit smilier to yours. This site has helped to easy the scarednesd I feel. As I am unsure what will happen next. And I a unsure why the large number of staples in my graft. 55 to be exact. I go back Saturday to find out about my next surgery. It was 3rd degree. And has been almost 3 months. My leg turned completely. Black before the graft was done.

guest		11-Apr-2012 06:09
Thanks so much for the photos! Three long weeks ago I spilled noodles and boiling water on my lap. Never have been in so much pain and suffering in my life. It is very depressing at times but it is so nice to see someone so strong an inspiration as you. I will be getting my skin graft in a couple of months, really nice to see the process. Thanks again!

Guest		13-Mar-2012 19:00
I am a nursing student, and wanted to see burn stages. Thank you for posting these.

Guest		24-Feb-2012 17:48
Thanks for your candor and photos. I will be using them for teaching purposes in first aid classes.

Philip Martin		15-Feb-2012 19:20
Hi I in Colorado and I am currently researching Burn treatment technology. These pictures will provide those whom I am lecturing insightful input on the progression of a skin graph. Thank you so much for putting these up. My class mates will appreciate the photos.

Robbo		09-Jan-2012 14:04
Hi Matt. Thanks for sharing. I had quad bike accident and have full thickness burns to the sole of my foot. One burns specialist suggested letting it heal conservatively as grafts don't take too well to the sole of the foot however another consultant thinks I should get surgical debridement and a graft. I have on idea which option to choose. It is now 3 weeks since the accident and I am quite confused about what I should do. I prefer the option of no surgery however it is a big area and will take months to heal (assuming it doesn't get infected) alternatively I could go for the graft and find that it isn't successful. Decisions, decisions! Your photos have been really informative. Thanks

Nigel Carter		04-Jan-2012 12:36
Hi Matt, I hope you are doing well. I came across your site while I was looking for images of skin grafts. I'm im Australia and I had a skin graft on the top of my right foot and inner ankle in Sept 2011 after I dropped a pot of boiling water on it. At first it looked like nothing but in the days that followed it looked worse and worse. It looks like you have really had a rough journey and I wish you all the best for the future mate :) Nigel

Nicki		13-Dec-2011 15:42
Thank you for sharing your story. I used this article to help me with an assignment about differ degrees of burns for medical school. Your story was both inspirational and educational.

Heather		13-Nov-2011 03:05
Thank you for sharing the images and your story. I've been looking for something like this to show my son who has recently started playing with matches and I want to show him what fire can do to someone. Many of these pictures I won't show him, as they brought tears to my eyes and I think they might be too graphic for him, but others I will show him and I hope that your pain and suffering might help prevent my son the same. Thank you so much and I'm glad you're doing well and I will pray for you. I hope you continue to do well and God Bless.

Maureen		27-Oct-2011 17:42
This morning my daughter received skin grafting after a severe burn on her upper leg. She had MS and had been given a sleeping pill to help her sleep because of other issues she was having. Unfortunately, she fell a sleep while using a heating pad for pain. She didn't wake up until one of her children found her. The burn is about the size of a canteloupe and is about 2 inches deep. Because of her MS, her circulation is already bad. We were told the recovery will take a very long time. Thank you for your pictures and comments. In a strange way, they have comforted me.

Tara		26-Oct-2011 02:28
Thank you for sharing your painful journey. My friend received 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 40% of his body but the worst part is to his left foot, ankle and calf. It has been 3 weeks now since the explosion at work and skin grafts have begun on most parts of his body except for his left leg. He has had 4 surgeries on his left leg but the doctors have not shown him this burn yet which is to the bone like yours. I viewed your site to see the road that he might be traveling down. Your site was very helpful. No quick fixes for burn patients, my heart hurts for them all Thanks for the insight and I am glad you are finally healed.

Guest		20-Oct-2011 04:49
Thank you for sharing your photos. I am an urgent care and family physician that tries to educate my patients on different health care topics. Hope you are doing well and are fully recovered by this time...RRS

Drea		19-Oct-2011 16:56
I must say you healed quite lovely. The reason I viewed your photos were out of curiosity. A friend of mind recently suffered 2nd degree burn over 40% of his body in an explosion and I was wondered the healing process and came across your photo...Best wishes!!!

Guest		19-Oct-2011 16:55
I must say you healed quite lovely. The reason I viewed your photos were out of curiosity. A friend of mind recently suffered 2nd degree burn over 40% of his body in an explosion and I was wondered the healing process and came across your photo...Best wishes!!!

Natalie		19-Oct-2011 12:01
Very helpful photos! My 6yr old son has an area on his wrist that we believe is a chemical burn from rx that school put on a pencil eraser size wound a little over a week ago. His doctor has never seen anything like it, and we are trying to get it under control. Very raw area that's still "growing" - wrapping around wrist and is roughly 4in up his arm now. He rarely complains about pain with it. I am calling another Dr. today to try to get him looked at (dermatologist this time). I sure hope they can figure it out & help my son! Thanks again for these photos :)

Obsidian		09-Oct-2011 22:19
I was researching the effects of playing with fire with my 9 year old. Looking for tools pics galleries. Items that would show the seriousness of playing with fire. This appears to be a cycle pipe burn. Glad you have recovered.

Guest		07-Oct-2011 10:59
Very useful since the burns photo database is scarce on the web

Guest		30-Sep-2011 10:55
Hi Matt, I am an emergency nurse and the photos that you have are amazing to show the scope on ongoing issues! I hope that this is an eye opener to those who see just how bad burns really are!

nubianqueen89		25-Sep-2011 04:42
Hi Matt, Im ShaRonda, but most simply just call me Roni. It feels kind of weird to have come across your site. I normally find myself searching for other things, but I am very glad that I did come across it. Ummm lets see as I do not know where exactly to start. Haha..Ive told you my name and well as a young child at 2 y.o., I was scalded in a tub of hot water. I was burned over 80% of my body, recieving 3rd degree burns all around. I have not only the scars where the water made contact with my body, but as well the many skin graft sites. I have burns on my rear end, my lower thighs and upper(skin graft sites), my whole legs and feet, my back(skin graft site), my hips, upper arms, a little below my belly and near another unmentionable area. So growing up I never really understood much about it. All I know is that I saw in the mirror and assumed it was a normal thing and that my brother and sister were the different ones. Boyyy did my pre-teen and years after that, nearly until now hit me so hard. I have always been shy since, I hated wearing shorts, sandals, or bathing suits thata revealed my scarage because I knew that most people would never understand. Both of my parents were in the military and so as most families of that calibur go, my twin sister and brother and I lived with my grandmother until said time that either one of their active duties were over. My dad was in the Navy stationed in California and my mother was in the Marine Corp stationed in Japan. We stayed in Alabama at the time with her mother. My grandmother was an RN at a hospital just 5 mi away, so each morning she left. So, we were then sent across the road to her mother and grandmother(my great grandmother and great great grandmother).this day wasnt much different tahn most, as my grandmother went to work and we went across the road to be babysat until 5pm. My brothers birthday was that day Feb. 10, 91'. We all celebrated with him and had a good time, but I cannot remember for the life of me how my aunts husband got there. He showed up and this is what was told to me..I was 1 yr-2 yrs old and for whatever reason, I reached up and grabbed a coffee pot full of hot coffee. It spilled dwon my legs and my uncle heard my screams and ran water in the tub for me. He then lower me into the tub like a seating position and realized that the water was too hot, but it was too late as the damagae had already been done. This is the story he told the ambulance service when they came for me. Butttt I know this to be a whole sh*&load of crap. he may have thought they were stupid, but anyone can look at my body naked and know that that story does not check out one bit. This is what I believed to have really happened, of course celebrating at my brotghers party and my uncle comes out of nowehere..he is pretty high at this point and therefore does not fully know what the hell he is doing and runs water. He may have fully been aware or maybe not(due to being under the influence of durgs) that he turned the water to hot. But either way it does not matter as a life was instake still. He then placed me in, with the intentions of placing me fully in the water. How did the water get so HOT you ask, well my mothers sister(aunt)and her husband(no longer married) at the time lived wit my grandmother too. They usually were the last to get in the bathroom and shower, but they never had any hot or warm water..just cold. So, my grandmother had the hot water heater turned up. this is how the water got so dangerously hot. I was then rushed to the hospital and my grandmother and parents were notified. I was taken to Flowers Hosptial, but they did not have a burn unit..so had to go to Mobile, AL to USA(University of South Alabama) Burn Center. I was there for a year or more. I still have a lot of growing pains that never seem to go away or at least give me reprieve. I used to be so scared to look in the mirror at myself undressed and hated myself because people who didnt understand always misjudged me. It was either my fault or I was burnt cripsy like chicken girl. Never knew so much ugliness or let alone hatred until I got to middle-high school. Those were rough years for me. Im in college and am 22, its been 20 yrs now. sometimes I cry becasue I feel like my life was spared inorder to help someone else out. I as well think about my agressor and how his life was from then on and all I can do is laugh. Some may say Im mean, but as a younger teen I used to wait for him to die. I felt like he caused pain in life that is ongoing and once he was near death, I hadnt felt so much happiness than a child on christmas eve. My one side felt that way and the other just felt palin a%$ sorry for him. I dont know whereor who to release my pain and agression on, so it of course has been toward him. Would you know that he was a preacher? He was mean to me growing up making my childhood years even more difficult. Its alwars hard to understand why things happen, I just know that Im thankful to be here. Although sometimes its hard to alk about it indepth with a non burn survivor. As of yet I have never recieved any type of owning up to a mistake, let alone an apology..but I do believe in a higher power. I know he is taking care of this for me. Just wish that this type of thing does happen to anyones young child as it makes for a horrible feeling inside their hearts. I wish someone told me that it wasnt my fault. Id like to think that in the back of my mind that even though God did not take him and just sparing his life, the true payback was that he has to live with that guilt for the rest of his life and be consumed by it as each day is more torturous than the last. I actually have a great heart, just find it hard to make friends as I lost my will to trust. So, yeah I do hope that he has a miserable life for taking away my dignity, some things can never heal properly. Glad to see your journey Matt and hope God is continually blessing you. I wish I ran into more people who were burned, lol I guess I can relate with them more easily than more people. Take care of yourself. ShaRonda Rae Dunn

julieanne		16-Aug-2011 07:45
thankyou so much for your photos my husband and i have been looking for some way to show our 8yr old autistic son how dangerouse it is to play with fire after seeing your photos he has decided that fire isnt funny anymore amd im hoping it is all over and done with from him and i truly hope that everything goes well for you in the future

Kathy Jones		19-Jul-2011 20:10
Matt - thank you for this posting and the photos. As many others that responded, I recieved a burn a few weeks ago, July 2, 2011. While my husband and I were riding our Harley, had been on a small day trip and around 1.5 hrs, I told my husband that I didn't feel good and needed water. Well that is the last thing I remember. I blacked out on the back of the bike and fell toward my husband and thank god as I passed out, I put my arms around him and held on. We were going 55 MPH and with the dead weight of me on my husbands back, he managed to get off the road, stop the bike, hold me on the bike as he got off and got the kick stand down - all while I was still passed out. While my husband moved me from my seat to his (being lower and more stabel)my led went up against the muffler and since I was passed out I did not even know this happened until I came to and noticed my leg. I didn't feel the pain since the nurves were burnt. Lucky for us, a person stopped to help us and he took me to the hospital which was 23 miles away. I received 3rd degree burns to my leg. I am in the third week of going to the doctor and putting medicine on the burns. I will not know for 3-4 wks if I will need a skin graf. It looks very bad and I've been told the healing will take a long time. Your post will help me in this process. The reason I blacked out....was because I was dehydrated. I know I have a long process in the healing of my leg burn and all this knowledge helps me to understand the process. Thank for sharing.

Tasha		13-Jul-2011 20:59
Thanks for your pics. My 20 month old son put his hand on the bbq a week ago and burned his little hand really bad. I'm one of those people who figures they can diagnose medical problems just by Googling stuff! I was looking up pics of second and third degree burns to get a sense of how bad his hand is. After seeing your pics, I realize his hand is not bad and he'll be just fine. Glad to see you have made a nice recovery and thanks for contributing to my medical education!

misty		05-Jul-2011 20:46
I have been googling pictures of burns because my son and his friend (age 11) have become obsessed with burning things and trying to blow things up (drain cleaner and foil in soda bottle). Sadly, an adult actually showed them how to do that. I am GOING to put a stop to this.

Guest		01-Jul-2011 22:51
I will be showing these pics to my 10yr old who has started playing with matches and lighters..then lying about doing it! Hopefully this will scare her straight.

KareyMontez		29-Jun-2011 23:38
Thankyou so much for showing yor pitchers.I showed my 13yr old son I hope he has these images of your leg in his head before he plays with a candle are any other kind of fire.Again thank you for being so brave to show your pitchers.God Bless you.

kelly		26-Jun-2011 02:36
I am happy to hear that you have healed. I feel horrible that such an accident happened to you (even though I don't know you or your family). I visited your site to show my 5 year old "know it all" son what can happen if you get too close to the bar-b-que or other hot items. I hope all is well in your life. Take care ;-) Kelly (Redlands, CA)

Jeanie Havers		24-Jun-2011 03:32
Hi, Thanks for posting your photos. So sorry you went through this. I was looking for info on burns because my nieces baby a toddler was burnt by hot coffee. He is in the Shriners hospital in Galveston doing well Thanks be to God. There has not been as much info as I thought there would be online. His burns are second degree on face,neck,arm,and stomach. This is day 4. Very painful for him and very hard on his Mom and Dad too. Seeing how well your burns on the right leg healed has so encouraged me so maybe I can be more encouraging to my niece. Thank You again.

Kathy		18-Jun-2011 22:35
Thanks for these photos. I'm an incomplete quad and use a tray on my lap to carry things around. A cup boiling hot tea overturned, overflowed the tray rim and burned my thighs (which I couldn't feel). It's been going through its healing process and your photos are the first I've found that depict the recovery process that looks similar to my scald burns, mostly 2nd degree, almost 3rd in spots. I've found it hard to find real photos of the skin, even on the internet. Your grueling recovery photos are educating and your story an inspiration. I'm glad you finally healed.

guest		18-Jun-2011 11:24
Thank you for sharing these. It's truly a public service and I'm sorry you went through so much pain to help others. We're going camping tonight and I was warning my three little children about how scary and painful burns are. I'm going to show them these pictures and hopefully, they'll be a little extra around the campfire. You're a kind person for doing this. Best, Gwen

Guest		11-Jun-2011 03:29
thanks matt sorry what you went thru, i just caught my son playing with fire and caught his pillows and toys on fire thank god he was safe but is in a great deal of trouble, i hope he has learned from ur pics and my loud screaming. april r.

Guest		09-Jun-2011 19:55
Hello matt i would like to use some of your photos in a school presentation on burn victims. Your pics are very detailed and may get me the high grade im looking for. looks like you are doing much better though graphic you have healed very well. Thank you for allowing us to view and use these photos!

selena kollaja		25-May-2011 02:27
I am a safety trainer and constantly hear horror stories of what the men are doing in the field being afraid to lose thier jobs by not doing what they are being told to do. I am doing a part of a presentation on Fire prevention. I appreciate your willingness to share what could not be taught merely by words. I have heard from burn victims the pain levels so I am glad you were not able to feel the burn. God bless and continued health!

Meredith Sims		10-May-2011 14:40
Omg! These photos make me feel so much better! I was in a burn accident 33 days ago, 2nd degree on my back right leg, third on my right hand, I had to have a skin graft, they took the skin from my upper right thigh and put it on my hand. I've just returned back to school and have been feeling self conscious because of my hand and leg. I still have a long way to go as well. If you can do it, I can do it!

Josefa		05-May-2011 16:53
Hello my name Josefa Poleviyaoma and I am a student at the College America in Flagstaff, Arizona. I was shocked to see the photos but its astonishes me to know that you have made an amazing recovery! I am a medical student and we have been given the opportuntiy to do a report on Medical Emergencies and First Aid. I have choosen burns and was in the search of photos for my presentation when I came across your photos.Your photos have given me a better outlook on jus how long it can take for the severity of the burn to heal. With that I was able to use that knowledge in my persentation.I hope that when others see this that it gives them the same outlook. I have to say that you are a very brave person and glad to know that you have made the recovery with your head held high.

Guest		28-Apr-2011 04:04
What an incredible journey you've experienced! I'm a Registered Nurse and everytime my sister has a medical issue she calls me for advice that she never listens to until it becomes magnified. I've learned to paint the most graphic picture I can of what could happen if she doesn't take care of it right away. So I went online to explore. Most people don't understand that burns are a serious matter as your skin is the first line of defense against infection. I sent her your photos because I asked her to go to the emergency room after sustaining a burn on her arm. Instead she would rather call me or send me a picture. I wanted her to have her arm examined for a better safe then sorry lesson. So thank you Matt! Thank you for opening up your healing and recovery process to us all. You are a blessing and I pray your continued strength. Peace, Love and Blessings be yours!!! Renee Y. (Maryland)

joe lippolis (soondg)		15-Apr-2011 08:04
Matt, I came across your burn photos from a link in the Corvette forum. I clicked on the bike photo because I was interested in the Boss Hoss. Like you I have spinal cord injury and have to be careful with certain things because of the lack of feeling. When I noticed it was a history of your burns and recovery I was curious. Seeing your road to recovery and your faith in God is inspiring. I will forward this link to my daughter who is a nurse and my cousin who is a physician, I'm sure they'll find it as inspiring as I did. Through God's wisdom and grace your experience will help many, truly a blessing in disguise. I'll look for you on the boards. Joe(soondg)

guest		10-Apr-2011 05:15
Thank you for posting these photos. I have a nine year old and eleven year old sons who have been playing with fire and aerosol cans. I hope this makes an impression on them.

Guest		06-Apr-2011 04:57
Hi, I would like to thank you for posting these photos as I am doing a 10 minute presentation on First aid treatment of Burns and I will be showing this site to let people know the follow up on the burn healing process and length of time this can take, hope you are fully recovered from your trauma and know that you are helping others with this information! Thanks Sandi

Melissa		04-Mar-2011 02:39
What an incredible journey! You took something dark and horrible and made it into a learning tool for others!! You must of had a great support system with you all the way (God, family, and friends)! Thank you SO much for sharing

Wendy		03-Mar-2011 07:08
I looked on here to show my two boys {8 and 10yrs} how bad burns can be. They played with matches September last year, youngest got a flash burn to face, thankfully all healed well and no scarring, thought he would have learnt....but no, found burnt matches in back room last week so they were playing with matches again. Showed them your photos and I actually think it was more effective. Thank you so much for sharing your journey and am happy you have healed well. God bless you!

Guest		19-Feb-2011 20:50
I am here because I am a physical therapist assistant who is working in the burn unit at a Shriners Hospital in California. I find your will to document and stay in high hopes admirable. I am trying to absorb all the information on burn recovery I can so I can help others. Thank you for sharing your story.

Guest		15-Feb-2011 04:20
My youngest son stole a lighter today and burnef the sheet on his bed luckily that was all that was burned I showed all my boys ur pics to help them understand how bad burns could be

Matt Rodenbeck		06-Feb-2011 21:47
Grafting was delayed because of the exposed bone on my leg. A skin graft needs tissue to adhere to, so getting the bone covered with tissue was the first goal. The first skin graft was on June 26 and as you can see by the July 17th photos, a pocket had formed below the graft where the bone was not completely covered and opened back up. The doctor was never able to get tissue to heal over the bone which is the reason the doctor performed the skin flap surgery on September 6th.

Guest		06-Feb-2011 03:10
My 15 year old son was burning weeds and leaves, using gas to start the fire...the fumes exploded as he lit the leaves on fire burning his face and arms. He has been in hospital eight days and had his right arm completely grafted, I was wondering why it took so long to do your grafting? He has handled the pain very well, and we are thankful it wasn't t worse. I'm sorry for anyone that has to go through this....not fun!

Matt Rodenbeck		04-Feb-2011 01:06
You must not have clicked on the very first photo of me sitting on the trike. My legs were burned from the heat coming off the engine of the trike. I don't have much sensation in my legs because I sustained a spinal cord injury racing motocross in 1995, so I didn't know my legs were being burned. Thanks for commenting!

Guest		03-Feb-2011 21:00
matt- i was watching Hearts & Minds, the Vietnam documentary. I saw the famous of the young girl, running down the road naked and burned after a napalm attack. i was surprised to read how severe her burns were. to the layman, burns look less severe in the beginning. everything looks papery and and there is no mass discoloration. and when i looked up a current photo of her, i saw this massive scar on her back. so i googled "burns look worse after healing" and your photos came up! you never posted how you got your burns btw...or if you did...i missed it.

Guest		29-Jan-2011 23:10
I want to thank you for sharing your photos. My kids got caught with matches and they were burning a fire. Luckily we caught it in time. I showed them the pics and hopefully this will teach them what fire can do to someone. Leg looks like it healing great. Thanks again and God bless

Guest		18-Jan-2011 16:12
Matt, Your photographic progression of your healing process is amazing! I am a paramedic student and work with burn survivor chilren as well. Your photos are a fantastic pictorial on how your injury progressed. I am using a few in a power point presentation on burn assessment for class. Thank you for posting them and God Bless you. Jason Hall

Warren & Melissa		31-Dec-2010 01:53
Thank you for postin ur experience,strenght and hope. I am truely sorry for ur injuries and glad to know u r gettin better. I have been cookin dinner w my husband and our two young girls 8 and 4 like to play around us, we told them of the dangers of playin so close to the stove and they didnt seem to pay that much attention so I went straight to the laptop and pulled up burns where I found ur story even though these r graphic photos we felt it was best to share ur story. Our 8yr old understands better but the impact that it had on the 4yr old made me glad we showed them. I hope in the future that they remember how dangerous and serious burns can be.Thank u again, this has really helped us teach our girls a valuable lesson.

Shane Shamblin		22-Dec-2010 23:37
From the time we were in grade school, we all knew that you were special. I wish everyone out here could know you like all of us from the old neighborhood. Words could never express. Brother, you are simply an amazing warrior and the finest photographer. God bless you Matt.

Matt Rodenbeck		17-Dec-2010 01:46
The pain from burns is generally severe. My case was so different because my burn resulted from the fact that I have limited sensation in my legs from a spinal cord injury in 1995. I would say the pain I endured (which was minimal compared to other burn patients I have talked to) was not typical. I'm so sorry to hear about your injuries. I'll be praying for a quick, complete recovery both physically and mentally.

Guest		16-Dec-2010 21:47
Am the one who posted two down about looking for hope. How long was the pain unbearable? Thanks.

David Pera		15-Dec-2010 08:37
Hello, I am truely sorry you had to go through with that severe burn. i just recently took a job at a company called, U.S. Safety Inc. and what i do is give free surveys to people and educate there children on how to properly escape a fire. it gives me great pleasure to make a living and at the same time, save lives and hopefully prevent others from having to experience what you went through! I'm happy things are improving for you even though I'm sure it was a tuff road! God Bless you & your family!

Guest		14-Dec-2010 20:48
Recently horrifically burnt as a result of rape/torture/abuse. Burnt down to the bone which is charred. Burnt through ligaments, tendons. Looking for hope. Thank you.

Kristin		01-Dec-2010 02:25
I am happy to hear ya'll are doing better. I am visting your web site, because My 10 year old son thinks that it is fun to play with fire. He has already been caught twice, and that probally means that he has done it several other times. I have tried explaining the harm that can be caused by fire and even taken him to the fire station to have a fire fighter explain. Nothing has seemed to work, however as I was going threw the pictures and explaining the time frame he seemed to really be paying attention. He even teared up, I am truely sorry that it took explaining your pain for him to possably understand. Thank You so much for sharing your story. Kristin

Breanne		25-Nov-2010 15:59
Thank you so much for allowing us to have an idea of what you went through with your injury. My 4 year old son just underwent grafting on most of his left leg 1 week ago, and his left leg is mostly donor sites now. He really has been doing well, considering what he has been through, but I know it is only by the strength of God. I am thankful to see your progress, to give us an idea of what the future holds for him. I pray that you will continue to share your story that God gave you, because it has helped us so much. Thank you. Charles, Breanne, and Xander

joanna		19-Nov-2010 12:51
hi matt, just looking beacuse my 16mth baby girl was burned with cup noddles and is going to need a skin graft...thankyou for sharing your photos, they havent unfortunatley made me feel any better, but have made me prepared...thankyou

Candas Hicks		17-Nov-2010 05:13
hi my name is candas hicks and i was in an accident November 9th and suffering 3rd degree burns to my left thigh! i am 34 yrs old and have no insurance but need a skin graft asap for it is only getting worse! looking thru your pics has made me very weary but i know God has his hands on me and I will get thru this!! Thanks for sharing your story!! I'm just so scared but ready to getback to my life! I get so depressed and feel like it's neber gonna go away!! thanks for giving me hope!!

Guest		10-Nov-2010 04:22
Thank you for posting these photos, I have two young boys that have taking a real liking to playing with fire, and I am hoping that these photos will make then understand how bad burns can be.

Guest		05-Nov-2010 13:09
Im in my first year studying make up artistry at university, we are currently working on burns in our special effects class and these pictures are very useful to work from, thank you

Matt Rodenbeck		05-Nov-2010 03:09
I am continually amazed at all of the comments people have left. My pain is your gain. Thankfully, my burn has completely healed. I am happy so many people have found this gallery beneficial. Please keep leaving your comments. This gallery is closing in on one million view which amazes me. For those of you dealing with traumatic burns, I pray for a quick recovery. Once you are healed, share what you know to help others that may be going through what you have survived. You can make a difference!

Guest		27-Oct-2010 05:03
As a Cub Scout Den Leader, I'm looking for some pictures to scare some 8-year-olds into being cautious with fire. Kids are naturally very curious and fire is a fascinating thing. Considering how often they're going to be around fire (i.e. camping), and how it has been such an important part of human culture for all of humanity, I want them to understand what it is and how it's both extremely useful and extremely dangerous. Thank you for sharing your ordeal.

Noah		25-Oct-2010 16:53
Most of the time, I find the internet to be overused and quite a distraction. BUT today it has proven to be very useful. We caught one of our seven boys playing with our campfire this weekend. He threw a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the fire to watch it explode. Because of your website and others, our son realizes what a bad and potentially very dangerous choice he made. Thank you, Matt, for sharing this with us. You took your suffering and made it beneficial for others to learn from. Out of every bad there comes a good, if only we can see and find it - and you did!!!

JOSEPH S		24-Oct-2010 14:33
Thank you for the pics. I caught my 8 year old son playing with a lighter yesterday, and your photos were a great tool to educate him on burns. I am truly sorry for the pain I know you endured, and hope and pray that my son after viewing these photos has lost his curiosity. God bless you...and...Thank you!!

guest		06-Oct-2010 17:35
Matt, thank you for your generosity and congratulations on your presence of mind during what must have been a trying and painful time. It is one of the most meticulous documentations of the treatment and recovery progress. A lot of researchers can learn a lot from this series of pictures along with the detailed narrative. I would like to use a couple of the pictures for a presentation on why we should consider organ and tissue donation.

toni		19-Sep-2010 13:13
i have been looking to find some bad burn pictures as my 2 nephews have once tryed to set fire to there bedroom we had the fire brigade come and talk to them but it hasnt work they wouldnt show them the video as they said they were to young i belive all kids should be shown it, they have since tryed to do it again but now i have a baby nephew aswell i dont want him to learn off them nor my little boy, i think these pictures are really good and will be usful am hoping, i hope ur progress conitnues

Matt Rodenbeck		06-Sep-2010 23:35
As I type this, it has been three years since my flap surgery. I am happy to report that my leg is still doing well and has been trouble-free, just as a leg should be. I am happy so many people have found this gallery useful. It was started as a way to keep myself encouraged visually as it can be difficult to see improvement from day to day. Now that my leg has healed, judging from the comments left by others it appears to have turned into a powerful teaching tool as well as a vehicle of hope for others dealing with traumatic burns. I hope you have found this gallery useful regardless of the reason you are here. Thank you for viewing and please leave a comment.

Guest		01-Sep-2010 18:56
I am so sorry for what you had to go through...but you are so right...your pain is our gain! I will be sharing this with my nursing students so they can see first hand what burn patients must endure. God bless you for being so generous and I wish you all the best in your recovery. Lisa, M.S.N.

Kalen		29-Aug-2010 10:10
Hiya Matt. I was burnt on the backs of my legs 5 weeks ago . I was drawn to your site as you were able to post pics and I am trying to get an idea of how long healing takes. You are a brave man - well done for coming through such an ordeal with a very positive outlook. I myself believe in being as positive as possible and am healing really well. Skin grafts took well too, however I am really itchy in the donor sites now!! Lots of moisturising creams and sneaky scratching!!! LOL!! Bestof luck to you

Guest		27-Aug-2010 19:22
my son stole his father's lighter after we discussed the dangers and how he could have killed us all i made him write a research paper on how fires start and the damage that they do.my uncle was killed in a house fire when i was a kid. i hope your pictures teach him a lesson. thanks for sahring your ordeal wish you the best of luck!

Lisa		21-Aug-2010 07:52
My son was jumped and nocked out in the streets of Phx.Az,4 days ago.It was 116 and he had no shirt on an was wearing shorts.he was left with no help for more then 1/2 an hour. As a result he has 3rd degree burns on 20% of his body(back,legs an arms)and had his first surgery yesterday.Your pictures have helped me to be ready for the long healing he has to do. Thank you

Guest		16-Aug-2010 16:44
I'm here because i need to find burns pic's for a small piece related to a massage course i'm on. cheers for the photo's

Guest		04-Aug-2010 02:02
This was really helpful. I am in school to be a makeup artist and we have lots of projects where we need many pictures like this so we can then re create it ourselves. so thank you

jenn		31-Jul-2010 13:44
I was looking for photos of second degree burns, to know how things would be for my teen son who has second degree burns from using gasoline wrong. Thanks for your photos.

Becky		31-Jul-2010 05:32
Matt, thank you for your pictures. My husband was burned on his arms and hands 6 days ago. He had skin grafts 4 days ago. I was hoping to find something to prepare myself for when they take the bandages off and your pictures have been helpful. At the moment, I am just wondering what our lifes will be like, when he'll be able to go back to work, how much therapy he'll have to have, when he can come home, etc., etc. Wishing I could see what the future holds for us.

Matt Rodenbeck		28-Jul-2010 18:56
Randy - Excellent question! As far as long term effects, my lymphatic has been affected and I have swelling in my leg and foot. I wear a compression garment most of the time to control that. It does often ache as well, but that seems to be getting better with time. The area is much more sensitive to touch, but thankfully it is in an area that doesn't get touched too much.

RANDY		28-Jul-2010 17:47
WHAT TYPE OF PRPBLEMS HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE HEELING, SUCH AS ITCHING , TENDERNESS ,SENSITIVITY, CONSTANT PAIN, NERVE DAMAGE, IN OTHER WORDS ANYTHING THAT BOTHERS YOU,,,,,,RANDY

Guest		27-Jul-2010 17:57
Hi Matt. My brother was in an explosion a week ago. He has full and partial thickness burns on 41.7% of his body. Hands, face, both arms, left leg and back. I wanted to get an idea what is under his bandages. I hope you are doing well, now, and my heart just breaks for you and everyone who has to make this recovery. Denise

Andr�e		21-Jul-2010 20:26
Hi Matt, Thank you for posting these educational shots. My brother was burned last Friday. It was the superheated liquid from a car. His right arm is 80% burned, specialy the palm, inner arm and armpit. I needed some information about burns and healing when I came across your photos. I now know that he has quite a recovery road ahead of him, I also know how to support him through his pain and discouragement.

Guest		11-Jul-2010 21:54
I'm a Registered Nurse and teach first aid to a Sheriff's Dept.

Guest		09-Jul-2010 10:16
Hi Matt, I'm preparing/educating myself for working (medical research) with burned victims. The body's ability to heal is truly amazing!! Thank you for sharing your experience with me/us. Peace and Blessings, Lisa

anne		06-Jul-2010 23:30
Googled burn victims because just finished reading "The Gargoyle" -- the protagonist is a severely burned patient. Thanks for sharing your healing process :-)

Guest		03-Jul-2010 23:33
I am a mother of two 8 year old boys and one of my children were found playing with fire and I wanted to show them what happens to the human body when it gets burned.

Guest		28-Jun-2010 16:05
Matt, I am a nursing instructor and teach a section on skin, wounds and burns. When I googled burns your picture gallery came up and it was very beneficial to show the students different stages of burn healing. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Ms. Nichols

Angela		12-Jun-2010 05:09
thanks so much for this detailed pics, i just showed my two young children, 7 and 5, of whom i just caught with my stove lighter outside, thankfully they didnt start a fire, but now they know wat it looks like if you play with fire............

Michael		30-May-2010 12:23
Hello Matt Many thanks for sharing your journey. I take my hat off to you! If you don't mind I would like to use some of your pictures as a teaching aid to my nursing students so they can appreciate the journey patients with burns may have to travel. Cheers, Michael

Peta		25-May-2010 10:07
Hi Matt from Australia...walking in from the kitchen I was confronted by my 5yr old son holding a burning piece of paper in his hand which he had ignited from a candle. Just in case you think I must be nutts having a burning flame around a child, I thought the candle was well out of reach of my young son. Most of his life I have talked of the dangers of fire and I thought he understood...clearly not. I was so shocked and upset that I decided to look for burns victims to show him how dangerous it is. After viewing your photo's he suggested I print a copy and stick it on the wall so he is reminded NEVER to play with fire again! Perhaps the lesson has been learnt but I certainly will not be buring any candles in the house again!!! THANK YOU for your images. Whilst I'm so sorry to read and see your horrible injuries I applaud you for being brave enough to share them with parents like me to help educate parents and children alike. Best regards, Peta xxx

Guest		22-May-2010 18:00
Caught my 7yr old wth his 2 cousins playing wth fire. Trying to burn potato bugs wth a lighter. I was showing him him wht some1 who gets burned has to go thru and looks like. Thank you!

Syndi		22-May-2010 10:57
As a fire/arson investigator, I am always looking for visuals so firesetters can see what a real burn looks like. Most of my work is with juvenile firesetters and I like their parents to see. Sometimes looking at the pain someone else endured is enough to make them stop.

Guest		10-May-2010 02:30
that was supposed to say feel your pain...

corey butler		10-May-2010 02:29
Hey man I'm glad you are well again. These pics were great for our family as i have 2 sons who are going through a "firebug" phase. They got to see what burnt flesh looked like a fell your pain viacriously. Hopefully it was a good lesson learned.

Gelene		25-Apr-2010 14:28
Thank you for sharing your photos. I teach nursing and I am using a few to illustrate care of skin grafts. This must have been a terrible ordeal for you. I'm happy that they were able to save your leg and that you are doing OK. Gelene, RN, MSN

Guest		24-Apr-2010 17:26
I am a nursing student getting ready to graduate in 2 weeks and we are studying burns. I happen to stumble upon your gallery when I was searching the internet. I am amazed at your story and it is so helpful because of the way you have it documented and the amazing pictures you have... Thank you for sharing your story...

Kara		13-Apr-2010 01:10
Our family experienced the long painful process of burns. My husband was in an electrical accident and suffered significant injury. Today I found out my 8 year old was playing with fire. I explained to him the pain and process of my husband's injury. I used your website as a visual example of how dangerous fire can be. Thank you so much!

Becky		08-Apr-2010 18:59
Matt, Thanks so much for sharing your very high-quality photos. My husband is getting a skin graft next week for a frostbite burn on his foot that hasn't healed after 10 weeks. It's amazing how cold and heat burns affect the tissue in almost the same way. I've been documenting his progress on Facebook but your pictures are WAY better than mine! He also injured himself due to a spinal cord issue that diminishes the feeling in his feet and lower legs. Thank you for your positive attitude and showing that with hope, faith, and lots of patience, the body has an amazing ability to heal. Best wishes to you!

Guest		08-Apr-2010 03:37
My 19 year old son was heating oil in a pan and left it too long. The oil caught fire. He attempted to pitch the contents into the yard and with the forward momentum, the oil sloshed back (on fire still) onto a large section of his hand. We are keeping an eye on the burn site and was searching for burn pics to compare. We are a week in and a majority of the dead skin has sloughed off and there is just bright red skin left and pain. He has an odd yellowish area that has me concerned. Thanks for posting your pics. What an ordeal. Greenfield, OH

guest		07-Apr-2010 20:30
Was looking for pictures to use in a power point project on burns . Thank you for the photos that you posted.

Guest		03-Apr-2010 02:58
thankyou for sharing your pictures, my daughter had a light burn this morning and i was able to show her the dangers of playing with matches, candles and never going near hot water..thank you for sharing your medical story with us. kind wishes, Kim and Jessica

jessica		21-Mar-2010 16:37
hi, i have a 5yr old son that all of a sudden within the past day or two has a fetish for trying to catch things on fire. this morning i woke up to a 3ft flame from a candle on my floor that my husband was putting out. i wanted to show him the dangers of fire and what they can do to you and your home if left unattended for even just a little while. i must say though that after seeing these pictures i think it scared him enough to where he won't be playing with candles anymore. thank you for posting these pictures because they were very useful to me as well as to him.

Jessica Murray		18-Mar-2010 01:20
Hi, I am also a makeup artist. I find these images useful as we need to view real life burns so we can make film & TV Burns look as life like as possible. I cannot believe the process in which the burn develops!! If you would have any other medical pictures: burns, cuts, scars, gangrene (any type of woulds, it would be great to have as a reference). Thanks for posting this Jessica Murray j_jess09@hotmail.com

Guest		10-Mar-2010 18:04
I am a theatre student and am doing a make-up design involving burns. These pictures are really helpful, its great that you are willing to share these.Thank you.

Matt Rodenbeck		02-Mar-2010 13:38
Looks like a flock of nursing students found my photo gallery. My pain is your gain! Thank you all for the comments and I'm glad people find the photos useful. My wife and I started taking photos at each doctor visit to track the healing progress. It was also much easier for me to see the wound looking at the photos. What started out as something for our own use has turned into something that has helped many others. It's amazing how through any difficult situation in life we can find something good if we look hard enough.

Guest		02-Mar-2010 04:24
Matt, wow, what a trooper you are!! Yep, another nursing student, learning about burns. Seems like if that one spot would have cleared up quicker, journey may not have been so long. Thanks for sharing your experience so openly. Really helps to see it, versus seeing it in a book. God Bless Mandy

Victoria Pace		01-Mar-2010 23:09
Mr. Rodenbeck: Thank you for sharing your story and your photos along your journey to recovery. I am a nursing student and the content our class is covering is on burns. The education you have provided helped me visually understand the extent of damage burns can have and the healing process. The captions were very informative. I hope all is well. Thanks again.

Rozoree Neal		01-Mar-2010 22:50
Wow Mr. Rodenbeck! Your story is truely amazing and informative. The photos and the captions took my understanding of burns to an higher intellectual level. Your progress has been great and good luck for the future!

Nataki Craig		01-Mar-2010 22:37
You have truly experienced something that textbooks can only describe. I too am a nursing student, and your photos have given me a completely new outlook on burns and the road to recovery. I thank you for sharing your story.

Guest		01-Mar-2010 22:26
Sorry I did not post my last name it's Lisheka Lawrence. Thanks again!

Lisheka		01-Mar-2010 22:25
Thank you for sharing your life experience. I am a nursing student and this helps further my education on the extent of life long changes that my accompany people affected by burns. This is a learning tool and you are greatly appreciated for your open minded actions toward enlightening the world on your journey towards recovery.

Guest		28-Feb-2010 15:59
Matt, What a wonderful learning experience for students! I am teaching a class on burns and found your website to be exactly what I need to use as my presentation as I talk about burns, causes, S/S, etc. Thank you for sharing! Jan

Brett Austin		27-Feb-2010 16:17
I meant to add that I found your library of photos extremely interesting and valuable. I am certainly glad I have no injuries like those shown. I am grateful for you posting these and it must have taken along time to compile and put in order. It is clearly of value to people like me, whatever country we live in - you have a universal resource. Thanks mate!

Brett AustiN		27-Feb-2010 16:11
I am looking at your library of photos to determine the type of burn I have. This is relevant as it seems the treatment for 2nd and 3rd degree burns differ. I was using a ride-on mower when it tipped over, trapping me underneath. It was very heavy and being in slight shock I did not manage to get out from under it immediately. The first sensation when it tipped over was a burning pain on my foot, which was touching a very hot part of the motor. After a few minutes the pain subsided and after a while I was able to wriggle out. The burn looked very superficial and had no pain associated with it. A blister formed in about 2-3 days and popped because of my shoes were rubbing against it. Still, no pain to speak of. It was a week later when the skin came off of its own accord that pain set in. Quickly, the edges turned white and it became painful with a lot of pus running out. My doctor said it was infected although antibiotics made no difference. A skin would form over the top (usually black) but peel away either when in bed or taking off a dressing. Initially I had been using a creme but this made no difference. It is 15 days ago and there is no healing at all. In fact, the edges look ugly and unnatural. I currently put on a Jelonet dressing at night under a proper dressing. During the day I use EDP powder to try and dry it out. This fails! Within an 1-2 hours it is moist again and usually slightly leaking a whitish colour goo with a trace of blood in it. I noticed when applying the creme (Solosite) in the early stages that the burn was deep, about 2-3mm and maybe 4mm at the deepest point. It is still oozing pus and clear liquid and looks angry - yet around the wound there is no redness or sign of infection. Nothing I have done, including doctors visits have made a shred of difference, and in fact it has deteriorated since it happened - when it looked like a mild 1st degree burn. I can enclose a .jpg if you want. I am at a loss to know what to do. It is now quite painful but again the tests from the lab show no infection. Reading other stories here makes me feel the odd man out as my symptoms seem at odds with everyone elses. Also, I would have said it was now a 3rd degree burn although these are measured by their size and I would say mine measures only 50mm x 25mm (2in x 1in). Any ideas? Would you like a photo? I would be very interested in a second, independent person offering their thoughts.

Shari Q		14-Feb-2010 04:40
I started searching the net tonight to try and learn what a 3rd degree burn looks like. My son works in a fast food resturant and he was burned tonight when a fryer turned over. At this point, he seems to think it will heal without medical attention and at this point he is the only person saying it is a or might be a 3rd degree. Thanks to your site I feel a lil more educated and as soon as he gets home tonight I will know what to look for. Thank You very much for your photos and story of sucess.

M Schartz		27-Jan-2010 05:49
Thank you for the photos on this site! I hope you are doing better now. I was here tonight looking b/c we are foster parents and they just called us to take a placement of a baby with burns on half of her body and did not know what to expect when we go to pick her up on Thursday. I hope they are not this bad but we have verylittle info at this time.

Guest		23-Jan-2010 03:12
Thank you for this. My daughter, 10, plays with fire (at this moment she's writing 'I Will Not Play With Fire" 100 times). I'm going to share your gallery with her and believe it will affect her.

Guest		21-Jan-2010 18:42
Thank you for sharing your photos. I am a Surgical Technologist student in Cleveland ohio. We are currently discussing burns and surgical procedures to assist with the healing process. Charlie

Valencia		20-Jan-2010 15:44
Good morning Matt! I am a nursing student in Coshocton, Ohio and I am doing a teaching assigment on the care of third degree burns. I would love to use your pics for a slideshow showing your progression starting from the beginning of your journey. Thank you for sharing these with everyone, my father had a burn injury and I only wish we would have had pics like this for a reference to show him what he had to look forward to!

Guest		09-Jan-2010 16:37
I'm Sgt Imhoff currently stationed in Iraq. I'm teaching a class on battlefield burns and wanted to show people what they walk up on.

Guest		02-Jan-2010 19:55
Hi dear matt. I am iranian and i have study about burned patients in Tabriz, Iran. please if you can, tell me your burn degree. excuse me for my bad english writing.thanks a lot matt. my mail: mohsensoodmand_nir@yahoo.com

Guest		31-Dec-2009 21:26
Hi Matt; I'm a writer and needed to better understand the process of healing from serious burns in order to write about it more accurately. Like most people, I knew very little beyond this: serious burns are very painful, and take a long time to heal. I've read a fair amount about burns, but the pictures gave me a sort visceral understanding that text-book descriptions can't. Photos are hard to come by, especially ones that show the same injury over time. What an awful experience for you, but thank you for letting others learn from it. You've made some great lemonaid from your lemons!

Guest		28-Dec-2009 00:27
Thank you for sharing your journey! My 4 1/2 year old son has been very curious about fire lately and nothing has had the impact on him like your photos. I think he's getting the message seeing these pictures! I wish you all the best.

Guest		06-Dec-2009 02:10
Thanks! I've been repeating myself to my children about the dangers of touching the wood stove. Your pictures allowed me to show them how horrific burns can be and why it's imperative that they not touch the stove! I think they understand now!

Sharon		05-Dec-2009 17:39
I was looking for photos for my son to view. He was starting paper on fire in his room. He was appropriately scared, but I needed to bring home the whole possibilities visually. Thanks for the help.

Guest		24-Nov-2009 08:47
Your story is amazing and the pictures are a great insight into a burn as extensive as yours. Thank you. I am a first year nursing student in Queensland Australia and doing a case study on a burns victim. This info and your descriptions are most helpful. May you have future health and happiness and hopefully pain free. Good luck. Kind regards, Kathy Whitehead

Marie		22-Nov-2009 08:51
Your story is incredible and your documentation is amazing! I am doing a power point presentation on 3rd degree burns for my Anatomy and Physiology class and found your pictures. Thank you so much for sharing your journey. I wish you all the best!

Tami		26-Oct-2009 01:07
Wow, you've gone thru a lot! I'm suffering 2nd and 3rd degree burns and am trying to find out what looks "normal" and what I can expect during the healing process. Thx for all your work on this helpful site!

Guest		01-Oct-2009 19:46
Hi Matt, I am viewing these photos as possible examples for my Anatomy and Physiology class. We are covering the Integumentary system and I am including burns and skin grafting. Thanks for posting your story.

Amanda		21-Sep-2009 12:16
I am sorry for what you've had to go through as these pictures tell. Amazed by your strength to endure. But I thank you for posting these and I sope it helps me. I've recently found my 10 yr old son having a fascination with fire. I am praying these photos will show him the damage he can cause if he continues this behavior! And, yes, i am taking him to a doctor! Hoping the best for you, three years down the road!

Guest		31-Aug-2009 13:58
Hey....I will be honest,I just making research how burns look like in the different degrees cause Im a Makeup artist.Your site helps me a lot.I hope you are okay.TAKE CARE AND A LOT OF HAPPINESS AND LOVE FOR YOU AND YOUR WIFE

Matt Rodenbeck		28-Aug-2009 22:22
So sorry to hear about your son's injuries, but it sounds like he is doing well. It's amazing how fast children bounce back.

Guest		28-Aug-2009 04:33
Matt, Thank you my two year old son has 1st 2nd and 3rd degree burns and required grafts to the neck face chest left arm left hand and top of left thigh i am able to monitor his recovery looking at your photos he is making good progress except to allergic reactions to some dressings on his neck and after 4 weeks in icu and 3 weeks in ward he is home running around tormenting is other sibling but you have given me some peice of mind thank you again

Matt Rodenbeck		10-Aug-2009 18:27
Thanks to all that have left comments. I want everyone to know that my leg is still doing well since it healed in December of 2007. It still aches and has pain at times, but I'm thankful it's still there to hurt! I pray that all that have left messages about being burned or loved ones being burned heal quickly. Burns are a terrible thing, but if we look hard enough, we can always find something good during difficult times. God Bless!

jessica		10-Aug-2009 04:21
Matt, Thank you for posting your pictures. My dad was in an accident and had 3rd degree burns from his shoulders to the tips off his fingers and 1st and 2nd degree burns on his face and neck. He is having surgery tomorrow for his skin grafts and I wanted to know what the recovery process was. Your pictures were very helpful. Thanks again and I hope you have a full recovery.

Guest		03-Aug-2009 16:40
There was a fire in my parent's garage and I suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my hands and arms. There's a good chance I will need skin graft surgery on my thumb. Pictures of your recovery progress have given me a good insight on what to expect. I wish you have a complete recovery. Thanks.

Guest		30-Jul-2009 03:51
Thank you Matt. My 9 year old son was playing with a lighter. He wanted to see what could happen if he started a fire in the house. I went for the computor and found your pictures and because you have dates on them, I was able to show him how long it would take to heal. That's if he's lucky enought to get out in time. I really think our talk and your pictures have helped me. Thank you again and God Bless you in the rest of your recovery.

Guest		16-Jul-2009 02:38
I was doing some reseach because a family friend got burned by a steam pipe rupture. I was looking for ideas as far as what to expect for the recovery process. Thanks for posting such a complete document of your own experience. Hope your doing well, David Huff Boise,Idaho.

Bea		08-Jul-2009 15:55
Thanks very much for your photographs. My grandson, age four, was burned over 35% of his body. His left arm and hand and his left side and abdominal area were the worst. He does have 2nd and 3rd degree burns on the right arm, right hand, and the fronts of both legs which the doctors are hopeful will not have to be grafted. I wanted to know what to expect when I see the grafts for the first time. Your detailed photographs have done that. Thank you for taking the time to detail your recovery as it gives me much hope for Cameron and that he will soon be well on the way to recovery. Bea

Guest		19-Jun-2009 07:14
I ran across your site searching for fourth degree burns. I am a respiratory therapist and will be joining a hospital that is one of the regional burn centers in Illinois. I currently don't have experience with burns so this was very informational for me. The journey that it took to heal was amazing. Most of the time you never hear what experiences the patient has to endure when they go home. Thank you for sharing. God bless you and your family.

MV.RADHA KRISHNA		11-Jun-2009 06:59
thank you,very much for your detailed information regrding urs healing journey.i was viewing ur site to know more details about skin grafting and its uses. my father suffering with cellulitis to his left leg,from 24th april 2009, at the knee portion of the left leg the doctors has adviced for skin grafting.i wish you all the best.

Guest		04-May-2009 08:36
Thanks so much for your detailed dates and pictures. I am a film and TV special effects makeup artist, I was doing some research for a project when I found your pics, they are going to be very helpful to recreate that kind of procedure on a medical TV series. God bless you and keep healing better and better!!!!

guest		21-Apr-2009 00:08
thank you for the pictures of what it is going to take, my neice just got burned 35%of her body and to see what she will have to go thru hurts,but takes the mystery out of it. she was the lucky one, the other girl got burn 80% of her body. what i have learned from this is when people are on fire to not breath in the flames...the Lord is looking out for us and i am thankful to still have her here. best of luck to you and my prayers are with all the burn victims of the world.

Colleen Medina		18-Apr-2009 15:39
Hi Matt- Thank you so much for sharing your healing journey with the public. I've been accepted to nursing and I wanted to look at these pictures not only to learn about burns and grafting in general, but also to desensitize myself to things I might see. I don't want to be so surprised that I'm thinking about my reaction, and not the patient. If you have time, a little insight on the nursing care that you received that meant the most to you during your initial stays at the hospital and in later months. Again thank you for sharing and happy healing- Colleen Mitchell-Medina

Guest		07-Apr-2009 20:48
thanks needed them for school

manoverboard		27-Feb-2009 03:48
Hi Matt, a dear friend of mine's 15 year old son got his foot run over by a careless city bus. Unfortunately he had poor medical treatment initially which made his wounds much worse, but now is in a top-notch hospital. He just had surgery this week which involved taking two donor graft sites on one leg extremity for placement on his foot and ankle on the other extremity. I have not seen him since the surgery, but his folks are terrified that the surgery went wrong. They had to make a decision as to whether he should amputate or try to save his foot and ankle, and they opted to try to save it. Now they are wondering if they made the right choice. I will visit him this weekend with his folks in the hospital and pray that the initial wounds that look so scary to them are beginning to heal and show signs of improvement. Your pictures will help them see that what can look scary initially may turn out to be beautiful. I think your surgeons did a wonderful job! I'm in my third year of medical school and this whole experience has made a tremendous impact on me - and no doubt will make me a better doctor for seeing the good and the bad in medicine. Blessings to you and yours, and for your continued good health and healing. Please keep up the photo journal I think it is a powerful testament for those who have to go through this to actually see how wonderful the outcome can be. It's worth the risk. Thank you for sharing your journey. Best, manoverboard

Guest		24-Feb-2009 13:11
Hi Matt, was looking for pics of burns and found this site. I have recently scalded my hand with boiling water and have what the docs now think is a 2nd degree burn. Glad to see it all worked out well for you. Joanne, Scotland.UK

Olgy Norena		18-Feb-2009 00:11
Thank you for share this educational pictures . I am a medicine student and I am doing a Homework about third degree Burns. Your pictures are very useful . hope that you are doing Okay. Thanks Olgy

michelle broughton		17-Feb-2009 01:45
Hi Matt my name is Michelle and I'm in school at ConCorde College and I have a report for burns and I saw your pictures on the web site, so if you don't mind I will be printing some off for my report. I hope your doing fine and good luck to you. Thanks, Michelle

Paul F Sohn		09-Feb-2009 19:31
Hi Matt; I'm a retired fighter that is going for a Nursing degree. I'm assigned to a presentation to my class on "Burns Mechanisms to Recovery" I also stumble on you great visuals. I have seen lots of burns, but little of the clients struggles to recovery. I am asking permission to show some of your slides and if you have a narrative that tells your story. All personal ID info will be omitted. Thanks for sharing.

Jeff		06-Jan-2009 04:42
Hi Matt, I came across your images while researching a scenar device. Universalscenar.com That a friend used to heal her 2nd degree burn practically overnight. Not as intense as yours for sure, but amazing stuff all the same. Also try scenarlife.com and see pictures of a guy before and after a hit and run who used this device. Maybe it could help with your recovery. Best wishes on your journey, I had one a decade ago with a bike and 2 compression fractures. I was in a hospital for 2 months and got to learn to walk again. I know the kind of pain you've had. keep up the faith!

Teri		01-Jan-2009 21:28
I stumbled upon this while doing some research...just out of curiosity. I knew nothing about skin grafts before a couple of days ago. It is absolutely amazing to see the possibilities available for healing from burns. Thanks for sharing.

Michelle		05-Dec-2008 15:11
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful detailed pictures and your story! I will be teaching a class to 10th grade students interested in health careers and with your permission, these will be very helpful! Best of luck and thank you again! Have a wonderful holiday.

Guest		29-Oct-2008 22:56
I'm so glad I got a chance to see your journey. A wk. ago my brother lit his pilot light on his furnace and it blew up on him! He was grafted on both arms shoulder to finger tip and both knees, this gives me an idea of what graft smay look like under all of toe dressings!

Guest		27-Oct-2008 02:19
Thanks for letting me view your photos. I am using them for a reference for special effects . I am sorry that your misfortune is my gain but as you have recorded it over a length of time it makes a fantastic resourse. Glad it all healed well and take care next time !!

Lisa		15-Aug-2008 12:42
Matt: What an amazing journey! I have been a surgical nurse for 21 years and am now teaching Surgical Technology at our local college. I am interested in using a few of your photos to teach one of my classes. May I have your permission? Thanks!

Lloyd		07-Aug-2008 18:23
Matt I am currently writing a class to give to all of the EMT’s and First Responder in the Wichita-Sedgwick County EMS System, and would like to use some of your pictures for the burn identification portion of the class, the ones I am mainly thinking about are the ones that the doctors thought went to the muscle, but ended up being all the way to the bone.

Cheryl		01-Jul-2008 01:38
I am four months into a similar journey. My injury was not a burn but a crushing, degloving injury of my leg. Your pictures give me hope.

Matt Rodenbeck		28-Apr-2008 17:05
Thanks for the comment, Carla. My pictures aren't your typical skin graft, but there are some that show what a typical graft will look like after surgery as well as how the donor site will look. I pray all goes well with your graft.

carla		28-Apr-2008 15:22
hi i found your site looking for pictures of skin graft. i am getting a skin graft on my arm in a couple of months and i wanted to see how well it healed and also how it would look also. thanks to your pictures i knowwhat to expect and am quite happy with how it should look at every stage. thanks for that.

Matt Rodenbeck		26-Apr-2008 01:43
Thanks to those who have left comments. I would like to encourage others that are viewing this gallery to do so as well. It's interesting to hear why you are viewing it and how you found it. The photos are for sale, but only if you are representing a large publishing company :)

Dwylin Miller		25-Apr-2008 23:57
Matt Hi I'm a physical therapist assistant student and have never seen such a thorough documentaion of a burn injury from acute stage through the entire process. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. It could be used as a textbook example in many different medical classes. In my case it would be physical therapy. They cover so many areas of treatment. Who ever took the pictures did a great job as well. I would be intrested to know if you would consider making your photos available on a CD or DVD. I would be willing to pay you for them. My reason is to share them with my pysical therapy class.

Jude Raven		11-Apr-2008 19:31
Thanks for sharing your healing journey---- On a lighter side, my daughter will be using your photos in her CU Stage Make-up technique theater class to show the healing process. Our best to you---I too am a burn survivor--- Jude Raven gypsydragonfly777@yahoo.com

Matt Rodenbeck		03-Apr-2008 02:46
Guest - Glad I could help and feel free to use the photos however you need. Best of luck to you in your nursing career. I happen to be married to the best nurse in the world. Matt

Guest		02-Apr-2008 00:46
Matt, Thanks for sharing your journey with others. I am a nursing student and am going to show some of my classmates your pictures for a presentation on burn victims. I have found it nearly impossible to find pictures that show the progression of wound healing and have found your pictures and story as an amazing resource of knowledge. Thank you and I wish the best to you!

Matt Rodenbeck		28-Mar-2008 16:54
I'm amazed at how many times this gallery is viewed everyday. If you are viewing this gallery, I would be interested in knowing why. Leave a message here or send me an e-mail. Matt

Scotty		01-Oct-2007 22:35
Matt, Looking at the photos again reminded me of how remarkable you and Janay are. You guys are amazing and a true testimony of faith. Your faith has sustained me and made me realize how lucky I am to have you both as friends. by the way do you know where I can get me a private nurse who looks as good as yours? Ha Ha.....Love ya lots Scotty

Kristin		13-Feb-2007 08:05
Matt, I found your site while looking for before and after skin graft photos. On January 27th I was camping and my pants caught on fire. I got deep 2nd and 3rd degree burns from my knee to my ankle. I was doing burn therapy and debrieding until February 8th when I had my skin graft. Your burn looks worse than mine, but mine is quite a bit larger. I haven't been able to find any other pictures, so I really want to thank you for posting yours. I have been taking pictures of mine since the morning it happened. I don't think anyone took pictures of my surgery though. My leg is in a cast where the burn is and it surprisingly feels much better. However, the donor site hurts really bad and is still bleeding pretty bad. I stayed in the hospital for three days and now I'm home trying to take care of it myself. I see that you are having a very long recovery time, which is pretty discouraging. I don't know what mine looks like yet because the cast is still on. I was wondering if you could tell me how long your donor site hurt and bled. I really underestimated the seriousness of my burn. I can't really do anything without help right now. It's very frustrating. Anything you could tell me would be very much appreciated. If not, I would like to wish you the best of luck with your recovery. Thanks, Kristin (kattanyo@yahoo.com)

Guest		11-Aug-2006 15:24
Dear Matt: You have God, great doctors, Janay, you Mom and a huge host of wonderful friends & family on your side . . . how could you NOT heal!!! I can reassure you that you also have prayers coming from California, and I am so happy for your progress!! Warmest wishes, Tina Nelson (your Mom's cousin/your 2nd cousin!)

Guest		11-Aug-2006 01:44
Hey Matt, Your leg certainly does look better ! The good Lord does bring us through some rough spots, He never lets us down. You continue to be in our hearts and prayers. We love you. Judy Strode

Guest		01-Aug-2006 23:47
Hi Matt! Thank-you for sending me your pictures. Isn't God good! I will certainly pray for a complete healing in the name of Jesus. You and Janay hold a special place in my heart and I know the feeling was mutual for Bill. Take care and God bless.Baker, Ferris p.s. if you ever need me to help you lift a cabinet top just give me a ring....I'm at your service!

Trista		21-Jul-2006 13:48
hey Matt i`m SOOOOOOOOOOO happy to hear that your doing better I`lll keep praying for you and Janay. well i have to go so i`ll talk to you soon. get even better bye.

Guest		18-Jul-2006 13:18
Matt, praise God for the progess. I am so glad you are able to return to work. I will continue to lift you up in prayer and Janay too. Love, Susan's mom, Bev.

Liane		04-Jul-2006 00:13
Most of those are pretty grose looking, but I'm SOOOOOOOO happy you're doing better!! =D

Jerry Tucker		30-Jun-2006 19:14
MJ Iam not too certain that Bryan and Velvet will appreciate the Subaru ruler on the skin graft donor area photo.

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