Heather Kingston never could have expected an ordinary evening prepping for a trip to her lake house to turn into a medical emergency.
When it did, she says she was fortunate to have access to the advanced care available at Regional One Health’s Firefighters Burn Center, the only full-service American Burn Association-verified burn center in 250 miles of Memphis.
Thanks to the skill, resources, and support provided at the burn center, Heather is getting back to her family, friends, and career.
Last Halloween, Heather Kingston and her husband were getting ready to go to their lake house. Hoping to leave before the streets were full of trick-or-treaters, Heather was loading the car with bags she’d set on her kitchen counter.
It was something she’d done dozens of times, but suddenly, this time was different.
Heather Kingston suffered severe burns when a bottle of cleaning spray exploded after being exposed to heat. She is grateful for the care she received at the Firefighters Burn Center.
“We were coming inside from putting some stuff in the truck, and I saw flames on a bag we’d set by the stove. They were small, so we turned the stove off and reached for some water,” Heather said.
But the crisis was just beginning. The bag contained a can of cleaner, and the heat caused it to explode. “It blew goo that was on fire across the entire kitchen,” Heather said. “My husband said it was like napalm. It caught both of us on fire, and caught parts of the kitchen on fire.”
They extinguished the flames and managed to stay calm, even putting the family’s dogs in the bathroom to keep them safe. Heather remembers sitting down on her bed and calling 911.
“The next thing I knew the EMT was there and he said, ‘Ma’am, we need to go out and get you on the gurney. We need to go now.’”
Heather hadn’t realized it immediately, but her injuries were severe. The explosion had caught her hair on fire, burning it off. She had burns on her chest, shoulders, and face.
“I had no clue,” she said. “In the ambulance, they said they had to cut my clothes off, and I joked with them, ‘That’s my favorite shirt,’ trying to make them laugh. I think I was in shock.”
The last thing she remembers is driving up a hill and passing through the next town from her home in Arkansas. When she woke up, she was in the ICU at Regional One Health’s Firefighters Burn Center with her sister asleep on the floor next to her bed.
Paramedics had taken Heather and her husband to the nearest hospital, where doctors determined they needed the additional expertise offered at the Firefighters Burn Center, the only full-service American Burn Association-verified facility within 250 miles of Memphis.
“It was a Godsend, because we really needed to be at Regional One Health,” she said.
They remained hospitalized for two months. Heather was in the ICU for most of her stay, then moved to the Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital to continue regaining strength.
“They treated us like family,” Heather said. “They always made me feel comfortable.”
Through it all, they were amazed by not only the care, but the kindness, they received.
“They treated us like family,” Heather said. “Early on you’re in and out of it, and you’re scared. They always made me feel comfortable. For a while, I couldn’t even close my hands because of the scars. But they gave me my hands back. They gave me my life back.”
Countless caregivers went out of their way to offer support and compassion.
“I have nicknames for some of them, like ‘Super Ken,’” Heather laughed. “When he introduced himself, he had his hands on his hips like Superman. There were tons of things he did that made a difference. One day he had to take my staples out, which is the worst. He found out what kind of music I liked, and he put it on and turned it up loud. We sang at the top of our lungs while he pulled out my staples.”
Several nurses shared their own experience as burn survivors. Another stayed by Heather’s side as she came out of surgery hallucinating and panicked.
Heather also bonded with fellow patients as she progressed to rehabilitation therapy. “We help each other through it,” she said. “Some days it’s really hard. Some days you just want to cry, and some days you think, ‘I’ve got this.’ I have more of those days than ‘I want to cry’ days.”
It’s a positive attitude that Heather uses to help others and to help herself move forward. Rather than dwell on what happened, she lives with gratitude and joy.
“We still have no idea how the stove came on. We wonder if one of the dogs accidentally turned the knob,” she said. “But you can’t go back and redo it. You just have to be positive and tell yourself you’re not going to let this beat you.”
Heather has been able to get back to her family and the activities she enjoys thanks to the care she received. “The team at Regional One Health is second-to-none with burns. They’re amazing,” she said.
For Heather, that means embracing the love and support of family and friends.
Her oldest son, who lives in Huntsville, Alabama, traveled back-and-forth throughout the ordeal. Her younger son’s college graduation served as a moment of joy. Her three sisters and her husband’s best friend stayed with them at the burn center, while their neighbors offered to help with yard work.
Since returning home last December, the couple has been busy remodeling their damaged kitchen, spending time with family and friends, and getting back to their careers. They’ll always be grateful to the Firefighters Burn Center for giving them that opportunity.
“The team at Regional One Health is second-to-none with burns. They’re amazing,” Heather said. “As horrible as it was and as bad as our injuries were, it could have been worse. We had incredible care and support. I thank God the angels were with us.”