About Being Normal : Life as a Burn Survivor

**Drafts: Summary (up to being burned) and an Outline (age 8 through 9th grade)** burn injury 1976, photo 1989

burn survivor

I’ve decided once again to overhaul the meaning of this site. I’ve come the realization that is it a vanity site--it is all about me. To place the spot light on me is a very difficult task for me to reconcile with myself. Anyway, as it is about me and my interest I’m removing articles about burns and such because basically I don’t read them anyway and I don’t find them very interesting, and to the point the subject matter really doesn’t consume any of my time.

I think the purpose of the site, about being normal, is better served if I present a window, albeit a small window, to my life. I will admit that being burned really sucks, but most of the time (and by that I mean close to 100% of my time) is wasted on everyday events, dreams and aspirations. I’ve had roadblocks, and many of those road blocks are of my own creation. Rarely do I ever pass blame onto any person or situation, rather I focus on moving forward towards my goal. I will stress that being burned does suck though, but there are so many, and I know this sounds very hackneyed, worse things that can go wrong for a person.

So, I know all these words are not good Internet web site etiquette, but I wanted to spent a few words clarifying that content of this site: the site is about me. If it seems preachy or I appear to be full of myself, well...that could be...I’m not one to really feel comfortable discussing myself (and my audience is...I have no idea).

Hopefully, what one will come away with after reading through my scattered histories, is that I’m just like anyone else and that most of the time I don’t even know I’m burned. (I could place disclaimers all over this site about all the burn survivors that come to mind who are or where much worse off than I, so please keep in mind I’m not callous to the range of damage burns inflict on a person, and if I let my empathy for others overwhelm me I’d never be able to create this site.)

I'd like to comment on the majority of burn survivor web sites almost without fail either focus on immediate burn recovery, burn prevention, or a story about being burned, but not one explores what a burn survivor does with their life after the burn recovery. What do burn suvivors do other than create foundations and charities? I know they do more than that, but what? I apologize; my life life has not been about being burned, and perhaps I'm in total denial, but I'm sure there must be burn survivors that live, work, recreate, and dream with total disregard to their appearance and headache of being burned...send me an email! This is sort of like trying to ask a Red Socks fan for a comment at a Yankees versus Devil Rays game.

The timing of this site's debut marks the 30th anniversary of being burned by a gasoline can explosion in a cabin on Lake Geneva, Florida on a very cold Thanksgiving morning in 1976. I was burned over fifty percent of my body, including my face, and was treated at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, and then at the Shriners in Boston. I was ten years old at the time of the accident.

During the last thirty years, I've lived a rather exciting and mundane life, and that is what this site is about--it's About Being Normal.

Here are pictures [1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s] in chronological order depicting my appearance over the years. However, here are photographs I have taken of things I've found interesting over the years. And you can download both of my poetry books, and they are free: Free Poetry Books Here. I've put some artwork up as well--of course I'm no Maxfield Parrish.

The picture section includes before and after photos. It's important to note that though I am burned over 50% of my body with third and second degree burns, I'm really not that badly burned when compared to many others. I have all my body parts and only lost the tips of my pinky fingers (they were fused from the heat). And as an added bonus, the area of my body burned is very symmetrical, which in our society (USA) means a lot in terms of general visual acceptance. However, that said, I must note that most people do not notice very much of anything, but it sure can feel like every eye on every head in a crowd of people is painstakingly inspecting every aspect of your being and your right to be here at all—it's just not true though; most couldn't be bothered.

Shriners Burns Hospital, Boston Unit
Shands at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Send any questions or comments to: christopherfitts at yahoo.com

Christopher Fitts

Stories and Memories : Law School - Career - Music Concerts - Famous People (Barbara Bach in particular) - Family Life - Self Worth - Poetry

What's life without music? I've identified the music (musicians and their songs) that has been incorporated into my life: The Music.

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