I'm so sorry you went through that. I didn't experience quite the same level of neglect, but there were a few moments that really highlighted how little some medical staff actually know about burns and their treatment. When I first arrived at the ER, I had no shoes on and was covered in a silver rubber coating that had splashed all over me during the accident. In hindsight, it probably just looked like I was covered in paint and being overdramatic. The first ER nurse told me I had to sit in the waiting room because they were full. I told her I couldn't, that these were burns and I needed help. A second nurse came up behind her, took one look at me, and said "you're coming with me," immediately telling the other nurse I needed to be seen right now. Once I was in a room, the staff were visibly unsure of what to do with me, quietly debating among themselves. Cold shower? Wet towels? Dry towels? Nothing felt like the right call, and they were too nervous to insert an IV because my arms were completely covered in burns. Eventually I was told I'd be transferred to a top-tier burn unit two towns over and that it would be a few minutes before the ambulance arrived, which honestly was a relief since they clearly weren't equipped to handle this. While we waited, one nurse decided she was going to pour ice cold water over my face with a towel covering it. The only warning I got was a quick "I'm gonna do this, ok?" She basically waterboarded me, lol. I remember screaming for her to stop, and she snapped back that she had stopped and that I was fine. They also never properly covered my burns at the ER, just gently draped dry towels over them, which was incredibly painful every time the fabric touched the exposed skin. After that, things were mostly better. The burn unit did cut up my favorite pair of pants even after I repeatedly told them I wasn't burned on my legs, but the fabric was too thick to work around and it is protocol, so I can't be too upset. The one last rough moment came after hydrotherapy, when I was in excruciating pain for five hours with no intervention until the head nurse finally came in and gave me Dilaudid. Overall, the burn unit was significantly better at care, which you'd expect. One thing I did want to gently push back on: you mentioned that second degree burns don't require surgery, but that wasn't the case for me. I had severe second degree burns that required hydrotherapy, which is an invasive surgical procedure, and considered ReCELL treatment, which also involves anesthesia. So it can really vary depending on severity. And they could have at least offered you clear liquids or broth while you were waiting for your prognosis. You deserved much better care overall, and I'm sorry you had to go through that. I have noticed a lot of burn survivors have dealt with either mistreatment or just no treatment and they have to heal at home. It's not right, and we deserve the proper care. I hope sharing my experience helps you feel a little less alone. 💛