"Farm accident of burns from falling into white hot ashes"

It was late evening in September 2023 , my partner and I were attending 5 day old fires on a fence line. We had been working all day and this was the last job. The sun was setting and light diminishing when I tripped on a small piece of old barb wire and fell forward into white hot ashes.

If one can image the noise, dust and smell when water is tipped on coals , that  was what happening to my right hand. If both hands had been immersed in those ashes, I wouldn’t be here to tell this story.

We live 25 km from Dalwallinu hospital. The phone advice and emergency treatment I received was second to none. It saved my dominant right hand and after liaison with Fiona Stanley burns unit they administered morphine and took away the pain. It would have been a different outcome if we had not had an operational hospital so close by.

The staff were very professional in practice and advice. They prevented infection, despite exhausting all of their emergency supplies of dressings over the coming days. Daily dressings are involved and time consuming. The washing. debriding, changing ointments and dressings was all handled in Dalwallinu.

Now, 6 months later I’m nearing the end of my treatment. The gloves, silicone and laser treatment is nearly over. Two more 4mm laser sessions, 6 weeks apart. The sunburn cream is the lasting treatment as the pigment rebuilds.

I will always be indebted to the professional team help that I received from all at the Dalwallinu hospital. I believe Elize and her team are a service that should never be removed , they are at the core of local healthcare and their professionalism and empathy are a godsend to the small local community and the wider wheatbelt region.