Vocalist.org archive


To: "vocal" <vocalist>
Subject: Grandmother with Smoke Inhalation
Date sent: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 19:01:11 -0500
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Dear List:

Here in Albany we had a fatal fire that claimed the life of a 7-yr. old. His 5 yr. old brother is hospitalized in Boston for burns and smoke inhalation. The 2 yr. old is fine. The brave grandmother who was home with them pushed the baby out the door, got the 5 yr. old who had passed out, but
suffered burns and smoke inhalation and collapsed with broken ribs, unable to go back in and save the 7 year old.

I met the grandmother when we dropped off some clothing for the 2 year old. She is a beautiful woman and can barely speak or eat from the pain in her throat and her ribs. She was released from the hospital without a clear understanding of how to care for her voice. I told her I was a teacher and
she told me she's a soloist in her church choir. The thing is, she's so devastated at her loss and what she sees as her failure to keep her 'babies" safe, she desperately needs to tell the story and sob her heart out, so she's not resting her voice at all. She promised she would drink as much as
she can and she has a humidifier, but she's soooo hoarse it hurts to hear her.

Does anyone have any expertise or ideas for therapies for victims of smoke inhalation who also happen to be bereft grandmothers who sing? I thought I would give her a bottle of Entertainer's Secret to get her through the wake and funeral, but I'm uncertain about the smoke inhalation as opposed to
regular dry throat.

Thank you,

Laura Sharp
(hugging her babies extra close tonight)