LOUISIANA -- Yesterday evening, my friend and fellow Mustanger, Tina Pounds was attacked by a pit bull dog. Her grandson, Briar, was with her. Tina has suffered extensive facial injuries as well as injuries to her arm and hands. Briar was also injured but not as badly as his grandmother. Please add your prayers and blessings to their recovery. I have shared the most recent news from Shirley Kramer, Tina's mom, and Briar's mom, Lacey.
This just from Lacey
Just getting settled in the room. She went back at 7 for an 8 am surgery for a fracture in her left hand, then plastics/facial, arms and hands now.
I've read to her, but can't get her to stay asleep longer than a few minutes. There have been several doctors of all sorts and their nurses and er nurses in every 5 or so mins. But I'm so happy she and briar are alive. Initially, they said that they will have to construct a lower lip from skin grafts. Several surgeries. Know more in a few hours.
Here's what I know. At 8 pm, they were walking across the yard to her landlord's house for a pizza party. A 110 lb pit bull then charged briar, unprovoked. Mom got in between them and saved his life literally. Mom has a severe 4x2 gape on her right upper arm that is being repaired. It may require a skin graft. She has a laceration on her right thumb. 4-5 lacerations on her left arm and hand, and several puncture wounds in nearly every finger. Her facial injuries are on a other level and will require many reconstructive surgeries. The doctor explained to me that basically her entire lower face, from the check bones down, has been peeled away. She has lost her bottom lip. A neighbor/friend luckily had a gun in her truck 30 ft away and shot the animal. A bullet was the only thing that stopped him. Her landlord tried to intervene also and has a few injuries as well.
A relative posted that everyone in the neighborhood knew this pit bull and that, prior to this horrific attack, had been friendly with "everyone".
Here is the GoFundMe link: Support for Tina's Recovery
My family never imagined something like this happening on such a seemingly easy-going night. On the evening of September 9th, my aunt Tina and her baby grandson Briar were walking across the street to a pizza party at the neighbor's in Louisiana. A neighbor's unleashed dog suddenly and without provocation charged Briar, and Tina stepped in the way to protect Briar. The dog did not cease until another neighbor intervened.
Briar luckily has only a few minor injuries, but my aunt's whole life has now changed. Her facial injuries will require many reconstructive surgeries. The doctor explained to me that basically her entire lower face, from the cheek bones down, has been peeled away. She has lost her entire bottom lip. She also has a severe 4x2 gape on her right upper arm which may require a skin graft. She has a broken hand bone. There are lacerations on her thumb, left arm, hand and several puncture wounds in nearly every finger. There is a long time due for healing, physically and mentally. Facial reconstruction will also be a long, winding road. She is very anxious and very traumatized. It is without a doubt that her face will never look the same. She is in Baton Rouge being treated. We just thank God she and Briar are alive. She has always been a fierce protector and we know if she could go back she still would have put herself in harm's way for her babe. For that, I think we can all relate.
My aunt Tina is a strong woman who has held her head up high through a lot in life, but she will now need substantial financial support from hospital bills and household bills while she is recovering. She deserves all the love and care that we can give her. She has been one of my biggest cheerleaders for my travels and studies in Anthropology and History, as she herself is a lover of the world's cultures. It's time now to be her cheerleader. I am reaching out to the entire community of Facebook and GoFundMe to help alleviate the stress of finances. I simply cannot imagine the burden of money in a time like this, but I know it will come and I would like to bring a little light to all this. I hope you can join us in supporting her; if not financially, by prayer to whatever you believe in. Thank you.
This just in from Lacey. I can't even.... Mom is out of her 2nd surgery. That is all for now until she heals. I'm keeping her here at least another night, her injuries are too advanced and extensive for me to take care of at this point. I don't feel confident in my ability to manage her pain. She is very anxious, very traumatized on top of that.
It is without a doubt, that her face will never look the same. She has 3 gaping holes in her face, 2 of which need to be packed. Her bottom lip is gone and is an open wound that can't be closed. Both plastic surgeons said her injuries are nearly the worst they have seen. She is sutured from high check bone, down to her chin, back up to high check bone. This is a normal case of reconstruction due to the fact that it is a dog bit. The risk of infection increases drastically with dog bites, therefore doctors can't close the skin as much as they would like due to the fear of trapping infection in the injury of that makes sense. Her arms and hands are in casts and splinted. There are a few lacerations that they left cleaned, but open for to draining purposes.
However, we continue to give thanks. Thank you Lord for this day. Thank you Lord for sparing my mother and son's life. If mom ever had a purpose on this earth, it was to protect our precious boy. A precious boy who came out of this nearly unscathed w minor stitches to his ear. Thank you Lord. Bring on the scars. We can take those all day. I worry for her mental state, she is incredibly anxious and can barely fall asleep. We start her on schedule Percocet at 430. The Drs will then assess whether it will be administered every 4 or 6 hours until we discharge, perhaps tomorrow evening. She is instructed not to speak for a requested min of 5 days to allow her wounds to close better and 5 days for clear liquid diet to avoid infection, as she has wounds inside her mouth.
Please continue to give thanks. I am trying to respond to each of u via text, there are a lot coming through. I can't return the calls, as I'm in the room with mom and want her to rest. Leaving w a good note-Briar is happy as can be today, he has been pampered and fed donuts, chocolate and treated to Lego sets galore. He is happy as a clam.
