Well on Monday around 11:00, Ryan got a chance to try out his firefighting skills. I was heating up some oil to make some onion rings, and left the room to make a phone call and look at something on the computer before I had to be to work. I was destracted, and so I did not even think about the oil until all of the firealarms were alarming. Ryan and I both came running out and to our horror we saw the pan (with lid still intact) on fire! The flames were climbing up over the pot onto the microwave to the cabinet on the side. Ryan yelled for me to open the back door so he could get the pan (still on fire) out the door. The pan had a metal handle and a glass lid on top, which were not to our advantage. I was opening the lock and deadbolt, when the nerveendings would not allow Ryan anymore to hold onto the hot pot handle. He dropped the pan, and flames whirled up toward us. A milk carton that I had next to the door to recycle began to catch on fire. Our rug in front of the door caught in a few small places as well. Ryan pushed the kitchen table out into the livingroom, while telling me to get out with the baby I ran to the front door, and Ryan asked me where the baby was. She was in her crib for a nap, and Ryan grabbed her to save her. Ryan handed me the baby and ran back in to get the fire under control. Ryan looking in the house saw that only the pot and milk carton were actually on fire now. He grabbed them both and chucked them out the door. The air was thick with greasy smoke. Luckily, with grease fires, if there is no other fuel for the fire, seem to burn themselves out. After running around, and opening all the windows to air out the house, he ran downstairs to get our large box fan to blow out the smell and smoke. All the while, he kept me and the baby outside, and would not allow me to help. Seeing that his fleece pants had burn holes, his eyebrows and eyelashes were much shorter than before and singed, and also I saw various burns over his body, I decided that it would be a good time to pay a visit to the Spanish Fork Clinic, where they have urgent care, for much less than an ER visit. I saw my older neighbor was outside in her garage, so I ran across the street and told her quickly what had happened, and also asked if she could watch my open house while I took Ryan to the clinic. She then offered a fan to help clear out the house. I called my sweet mother in law, and told her that her plans now did not include a nice lunch with a friend, but instead she got the pleasure of spending some time with my family. Did I mention that I was to be to work at noon? I took got Ryan and the baby in the car, and called en-route to the MD and told them we would be there. When we got there I filled out all of the paperwork and nagged at the office workers to get my husband back, and didn't they know that this was an emergency? Dr Takasaki did a great job debriding the wounds and fixing Ryan up and Louise took good care of my little family while I was freaking out and driving to work (it was after 12:00. I called the hospital and let them know I would be late. The reason Ryan was home from work, by the way, is that he had an important interview with UVU for the paramedic program and also a physical test. Good timing, right! Well I called the school and they said that he could do the interview and to bring his sweats just in case. Well he must have done well, all things considered, because being Ryan, he did the interview and the physical test, and not until the end did the tester say, "Oh now I can see why you had trouble threading the needle, you must be the guy who got burned today." He did well with all of the physical things, like running up the stairs, and whatever else, but I guess that it is important that a paramedic can sew a button on his shirt. Well all in all I think that we were very blessed. I am so glad that we were all safe!
