Warning: Graphic Content
MEN MediaA woman has been left with horrifying burns after a hot water bottle she had tucked down the front of her leggings split down the seams.
29-year-old Sophie Mason, from Waddington near Lincoln, had been preparing to cosy up on the rainy evening of Monday, September 30 when comfort quickly turned to agony.
Newly boiled water poured through the split; spilling over Sophie’s legs and stomach and leaving her feeling ‘sick’. Sophie’s veins ‘collapsed’ due to the severity of her injuries; sending her into a state of shock.
MEN MediaRecalling the immediate aftermath of the incident, the mum-of-four said:
I can’t explain how it felt, I instantly felt sick.
I shouted to [my husband] Mark. I was trying to take my clothes off but my hand was burning. My husband ripped them off and started chucking cold tea towels at me to cool me down.
Mark phoned an ambulance and I went into shock as my veins had collapsed.
After being rushed to hospital, Sophie was informed she would have to endure two skin grafts so as to repair the damage to her scorched skin.
Sophie continued:
I couldn’t feel anything in my stomach or legs, The whole time I was complaining about the pain in my hand rather than my stomach and my leg.
The reason for this was the burn on my hand was superficial so the nerves were exposed. They were trying to get my wedding ring off my hand because it had swollen up.
The nurses were trying to get control all the blisters that were coming up – there must have been 100 blisters on my stomach and legs. They were popping them open and covering me up to protect me.
MEN MediaDoctors initially didn’t realise quite how deep Sophie’s burns truly were; with the extent of the damage only revealed a couple of days after the accident.
On Friday, October 4, Sophie underwent three-hour-long surgery to mask her burns with skin grafts taken from the back of her right thigh. She is now looking at a long road to recovery ahead.
Sophie said:
After the operation I had to stay in hospital as my graft was bleeding and I had to go back last night as well.
I’m in a lot of pain and my mobility is very limited. It’s had a very big impact and it’s going to for a while. It’s not going to get better for months.
MEN MediaGoing forward, Sophie wants to warn others to take care when using a hot water bottle so as to avoid the torturous pain she has suffered.
Sophie has urged:
Listen to your husband when he says don’t do it. He’s been telling me for years and I’ve been saying you’re paranoid. I know so many people who’ve said they do this.
They always advise not to put boiling water inside in case this happens. I’m just grateful it happened to me and not a child.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.