Compression Garments
Compression garments. Burn survivors either hate them or love them. The first time the occupational therapist introduced me to them, it took me around 40 minutes just to wear them on my legs and hands. So hot and tight. It felt like I was wrestling, and the compression garments won the match. Taking off was another struggle. I hated them. Feeling weak, I would sometime give up and refuse to wear them. Occasionally, there were small patches of blood soaking through the pressure garment, an indication that my skin was still raw and had not stabilise yet. I remember giving a bunch of excuses when the occupational therapist caught me not wearing them. “It’s too tight” or “My skin is breaking down at that area”. I would inform her. She would look at me disapprovingly, “you need to wear them for 23 hours a day”. What? You must be kidding. Unfortunately, the occupational therapist was not joking. I only began to seriously put them on after looking at som...