Your Help is Needed

[RSBob]

For those of you not aware, a long standing member of the 911 and 914 GT Porsche community has incurred a terrible tragedy. Bernie Buschen’s son, Scott (26) was severely burned over 40% of his body and remains in the burn unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Scott was working in his father’s shop on a customer car when a flash fire occurred severely burning Scott’s arms and legs. His anticipated recovery time is over a year. The good news is that Scott is anticipated to recover fully, the bad news is the medical, physical therapy, and ongoing bills associated with his recovery. There is no way that the state insurance will cover all of Scott’s astronomical medical bills.

As concerned members of the Porsche community, I would like to ask each of you to please give what you can.

What makes the Porsche community so great is the way we all pull together when one of our own is in need. Scott is in need, and deserves your support. Please see this link for contribution details http://supportscott.com/default.aspx

[DasBoot]

That's awful. Will donate something & wish for a quick recovery.

How does this happen? I work in/on/around cars all the time and never think to disconnect the battery.

[kodioneill]

can i respectfully ask what happened? it may help prevent a tragedy like this in the future. such a sad thing.

[RSBob]

The accident was one in a million and is highly unlikely to happen to you/us. Some solvent was temporarily put in an open container (for parts cleaning) just for a couple of hours. (a new parts washer and safe solvent was being delivered that day.) Scott has just finished burning off some stuck suspension bushings on a customer car and was carrying the self-igniting torch - didn't see the solvent bucket, tripped over it - accidentally hit the ignitor when he hit the ground and set the spilled solvent, and himself afire. His father helped put him out.

Keep a good sized fire extinguisher handy where you do your work as well as in the house.

A big Thanks to all who are donating - I know money is tight, so Scott and his family are especially grateful.

Thanks to Wayne for stickying this.

JT passed along another way to donate: Send your donation straight from ebay using the scottbuschen@yahoo.com address.

[75USCarrera]

That is just just terrible!!!! My regards to Scott and the entire Buschen family for as smooth as recovery as possible. I am donating right now.

Greg
___________
75 US Carrera
03 Cab 2
69 Camaro Z11 Pace Car

[Greg Miller]

So sad. Man, that's a solemn reminder about safety in a shop. Hang on Scott.

My donation is on its way.

greg

[RSBob]

From: Bernd Buschen
Date: March 26, 2009 11:35:57 PM PDT

Subject: Out of the ICU!

Today was a major milestone! Scott was moved from the ICU (after 26 days) on the 9th floor down to the regular burn center on the 8th floor. He has started his full physical therapy and has taken a few steps today. All his vitals are good, his feeding tube removed and with his blood sugar and sodium at near normal levels now, so the decision was made to move him out of the ICU! Needless to say our family is very happy with his progress and we are looking forward to seeing him steadily improve. Also he is no longer in a sterile environment, so visiting should be O.K. as of Monday. He is at Harborview Hospital, East Tower, 8th floor, Room #805, Bed #1. If you would like to visit, please check with me or the hospital staff first, as he may be moved again in a few days.

Thank you again for all your support, especially the ECS Soccer League for setting up Scott’s medical beneficiary fund.

Bernie

[Nickatnyt]

That is good news that Scott is improving. Donation done and hoping for a quick recovery!

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by RSBob

The accident was one in a million and is highly unlikely to happen to you/us. Some solvent was temporarily put in an open container (for parts cleaning) just for a couple of hours. (a new parts washer and safe solvent was being delivered that day.) Scott has just finished burning off some stuck suspension bushings on a customer car and was carrying the self-igniting torch - didn't see the solvent bucket, tripped over it - accidentally hit the ignitor when he hit the ground and set the spilled solvent, and himself afire. His father helped put him out.

Keep a good sized fire extinguisher handy where you do your work as well as in the house.

A big Thanks to all who are donating - I know money is tight, so Scott and his family are especially grateful.

Thanks to Wayne for stickying this.

JT passed along another way to donate: Send your donation straight from ebay using the scottbuschen@yahoo.com address.

Don't forget about your GAS hot water heaters as ignition sources as well. It happened to a friend of mine. He was filling up a lawnmower with gas and doing it in his garage (not really a good idea anyway). He spilled some and the vapors ignited when his hot water heater burner kicked on.

[RSBob]

From: Bernd Buschen [mailto:bbuschen@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:38 PM

On Saturday evening I was writing about Scott being discharged from Harborview and coming home on Friday afternoon, everything was going well. Then I took a break in order to do his wound care and we found the infection on his back had grown significantly. We immediately took him back to the emergency ward at Harborview to have the infection evaluated. To make a very long story short he was admitted at 3:00am to do a culture and for observation. While the donor site is proving to be a challenge, the doctors and nurses tell us his skin grafts are doing amazingly well. His hands and the grafts on his arms are almost seamless, only the skin pigment defines the grafts. His legs are also coming along very well, the open areas and swelling are getting noticeably smaller by the day and his physical therapy is doing wonders for his flexibility and walking. So after adjusting his antibiotic medication (three times) we seem to have the infection under control and he is home once again. Today has been a good day.

So, as far as the shop is concerned, it is no secret that my insurance company has denied my claim due to a technicality in my policy. After a lot of help from friends, neighbors and R Gruppe members we have about 2/3rds. of the shop workable (not pretty but workable). I will be starting up later this week, and a big THANK-YOU to all who have helped me get back on my feet and remain committed to me.

It will still be a long road for Scott and take a while to get the shop running properly again; I look forward to having my son and partner working with me again. I once again would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and help.

Bernie

[rcwaldo]

I am in for $50 -- glad to help in any way I can. Its not much, but I hope it will contribute!!

Get well Scott!!

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by RSBob

. . .
So, as far as the shop is concerned, it is no secret that my insurance company has denied my claim due to a technicality in my policy. After a lot of help from friends, neighbors and R Gruppe members we have about 2/3rds. of the shop workable (not pretty but workable). I will be starting up later this week, and a big THANK-YOU to all who have helped me get back on my feet and remain committed to me.

. . .
Bernie

If we can ask: The name of the insurer?