Emirati who suffered 80% burns after incense mishap shares story
EMIRATI SHARES HER HARROWING EXPERIENCE SO THAT OTHERS CAN LEARN
Eighty per cent burns, 20 surgeries and three resuscitations later, Dubai-based Emirati Rafiya Mourad Yousuf, 41, has survived to tell the tale.
Still recovering from the horrific burns she sustained while burning Bakhor (oudh) one night at her home in 2017, Rafiya is out to share her story in the hope that others can learn from her grave mistake
Narrating her struggle exclusively through Gulf News, Rafiya said yesterday, “I will never ever burn Bakhor in a charcoal pot again. I learnt this lesson the hard way and stand here to tell other women, life is too precious. Don’t burn frankincense in your room. It not only causes asthma but can cost you your life. Use traditional oudhbased sprays, but don’t risk such horrific burns.”
Vividly recollecting the night of December 17, 2017, Rafiya said she was alone in her bedroom at her Al Warqa apartment and had lit a few charcoals in a pot on which she placed traditional frankincense.
“It’s a traditional Emirati practice to let the fragrant smoke waft into your surroundings and clothes. I had placed a few of my clothes next to the pot and was sitting close by too.”
Suddenly, the charcoal fire turned into a blazing inferno, Rafiya said, adding that the synthetic fabric on her stuck to her body. What followed was complete shock as Rafiya, crying in pain, was rushed to the hospital emergency in a barely conscious state.
A team of plastic surgeons, led by Dr Zahra Refaei and a well-coordinated team of nurses, worked with Rafiya, who over the next year underwent 20 surgeries and had to be resuscitated three times during her stay at Rashid Hospital.
She underwent intensive physical and psychological rehabilitation. In six months, she was able to get out of the hospital for a few hours to attend her daughter’s graduation ceremony. But it was not until July 2018, eight months after the accident, that she could walkout of the hospital, using her feet and hands.
Keeping morale high
Elaborating on the case Dr Refaei said: “Rafiya’s is not the only case of burns due to bakhor burning and we have had even 80-year-old victims. Sadly advance age and co-morbidities make it difficult to save a patient in this condition. In case of Rafiya too we had to battle many of her co-morbidities as had to resuscitate her thrice. Her family wanted her to be airlifted to Germany, but having done my fellowship in Dusseldorf Germany, I assured them of replicating the same protocol here, which we did.
“Everytime she came in for surgery, she and I would try and dance on ‘Barbie girl’. Our entire team kept her morale high and gave her the goal of being able to attend her daughter’s graduation. That was her guiding light and she made it to the ceremony six months later. Her successful recovery can be credited to the team effort of each and everyone at the burns and plastic surgery department as well as the administration and director general of DHA Humaid Qutami.”
Rafiya is now determined to live life to is fullest. “I am indebted to Dr Zahra, head nurse Mohammad Ebrahim, senior staff nurse Blessy Daniel and nurse Laila Al Wavi nurse in charge of the unit and the entire medical team for taking such good care of me,” she said.
I will never ever burn Bakhor in a charcoal pot again. I learnt this lesson the hard way.” Rafiya Mourad Yousuf | Emirati burn victim