This single mother of 4, severely burned by a bonfire while vacationing, has set the goal for a fast recovery so she can attend her son's wedding and walk him down the aisle. She even challenged her 1-year-old granddaughter on who between them could walk first, as she receives daily videos of the toddler's progress.
Almost a month has passed after 51 years old, Tami Chmielewski accidentally suffered severe burns during a wedding in Minnesota. Over 30 percent of her body was covered in third-degree burns.
She recently underwent a painful skin-grafting surgery to repair her wounds and is now determined to have a fast recovery. She has remained optimistic, her daughter said.
She just took her 'first positive step'
Brooklyn Hardwick, Chmielewski's daughter and the toddler's mom, told People they are doing the same and leaning on God and their faith, knowing that He is in control over everything and all of them, and expectant that something good will come from it all.
Chmielewski underwent grafting surgery at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis last September 8 using skin cut from her back, thighs, and buttocks. The family got the good news that her condition is now satisfactory from serious.
She had her first positive step with a therapist last Monday, sitting up on the edge of her bed 11 days after her procedure, which was a wonderful start to her recovery. The doctors said it would take at least six months of physical therapy.
"The smallest things are the biggest wins for us right now. Every step in the right direction leads us to more hope," Hardwick expressed.
Fund campaign for medical flight
Just Tuesday, Hardwick said that her mother's "grafting sites were halfway healed." Doctors are providing the family more hope, saying she could be released after 30 days and start outpatient therapy.
Currently, the family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help and assist them with the costs of a medical flight to bring their mother back to Arizona, where she lives with her other children.
She may remain under the care of her current medical team in Minneapolis, where Chmielewski's older sister lives and who has been in the hospital daily.
Her family missed her so much and expressed that it is such a weird feeling that their mother, who is the "glue" to her family and all people in her life, is "out of commission right now." It is now that they get to realize how much everyone depended on her.
Chmielewski took to her Facebook page last Tuesday for the first time after the horrifying incident expressing her gratitude for all the prayers and well-wishes. She said that they are deeply appreciated more than they know. She even asked everyone not to stop praying for her.
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