💔 A simple bowl of hot porridge divided our family's life into "before" and "after"...

My name is Irina. I am the mother of Evgeny Leonidovich Pavlov.

Zhenya was born on April 11, 2023. We waited for him for seven long years. During this time, we went through numerous IVF programs, more than ten unsuccessful transfers, and almost lost hope of becoming parents.

But one day, everything worked out.

Our long-awaited son, Zhenechka, was born 👶🏻 We literally blew dust off him and thanked fate for every day we had him.

When Zhenya was almost two years old, we were visiting his grandmother. At breakfast, our son ran up to the table and accidentally hit the bowl of hot milk porridge, which had just been cooked.

It all happened in a second.

The porridge landed on our child's face, neck, and arms. Zhenya screamed in pain. The skin turned red, blisters appeared, and some areas began to peel.

I still barely remember that moment. All I can see is my crying child and the realization that there was nothing I could do to ease his pain. 😭

We immediately called an ambulance. Zhenya was taken to a burn center in Moscow.

His face was severely swollen, and his eyes were barely open. I was afraid the burn could damage his vision. The IVs, tests, procedures, and heavy dressings began.

Some of the dressings were done under anesthesia. Others were done without.

I stood outside the door and heard my son crying. At that moment, I felt like my heart simply couldn't take it. 💔

The burn was especially deep in the neck and under the chin. The skin there is very thin, so the doctors had to perform a graft.

A skin flap was taken from Zhenya's leg and transplanted to the damaged area. But the neck area is constantly moving. It's impossible to explain to a small child that he can't turn his head after the surgery.

A hematoma developed at the transplant site, which had to be punctured. Then a skin pocket formed, from which fluid was leaking. We were afraid of inflammation and suppuration every day.

The skin healed, but rough folds and dense scars formed.

The scar began to itch, hurt, and tighten the surrounding tissue. Zhenya scratched it until it bled. Ointments only temporarily relieved the itching.

Sometimes my son would come to me, point to his neck, and say,

"Mom, it hurts here..."

And I couldn't help him.

There's nothing more terrifying for a parent than seeing their child in pain and realizing they can't just take it for themselves 😢

We spent the entire summer rehabilitating. Zhenya wore compression garments and silicone patches. We constantly used sunscreen and completely avoided the sun.

Our child had to give up swimming, sunbathing, riding a bike, and many of the usual childhood joys.

For a long time, I blamed myself for what happened. I felt like I hadn't been paying attention, hadn't been able to protect my son, and had done something wrong.

My loved ones helped me get out of this state. I realized that I shouldn't destroy myself, but rather look for ways to help Zhenya.

I consulted with specialists and clinics that treat the aftermath of severe burns in children.

We ultimately chose Professor Alexander Margulis from the Hadassah Clinic in Israel. I'd seen the results of his work and spoken with the families of his patients.

He proposed a treatment plan that would help reduce the scarring and maintain normal neck and facial movement.

Zhenya is now feeling better and has started going to kindergarten 🌿

He is a kind, affectionate, and very active boy. He loves building LEGOs, putting puzzles together, and drawing.

But the scar still bothers him. It's itchy, painful, and continues to tighten his skin.

We constantly have to protect his neck from the sun, wear hats and light scarves.

Zhenya needs three surgeries in Israel.

The scar is too large, so removing it in one operation is impossible. The surgeries will be performed in stages to avoid overstretching the skin of his neck, preventing facial muscle deformities, and maintaining facial symmetry.

This is very complex and precise work.

Without surgery, Zhenya may develop contractures during his active growth spurt. He may have difficulty turning his head and moving his neck. The tightness and rough scar may remain with him for the rest of his life, causing not only physical but also severe psychological pain.

We really want to have the first surgery this year.

But our family cannot afford the treatment ourselves.

🙏 Please help Zhenya recover from the effects of the burn.

Help him grow without pain, move his neck freely, and not be afraid of others' gazes.

Any support means a lot to us.

We sincerely hope that together we can give our son the opportunity to put this experience behind him.