Book SummaryIn This Altered Body, by Charlene Pell

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of In This Altered Body

The Writer's Recovery Journey After a Traumatic Accident

This section focuses on Pell’s initial injuries and the long and arduous recovery process she endures, while grieving the loss of her fiancé. As you read, consider the resolve and willpower required for her and families of burn survivors to overcome these tragic setbacks.

The Author's Extensive Injuries and Lengthy Rehabilitation Process

Pell describes the aircraft accident, her extensive burns, and the emotional and physical difficulties she faces while recovering in the hospital and later at a rehabilitation hospital.

Pell Describes Airplane Accident and Severe Burns Covering 64% of Body

The author recounts a seemingly ordinary Friday afternoon in March when she boards a private plane piloted by her fiancé, Roger, for a weekend trip to their home on Cat Island, in the Bahamas. On approach to land at the remote island airport, a green indicator light for the right main landing gear fails to illuminate on the instrument panel, indicating a possible malfunction with the landing system. Despite Roger's desperate attempts to stop the landing, the airplane crashes, and they are surrounded by fire. During their escape, a fuel tank explosion ignites a mass of dense scrub and fatally burns both Roger and Charlene. The author describes the panic, terror, and agonizing pain she endures while struggling to flee the fire. A child from the island brings her a Coke to quench her thirst. She is transported in a truck to a nearby resort marina, where a rescue plane awaits them for transport to Miami International Airport.

Pell sustained burns ranging from second- to third-degree covering 64% of her body. In addition to burns on most of her face, neck, chest, arms, hands, and legs, she has to deal with the unimaginable emotional and physical pain of losing Roger. She is aware that her physique is changing, but she doesn't realize the totality of her disfigurement.

Context

• Cat Island is a relatively remote island in the Bahamas known for its natural beauty and tranquility, often attracting visitors seeking a peaceful retreat.
• In private planes, pilots often have fewer resources and support compared to commercial flights, making them more reliant on their training and the aircraft's systems for safety.
• Crashes in remote locations pose additional challenges for rescue operations, as immediate medical assistance and evacuation may be delayed due to limited access.
• The process of escaping a fire in an airplane crash is extremely perilous, as the heat, smoke, and potential explosions create a chaotic and life-threatening environment.
• Fires resulting from fuel explosions are typically very hot and can spread quickly, especially in environments with flammable materials like dense scrub or vegetation, as mentioned in the scenario.
• In life-threatening scenarios, the fight-or-flight response is triggered, which can cause a person to experience overwhelming panic as they attempt to escape danger.
• The act of giving a Coke, a globally recognized beverage, can symbolize a moment of normalcy and comfort amidst chaos and trauma.
• The choice of a resort marina as a transport point suggests the use of available local resources to facilitate a quicker rescue operation.
• The visible nature of burn injuries can affect social interactions and professional opportunities, requiring individuals to navigate societal perceptions and potential discrimination.
• These are more severe, destroying both the epidermis and dermis and potentially affecting deeper tissues. The skin may appear white, charred, or leathery. These burns can be less painful initially due to nerve damage but require extensive medical treatment, including skin grafts.
• The sudden and violent nature of the accident can exacerbate feelings of shock and disbelief, making the grieving process more complex and challenging.
• Losing a loved one, especially a fiancé, can result in profound grief, which may include feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, and a sense of emptiness or disbelief.
• Managing pain from severe burns is complex and may involve medications, physical therapy, and other interventions to address both acute and chronic pain.
• The brain's capacity to process information can be overwhelmed by the trauma and stress of the situation, leading to a delayed understanding of physical changes.

The Author Recounts Grueling Physical Therapy, Surgeries, and Psychological Challenges to Recover Strength, Movement, and Autonomy

Pell graphically outlines the agonizing interventions, medical devices designed to maintain function and reduce scars, and therapies she endures while fighting for her life. Initially, she’s hospitalized at a facility in Miami and later transferred to Healthsouth Sunrise Rehab for months. Her family members, Mom and sister Melissa, make enormous sacrifices to help her through this grueling ordeal. Pell vividly details a routine event that she least enjoyed in the rehabilitation process: shower time. The entire process is painful and humiliating, but essential for regaining her independence.

While hospitalized, the author documents the challenges of learning a new vocabulary related to surviving burns. She has to learn new terms like "activities of daily living (ADLs)," “heterotrophic ossification," "microstomia-prevention apparatus," and "donor sites.” As a highly capable professional, Pell thrives on control and having the most knowledge.

Context

• Family members often play a critical role in the recovery...

In This Altered Body Summary The Legal Battles and Investigations Concerning the Incident

This section reviews the investigative process following the incident and the legal battles to determine the cause and to assign fault to those responsible for maintaining the plane.

The Writer's Frustration With Lack of Impartial Aviation Investigation

Pell expresses her disdain that the National Transportation Safety Board failed to investigate, the Bahamian aviation authorities' ineptitude, and the appalling attempts by her first attorney to determine fault and responsibility for the crash. She is outraged by the blatant assumptions made by the lawyers and the mismanaged investigation.

Bahamian Investigation Deemed Superficial and Lacking Key Evidence and Witnesses

The United States NTSB handed the investigation off to the Bahamian CAAB. The Bahamian investigation is superficial, and numerous crucial pieces of evidence and eyewitness testimony are absent. Furthermore, the report produced by Bahamian officials has many inaccuracies, like the wrong date!

Practical Tips

• Develop a mindset for effective jurisdictional awareness by mapping out who has authority in different scenarios in your life. Create a simple chart that outlines who to turn to for...

In This Altered Body Summary The Author Advocates and Seeks Meaning Through Participation in the Phoenix Society

This section demonstrates how Pell finds inspiration and direction to help her give her life purpose and meaning after such devastating losses. It describes her involvement with both regional and national organizations dedicated to improving the well-being of people who have survived burns and others.

Pell Discovers Phoenix Society, Finds Motivation in Mission

Pell attends her first Phoenix Society’s World Burn Congress (WBC) where she finds inspiration in the stories of people who survived burns. She makes new friends and learns about the Phoenix Society's mission, goals, and programs. She also attends the American Burn Association (ABA) conferences, where she shares insights about patient perspectives on burn care. She is astonished to discover that most of the medical and rehabilitation specialists don't know about burn survivors’ psychological and emotional needs after discharge.

Pell Joins NC Jaycee Burn Center Board, Aids In Developing Aftercare Program

Pell is selected for the advisory board of the NC Jaycee Burn Center and contributes to developing and financing an outstanding program for aftercare that focuses on meeting the emotional and psychological...

In This Altered Body Summary The Writer's Relationships and Romantic Connection Afterward

Pell discusses her search for love and the disappointment with romances following the accident and death of her fiancé. She explains her initial hesitance to date anyone who wasn't a burn survivor because she doesn't think a “normal-looking” man could accept her changed appearance. She credits her family and friends, specifically her sister and mother, and the new love of her life, CH, for helping her get through those challenging years.

Struggle With New Relationships After Accident

Pell shares the painful realization that she picked the wrong romantic partners. After her divorce from her first love from college, her second marriage had ended because of adultery. But because of her experiences in long-distance romances, the author decides she is open to the possibility of love with a man who has not survived burns and whose appearance isn't marked by disfigurement.

The Writer's Frustrations With Distant Relationships

This section outlines specific challenges typical of relationships over a distance when priorities, opinions, and viewpoints aren't reconcilable.

Other Perspectives

• Proximity does not guarantee aligned priorities; even in close...