OU Health Burn Unit Helps Blanchard Couple Recover After Explosive Crash

A Blanchard husband and wife are back home after a distracted driver hit their jeep. The crash left them with severe burns. The skilled medical team at OU Health helped them begin their long road toward recovery. 

Plastic surgeons at OU Health work on some of the most painful and damaging injuries. They strive to restore some aspects of normalcy to patients’ lives while healing their sense of hope.  

A routine action, like a walk in the park with the grandkids, can feel like a miracle after several weeks inside a hospital. Joey Pettijohn and her husband Dustin absorbed every moment and every ray of sunlight because everything nearly went dark.  

“It’s very nice to get out,” said Joey Pettijohn, walking with her family at Lions Park in Blanchard. 

 Last May, near Blanchard, a distracted driver hit Pettijohn’s Jeep and it exploded. 

“We had slowed down to turn, and some kid just wasn’t paying attention,” Pettijohn said.  

Few words can describe their injuries. The Pettijohn’s were left with third-degree burns that required several surgeries and about a month in the hospital. 

“That’s the worst part – the after,” Dustin Pettijohn said. 

OU Health trauma burn coordinator Denni Wilson-Lowber's team treats complex injuries.  

“Probably the most painful thing you would endure,” Wilson-Lowber said. 

Joey Pettijohn’s injuries landed her at OU Health – a level one trauma center – where Plastic Surgeon Dr. Guilherme Barreiro went to work. 

“The responsibility is something that actually touches you,” Barreiro said. “You feel like you are giving back.” 

These doctors and nurses help heal the body and the mind. Wilson-Lowber said the psychological toll from burn injuries can be just as detrimental to a patient. 

“It’s very emotional,” Wilson-Lowber said. 

Their efforts brought the Pettijohn family back together. 

 “We’ve learned how to help each other out,” Pettijohn said. 

Life moves slower, but they’re grateful they’re living life again.

Pettijohn refused to live in fear so, she bought another Jeep.  

“If you ride a horse and you fall off, you get right back on,” she said. “We’re gonna keep going.” 

Pettijohn said she has shifted her perspective so she could see the miracles all around her. 

“Don’t take things for granted,” Pettijohn said. 

The Pettijohns have a long recovery ahead with the severity of their injuries, but they have healed the way doctors hoped so far.

Pettijohn said she encourages other drivers to be mindful on the road and pay attention.