Governor Carcieri traveled to two Massachusetts hospitals yesterday and
visited the families of some of the most severely burned victims of last
week's deadly nightclub fire.
Accompanied by his wife, Sue, Carcieri met with relatives of seven
victims who are being treated at Shriners Hospital for Children in
Boston and UMASS Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
At about 9 a.m., Carcieri joined Massachusetts Governor Romney at
Shriners Hospital, where doctors are treating three victims, all of whom
are listed in critical condition.
The governors talked for about an hour with relatives of the three and
offered support and encouragement, as the families continue to hold
bedside vigils and wait, hope and pray for recovery.
Carcieri thanked hospital personnel and commended them for their
service. He also thanked Romney for his state's help in responding to
the disaster.
"This has been very much a shared tragedy," Carcieri said later. "We
bore the brunt of this . . . but this is a tragedy that affects both
states. The medical community's response has been outstanding, [it's]
astounding almost that we haven't lost anyone."
This was the second trip Carcieri has made to Massachusetts hospitals.
On Tuesday night, the governor visited families and spoke with victims
at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's Hospitals, where 15
patients remain hospitalized. So far, Carcieri said, 34 of the 96
victims have been identified as Massachusetts residents.
A spokesman for Shriners Hospital said this was the first time in its
80-year history that adult patients have been admitted. Shriners
specializes in burn care and generally treats patients under 18. The
hospital temporarily changed its policy in 2001 following the 9/11
terrorist attack, although no patients were treated at the hospital.
Shriners opened its doors to adults again last week as Rhode Island
hospitals filled with burn victims.
Later in the morning, Carcieri traveled to UMASS Memorial Medical
Center's University Campus in Worcester, where three men and one woman
remain in critical condition.
After meeting with victims' families and hospital personnel, Carcieri
said that he was impressed with the care the four patients are receiving.
"It's been a great effort," he said. "These cases require intensive
amounts of medical attention, and the families can't say enough in
praise [of it]. They know they are being cared for."
Family members of one victim, Craig Ballard, 41, of Plainfield, Conn.,
told reporters that they were holding a vigil at the hospital, praying
for Ballard's recovery.
During the coming weeks, heavily sedated patients will be kept alive
with the help of machines and doctors will battle potentially deadly
infections.
"You've got these families who are here for the long haul and living on
the edge until patients are out of the woods," said Cheryl Oliveri, a
hospital social worker. "That's not going to happen in a week. It's very
tiring."
As Carcieri spoke with reporters in Worcester, he also appeared weary.
But he said he would follow the example set by victims' families.
"If you want to find strength, if you want to find spirit, you look to
the families," he said. "We've got a job to do."
