It was time to celebrate, Ryan started walking, it was the 4th of October 2001 he was 18 months old. Ryan's stepfather and I were married on the 6th October 2001 we went on our honey moon to Geelong.

Our family including both sets of Grandparents celebrate Australia day with the Naval club of Mount Gambier, we always attend the march and then go back to the club rooms for mixing. The weekend had just ended we were heading into a new week and a new year hoping it would be a good one.

It was Wednesday the 30th January we had a very busy day of shopping as we always do on Wednesdays. Steven works nights so he is always at work around tea time except for the weekends. We had decided that we would have a very easy tea of chicken nuggets and chips ( I always did these in our deep fryer at the time) we never thought our easy tea would or could turn to disaster!!!!! I had put the deep fryer on and then retrieved the nuggets and chips out of our freezer. I said to Ryan "time for you to hop into your high chair bubby" as he was and still is called. He said "no I want to be a big boy like Khyron (Ryan's Big Brother) and sit at the table on the big chair mummy". I let him sit at the table.

At this stage the deep fryer was hot enough to put the chips into so I put them in, stepped over to the cupboard with the plates in it, which is only two steps away from the deep fryer. Ryan had with out me seeing him ducked through into the kitchen from the dinning room. He had started to pull the deep fryer down, I was on top of him by then and saw what was happening and was trying to stop it from happening. There was very little I could do as it was so hot and was already unstable, Ryan was faced on to the Fryer at this point, as I was trying to stop it from happening I was also trying to get him away from there but with no luck, I at least got him turned to one side and then the fryer was on the floor.

I have never before and would never again like to hear the SCREAMS that followed. I raced Ryan to the bath room and got in the cold shower with him cloths and all....I said to my self we have to get to hospital and as you aren't thinking straight I said to Khyron "can you get mummy's Mobile phone for her" ( Khyron was only 30 Months old at the time there is twelve months and four days between the older boys). Whilst still in the shower, I rang My father in law and my mother in law answered the phone, I said is Dad home she said yes get Dad to come out here now we need to get to hospital Ryan has been burnt. I didn't even think my mother lived closer at the time and we also have Ambulance cover as well.

My father in law arrived after what seemed like hours and we rushed to hospital. It was 6pm when we arrived at hospital they were very concerned for Ryan's life and had organised for us to be airlifted through to Adelaide at the women's and children's hospital. They told us if he made it through it would be 10 30 pm when the retrieval team arrived.

We had a very confusing time at the Mt hospital waiting for things to happen. My husband was at work, my father in law rang hubbies boss so, that hubby could come to hospital as at night hubby works by him self. Hubby got a call from his Dad saying as soon as your boss gets there you better get your self to hospital he did not know who was in there or why.

When hubby walked in he almost fell over, because Ryan had no cloths on by this stage and you could see where he had been burnt, it didn't smell very good either. Then we hadn't even contacted my mum, we are as close as close can be, things just slip your mind when accidents happen. Hubby (Steven) rang my mum and said "can you come and say good by to Ryan at the hospital because he may not make it through to Adelaide".

Mum arrived and she has seen a lot but she still broke down.... Mum said she new something had happened as she had been trying to contact me about something, I can't remember what that was and because she couldn't get hold of me she was worried.

The ambulance arrived to take us through to Adelaide, I said good by to my 30 month old son, told him to be a good boy for his nanna, and that I loved him and would see him as soon as Ryan was a bit better. Steven and his parents were traveling up after we left in the ambulance. Once we arrived at the hospital we went into resus because they were a bit concerned that Ryan may have swallowed some fat as his lips were burnt and they wanted to check down his airways. Lucky that he hadn't or they said things, would have been even more complicated than they were.

Ryan kept on coming in and out of consciousness and was unconscious once we got on the plane and never became conscious again until we arrived at the hospital in Adelaide. Once we got into the ward and Ryan was unconscious again I went out to ring Steven and let them know what was going on. They were in a real hurry to get there, so that we could take split shifts so some one was with him at all times.

I didn't want to leave the poor little man. I knew I would have to so that I could be strong for him. All the nurses kept telling me that you are always smiling we have never seen you up set about this, why not. I told them that if I'm not strong for Ryan in front of him, who will be, I'm not like this when I'm away from him.

more to come later