<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>MP in festive spirit despite burns
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jermyn Chow
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Mr Seng has been writing Chinese New Year cards to prevent his hands from becoming stiff after skin graft surgery. -- ST FILE PHOTO
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->YIO Chu Kang MP Seng Han Thong, who was set on fire at a community event on Jan 11, is well enough to get into the spirit of Chinese New Year, even though he will not be home for reunion dinner on Sunday.
Despite severe burns to his face, chest and arms, the 59-year-old has signed New Year cards for the doctors and nurses tending to him at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) as well as for his friends.
The writing exercises are part of his treatment to aid recovery from two skin grafts and are designed to prevent his hands from becoming 'stiff', his family said in a statement yesterday.
Friends who visited Mr Seng yesterday said the MP was in good spirits and walking around his ward.
Mr Seng, who is married with two children, was moved from the SGH's intensive care unit to a high-dependency ward on Sunday, after being taken off a respirator.
His family said yesterday that he is alert, progressing well and able to 'feed himself slowly'.
Mr Seng could be discharged early next month at the earliest, according to estimates based on the normal recovery times for burns victims.
Even so, he will - like other burns victims - face a long road to recovery.
His recovery process will include weekly check-ups and therapy, and possibly corrective surgery to get rid of thick scar tissue, said Associate Professor Colin Song, head of SGH's Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.
He is one of the five doctors treating Mr Seng.
Prof Song says grafted skin usually takes six to 12 months to stabilise, during which the life of a burns victim 'may not be business as usual'.
Besides having to wear pressure garments to stop scarring of the grafted skin from becoming worse, burns victims must spend less time outdoors to avoid exposing the new skin to sunlight.
Mr Seng was burned by a man who poured thinner on him before setting him alight at a grassroots event at the Yio Chu Kang Community Club.
Chu Sheng Temple chairman Aw Chui Seng also suffered burns - albeit less severe - when he tried to douse the flames on the MP's body.
He, too, underwent a skin graft operation at SGH, and was discharged on Wednesday. Mr Aw's wife has declined to say anything other than that he is recovering well at home.
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jermyn Chow
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Mr Seng has been writing Chinese New Year cards to prevent his hands from becoming stiff after skin graft surgery. -- ST FILE PHOTO
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->YIO Chu Kang MP Seng Han Thong, who was set on fire at a community event on Jan 11, is well enough to get into the spirit of Chinese New Year, even though he will not be home for reunion dinner on Sunday.
Despite severe burns to his face, chest and arms, the 59-year-old has signed New Year cards for the doctors and nurses tending to him at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) as well as for his friends.
The writing exercises are part of his treatment to aid recovery from two skin grafts and are designed to prevent his hands from becoming 'stiff', his family said in a statement yesterday.
Friends who visited Mr Seng yesterday said the MP was in good spirits and walking around his ward.
Mr Seng, who is married with two children, was moved from the SGH's intensive care unit to a high-dependency ward on Sunday, after being taken off a respirator.
His family said yesterday that he is alert, progressing well and able to 'feed himself slowly'.
Mr Seng could be discharged early next month at the earliest, according to estimates based on the normal recovery times for burns victims.
Even so, he will - like other burns victims - face a long road to recovery.
His recovery process will include weekly check-ups and therapy, and possibly corrective surgery to get rid of thick scar tissue, said Associate Professor Colin Song, head of SGH's Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.
He is one of the five doctors treating Mr Seng.
Prof Song says grafted skin usually takes six to 12 months to stabilise, during which the life of a burns victim 'may not be business as usual'.
Besides having to wear pressure garments to stop scarring of the grafted skin from becoming worse, burns victims must spend less time outdoors to avoid exposing the new skin to sunlight.
Mr Seng was burned by a man who poured thinner on him before setting him alight at a grassroots event at the Yio Chu Kang Community Club.
Chu Sheng Temple chairman Aw Chui Seng also suffered burns - albeit less severe - when he tried to douse the flames on the MP's body.
He, too, underwent a skin graft operation at SGH, and was discharged on Wednesday. Mr Aw's wife has declined to say anything other than that he is recovering well at home.
