Milwaukee nurses, physical therapist work in burn unit, share journeys
MILWAUKEE - On the fifth floor at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital, a thorough rinse can't wash away the past.
You'll find nurses Chelsea Schaefer and Hannah Stedjee, and physical therapist Courtney Waldhuetter caring for patients in the burn unit.
Their lives suddenly include more challenges.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Chelsea Schaefer, Hannah Stedjee and Courtney Waldhuetter
"Your whole life has changed now, and things are very different," said Schaefer.
They share a unique understanding with patients, because all three started here as one.
"Being able to eat on your own, being able to, you know, go to the bathroom on your own, get dressed on your own," Stedjee said. "I fell asleep next to the campfire with my sleeping bag, and it never ignited, but the nylon melted like plastic to my legs."
"I was at a bonfire where gasoline was put on," Waldhuetter said. "It blew up, and it got on my pants and my shirt, and I was in flames."
"An electrical plug from a television caught fire, and then the whole house caught fire," Schaefer said.
Chelsea Schaefer and Hannah Stedjee
Schaefer spent six weeks in an induced coma, Stedjee was admitted at the same time and Waldhuetter saw 18% of her body burned.
They all say their experience from skin graft surgeries to tough therapy sessions is what brought them back.
"I remember, I was like, 'I have to do everything, because I can't be then telling people to do these things and not having done it myself,’" Waldhuetter said.
They came back not just as employees, but as survivors.
"I really fell in love with my nurses, the treatment, and the community that helped me recover and survive," Schaefer said.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
They found their callings from their challenges.
Courtney Waldhuetter
"They gave me hope," Stedjee said. "They were the family that was here 24/7 when my family wasn't."
They now hope to lead others through their own challenges.
"I really fell in love with my nurses, the treatment, and the community that helped me recover and survive," Schaefer said. "And so, I wanted to be a part of that."
The three of them said they normally don’t share the fact that they’re survivors right away, but sometimes use their stories to uplift and inspire patients.