LONG'S CONDITION UPGRADED AT ST. LOUIS HOSPITAL

The condition of Terry Long, 71, of Cape Girardeau, has improved considerably, said a close friend of the family and a business associate of Long's.

"He's much better," the friend said. "But he's got a lot more to go through before he'll be out of the woods."

Long received first-, second- and third-degree burns over 40 percent of his body in an accident at his home on March 8. He remains hospitalized in the burn unit of St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Couer.

A spokesman at the medical center said Saturday that Long's condition was upgraded from critical to serious.

The family friend said Long underwent a skin graft on his hands three weeks ago, and received a skin graft on his chest last week. He is scheduled to receive two more surgical grafts.

Because of the severity of the injuries, Long remains heavily sedated. He cannot receive visitors, and flowers are not allowed in the sterile conditions of the burn unit.

Cards and letters are welcome. They should be addressed to: St. John's Mercy Medical Center, Attention: Burn Center, Terry Long, Room 480, 615 S. New Ballas Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63141.

The accident is believed to have occurred as Long was cleaning lawn mower parts in gasoline when he came to close to a smoldering brush fire that ignited the vapors.

Long has been an advertising account representative with KFVS-TV since 1977. Prior to that, Long was advertising director for the Southeast Missourian from 1964 to 1977.