I'm sorry to hear that this is happening.
I started wearing a leather apron a few years ago and it has saved my chest from having scars, at least. It was a cheapy $13 suede apron that I bought online from a welder's supply store, I think.
I just lately starting preheating a lot of my rods...it seemed like too much trouble a couple of years ago, but I'm getting pretty tired of rods exploding, too.
Makes me glad I have a lot of old glass.
I'll still probably buy some new colors, but I haven't bought glass in a while anyway, due to budgetary restrains, shall we say. And I really don't NEED any more glass, except for some Reichenbach colors that I'm running low on.
I'll second and third the recommendation for Reichenbach and Gaffer! I've really been digging the Reichenbach lately, especially Iris Dark Brown, Multicolor Dark and Purple Rose. The glass is so nice to work with, too.