Happy 4th of July!

Corey and I

Happy 4th of July!!! Well this year I am missing the annual Syrstad Cornhole tournament (which my father annihilates all other competitors time and time again)...its not the first year to miss, but its the most bittersweet 4th of July being here. When I think of the National Anthem as it was sang this morning before the 10k, I couldn't help but hope NOT to have “the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air” today on America’s birthday. The Taliban seems to love our American and Christian Holidays and thus far, as of 11:43 am, they are behaving themselves. We all brace for the busy day that could still become and pray for the safe missions of our men and women doing the tough jobs out past the wire.
Corey, Tim, Franchi, Kelly, Me, CAPT Lucha

So I ran my first race in many, many months this morning. A 10K hosted by the Army’s 43rd Sustainment Brigade. It was an impressive turn out of over 850 people and it was a very motivating start to the day at a bright and early 0515! It was different to run a race with tanks and humvees driving next to and past us, but all in all it was a great time with some of my awesome co-workers from the hospital. When I got to work it was time to fly the 75+ flags we sold for MWR bragging the rights of being flown over Kandahar Air Field on the 4th. Thanks to over 15 volunteers, we folded these flags in short order and with great pride.
HM1 Barb Mayer and HM3 Roger Nottingham (my new coprsman)

My new trauma team and I started to work together for the first time on the first of July and we sure have had a run for our money. Many of the things I hadn’t seen before came through our door, all in all, it was a great learning experience for my corpsman (Barb and Roger) and our new doctor (Shane). The 34 patients we had come through trauma in just 24 hours was a record for our facility and surely for all personnel. With this new team I also had my 2 of my 3 total deaths in the trauma bay since I have been here. It lightens the emotion knowing they were both “bad guys”. We pay the same cultural respect at the time of death regardless, but a death certificate is something that is becoming all to familiar.

Enjoy your beer's and say a little prayer for all those soliders, sailors and marines who have, and continue to risk it all for our homestead we call the USA :)

Ciao Ciao till next time :)