Home at Last!

I finally arrived safe and sound to Catania last Friday to a warm welcoming and a cold crisp Blue Moon Beer at the Airport. It was great to see my mom and a few friends upon my arrival to combat free soil!

The last few days have flown by with adjusting back to a somewhat 'normal' life and routine, and showing my mom around the tourist spots of the Island. So far we have done Mt. Etna, Taoromina, the beach and the market. Tomorrow we leave for Venice to board our cruise ship for 1 week! Can't wait for a true vaca :)

A Few Final Thoughts from Kandahar

My trauma team at the 80's throwback end of tour BBque

Well the countdown has moved to simply 1 hand of numbers before I leave. Goodbyes have started and new fresh faces have arrived to take our places. My time has been bittersweet, but I can understand why the military typically sends us out for just 6 months. I made a list of thoughts that are my own, and some colleagues;

Things I miss the most:

♥ A space I call my own

♥ Privacy and not being surrounded by people 24/7

♥ Colors of flowers, trees, blue skies

♥ My pets; Molly and Mercedes

♥ My family (even if I do live in another country from them normally)

♥ Wearing what I want, when I want

♥ Cooking!!!

♥ Fresh produce!!!
The First EnRouteCare Flight team in Afghanistan

Things I will miss the most;

☪ The people...95% have been awesome to work with! I will miss them greatly

☪ My beeper

☪ ...Just kidding about #2

☪ Flying in Helo's (yeah, I did that, and no, no one knew this...now my parents and everyone else does)
Me awaiting a flight on the FlightLine

☪ Hockey every Monday! And dominating the boys!

If you look close, its 123 degrees and we are out there playing hard!

Things I WILL NOT miss;

☹ Rocket attacks several times a week

☹ Wearing my Kevlar for ground attacks and changes in dress code

☹ My weapon

☹ My beeper...which I even brought to the bathroom
Our last ground attack...wearing this get up home :(

A few final, deeper thoughts;

✭To the families of the wounded: We did everything we could. You have the hard job ahead of you of helping your soldier heal. I wish you well.

✭ To the families of the dead: We did everything we could. Your soldier received the best care possible. We treated them as we would our own son or daughter. I can't begin to imagine your pain. I am so sorry. I truly will never forget those we lost under my team's care, those names I can too easily share.

✭ Most people here are more affected when someone from their own country is injured or killed. When a child is injured or killed, everybody hurts.

✭ I went to Kandahar in 2010. I saw many horrible things. I saw many good things. I will never forget this place.

✭ Simply put, this has been the most professionally rewarding experience of my life.

✭ Simply put, I would gladly accept a less rewarding experience for just one less injured soldier or child.

I will of course continue this blog, but my next write up should be from Kuwait or hopefully Sigonella!!!! Thank you to everyone who has sent e-mail, mail, care packages, etc...Its kept my spirits up though some tougher times!

Ciao Ciao till next time ✻

ScatterBrain

Over the last few weeks for one reason or another I have been slowing becoming more scatter brained. I don't know if its the thoughts running through my mind of getting back to reality in a few weeks, being able to drink beer, wear what I want and not be attached to my pager like its my left hip, or what. I have unfortunately lost 2 items of monetary value in the laundry. May my I pod and brand spanking new (poohy!) camera rest in piece in laundry heaven. My Id's, keys and back up camera are a constant chase as well. Thank-fully my co-workers keep me in check : )

Today was the Chiefs Run 5K for new CPO selectees and current Chiefs also. With the urging of myself (aka team momma) my Trauma Team and I ran the race. Though we ran at various paces, we all finished together at the end; crossing the finish line 4 times. Made me proud : ) As the other 4 had never ran a race period, let alone a 5K in Afghanistan.

In the next few weeks I will move into tents and then depart theater. Hard to believe as time has passed quickly, but the events we experienced were extra ordinary. Bittersweet time for all of us. I will miss many of the people I have enjoyed the journey, and will be happy to finalize a separation with those who have been and made things more challenging for me. To each their own, and soon our own will truly be ours!

Happy Belated (by a day) Birthday to my brother Moe! Damn, you are old! hehehe...Love you!

Till next time...

Few and Far Between

Due to some suspicions from our command, its been in my best interest to not post any more, if very few, blog posts. Seems as though as the end draws near the rules are being bent in some people's opinions. I have removed some context in my blogs as to respect these rules and not tamper with the potential of further reprimand. Personally I had thought my blog was very benign, but I would much rather error on the side of too safe and sure.

I will post a few picks as I can, but more than likely most will be towards the end of the tour after I leave. Rumor has it a few more weeks, but I am in no big rush. As I have said before its been a great challenge and rewarding experience here.

On a good note, I am looking forward to a 7 night cruise with my Mom in September from Venice to Croatia and the Greek Isles. Should be a great time and I look forward to seeing family soon!

And as I have wrote in an e-mail; we move into tents soon and the time has come for no more packages please! The letter, e-mails, care packages and support has been overwhelming at times and I thank everyone who sent things!!! It was always like Christmas to get a care package or letter :)

Until next time, Ciao Ciao!

En Shalla

En Shalla is a term that the Afganni's use often as a way to say "its Gods will". They say this about life, death and work ethic! Its becoming our motto a bit as well at work as we've had an increase in severity of injuries and decrease in survivability from these catastrophic, as we call them, injuries. I am not numb to the deaths, but they are all becoming too familiar of a process. We do all we can to help out the young men who come in, as their medics have in the field as well, but sometimes "its God's will" to take them all too soon.

On a happier note, one of my favorite corspman (and the one who teases me the most) HM2 Jones, became a father. I was honored to raise the flag to fly on the day of his son's birth, and in true fashion- rocking the grass skirt, as it was also the day of our latest party. This month's theme was Hawaiian luau to include local goats, chickens and na'an bread. Although we did have to retire the pool (it blew a hole), it was another successful MWR endeavor.
Raising the Flag on the 16th
HM2 Jones, Myself, CAPT Lucha and LCDR Burns, the party planners

The US Navy and military in general, is extremely strict on uniform guidance while back home and here in theater. This includes only official Navy PT gear, with a glow belt (otherwise you get a ticket....yes a flippin ticket), and you can sit in the sun, however no rolling of the sleeves or shorts or you may cause the whole group to have to wear the very warm and thick Desert Cammie Uniform we wear at work. As we live in NATO barracks, there are other nations with other rules for clothing and thus explains the next picture. You might think these gentleman were on a beach in Europe if they weren't lying on rocks with barb wire fences within feet. Now, these aren't the good looking buff guys you want to look at. In true Euro fashion, they are fat, hairy and wear inappropriate swimsuits. Ick! This is the view from the stairs;

Until next time...with just 5 weeks to go, En Shalla and Ciao Ciao :)

Time sweet Time

Congratulations Julie and Joe!

Congratulations to my cousin Julie and Joe who just got married this past weekend. Though of course I could not be there, she made a true to life cut out of myself and brought it around. "Cardboard Stacy" got down and drank too much so I am told :) Thanks Jules; it was a special surprise for my absence. Thank goodness for skype as well, it made the ability to see and talk to her while she got ready. Which in turn made me sadder since I was missing, but it was priceless to be there for a part of her big day.

The clock is ticking! Our replacements have checked into processing this past week and they are due to arrive by mid August! This means I should be leaving by the end of next month. Time has really flown by, and I have enjoyed my time, but as the tempo has increased and injuries become much more severe, I will surely be ready to turn over to the next group of fresh energized folk.

Part of what we do around here to keep ourselves sane and entertained is to have people send things to break it up. For the 4th we had silly glasses, stickers, ribbon and garb, and this past week one of my friends, Cayce, who is stationed in Japan had her friend send her Kimono's, so a few of us sat outside and entertained ourselves and some of our colleagues I am sure got some good laughs too :)

Breaking the Monotony

Well until next time, take care, hope you are all enjoying the summer fun and heat (its still well over 115 every day here). Ciao Ciao!

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 :)