Ch..Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes

It’s been a week of changes. We said goodbye to the Danish team and welcomed aboard the Dutch team. I also have a change coming tomorrow, I’m one year older at 41 but I still feel like I’m in my 20’s, thanks in no small part to Shayna! Haha. I’m sure that this new group of medical professionals will be just as good as any of us here, one team one fight! Ron and I ran the Peachtree 10K today the 4th of July, it’s the same race that takes place in Georgia, same bib numbers and everything. Well Ron ran it, I ran .5 miles and twisted my #$@%$% ankle again! Not good. Our bibs have Afghanistan written on them, I’ll keep that one. No medals were awarded, but we get t-shirts and you can’t beat a t-shirt.

The first picture for this blog is me holding a bullet that was removed from a patient, non-coalition which is good. I’ve accumulated about 28.5 hours of scrub time so far and have even done a couple of external fixations, I’m loving it. I told Shayna that I’m thinking about going for the first assist certification (RNFA) when I get back. Okay Chris you can say I told you so at any time! Chris is my buddy from Lemoore that tried to convince me to work on the cert several times while we worked together.

The second picture is of me holding my birthday present from the Danish team. It says that I’m the best US OR nurse on Kandahar Airfield, it’s funny because I’m the ONLY US OR nurse in Kandahar! Haha. Thanks guys!

I wanted to officially say goodbye to Janine, Bodil, Sasha, Harriet, and Dr. Nielsen, Dr. Sorensen and Dr. Truxoe from the Danish team. Guys, Jere and I showed up at the terminal at 1945 and you had already checked in. We couldn’t get in to see you and I apologize. I hope you had a good flight and Jannie be safe in Bastien. Hopefully Shayna will get stationed overseas with the Air Force or Army and we’ll make a trip up to Denmark to visit. Take care and we miss you already!
Speaking of Shayna, she is doing really well. She is now in Wisconsin getting first class care from Mary and Larry, her mother and father. Mohinder (the cat) is now in Wisconsin staying with Larry, both the cat and Larry are having a lot of fun! Larry was actually in California with us when we initially picked the cat up, so they are long lost buddies reunited! Haha.

CASES:

28 JUN: 1. Abdominal wound closure. 2. Abdominal wound closure and colostomy placement. 3. Abdominal wound washout and closure. 4. Groin washout and closure, bullet retrieval. 5. Right ear repair.

30 JUN: 1. Maxillary splint. 2. External fixation right leg, closure of hip wound. 3. Appendectomy.

2 JUL: 1. Tracheostomy. 2. ORIF mandibular fracture.

3 JUL: 1. Open reduction internal fixation maxilla fracture, left eye orbital plate placement. 2. External fixation left femur, left patella repair, left shoulder washout. 3. Open reduction internal fixation left ankle fracture, washout right hand (open wound right index finger). 4. Lip repair. 5. Repair of facial laceration, repair left foot fracture, fasciotomy (sp?).

So that’s about it for this week. Been very steady but nothing overwhelming yet! Stressing the “yet” part. We get to our ½ way point coming up soon, can’t wait for that, finally over the hill on the downward slope. Time is flying by and I hope it continues. Shayna I love and miss you very much, everyone else take care and I’ll be seeing you.
Dave