Birthday in Iraq

As some of you know, my birthday was yesterday. I want to thank everyone for their email's and lets I've spent birthday's away from my wife and my family before. OBC was one occasion. Just like in OBC I spend my day in the heat and then at night with some close friends. The only difference was that OBC was in San Antonio and I was able to hit the bars and throw some darts. This time around I'm in Iraq and ate dining hall food and went back to a tent. But, on the high note, I spent it with my good friends and we had a great time just sitting back and eating some cake. Just like in the civilian world, in the Army, getting something that you need and don't have, comes down to who you know. My friends know people. They got me a whole lemon cake AND had it decorated. They are truly great friends. I made the coffee and it was an event. On top of that, my lovely wife made a few mini cakes, packed them in mason jars ( I still don't know how she did it) with some frosting tubs, plates and napkins. The cake was moist and delicious. So, Dee, cake was amazing and people want to know how you did it.

In other news we had our first big sand storm about a week ago. I had been indoors all day and heard the wind pick up, but I was shocked to walk out of my clinic and see the world all orange. It wasn't how I'd think of a sand storm. It didn't pelt my face like rain, but left a chalky film on my skin and tongue. If it weren't for the color of the atmosphere, you wouldn't know it was a sand storm. Below I'm posting a sand storm photo (no filter used to get that color, honest) and a pic of me with the party spread (minus the coffee). Enjoy and Happy Easter.

Patients, patience, and some photos

Wow, Another month down. Time goes fast by the day and the month. The hours seem to creep as well as the weeks. I think that part of this has to do with treating some of the patients here drain you mentally. It's not that they are difficult cases, but more along the lines of difficult people. Patients that come with pre existing conditions, and attitudes that you can do no right and never please them. Some of them come with conditions that would be difficult to treat with the resources in the rear (back CONUS), let alone out here in the field environment. It's easy to become bitter towards them and resent having to wake in the morning to deal with their bad attitudes and thanklessness. You wouldn't expect that from soldiers, but it is a common theme. BUT, on the upside, there are the rare few who want to get back to the fight and truly appreciate what physical therapy can bring to them. Even a slight improvement and the fact that I am here to help them makes them leave thanking me. It's like that one Par in a round of golf plagued with double and triple bogie's. That one hole brings you back the next day to try again. I do have to say that having my own clinic is grand and I have seen some crazy things out here, and have been able to make decisions that ultimately influenced the Doc to write up a Med-Evac request to get a guy home for surgery.

I guess one of the reason's I write this passage tonight is because we reflected and discussed a bit of this at the Semi-Annual PT Conference in Baghdad for therapists and techs in the OIF theater of operations. It was amazing to see Saddam's main palace (where you aren't allowed to take photos), where the current US Embassy is located and seeing how opulent the interior is and how insane Saddam must have been to have spent his country's money on himself instead of the supporting the impoverished lands surrounding all of his palaces. I have was in Baghdad for a bout 4 days and enjoyed the networking and lectures immensely. In fact, I am one of 3 other therapists who are planning the Fall Conference. We are excited and hope to bring an even greater element of learning to this conference.

Well, I'm going to post a few pictures that I've taken since the mud in February. It's hard to post more than 2-3 at a time due to how slow the connection is. I will post more in a week or so, due to the lack of anything to write about around here in the last 4 weeks.

The first two photos are going to be of the lands between Kalsu and Iskan taken from the Blackhawk Helicopter that flew me back from my other clinic at FOB Iskan in late February. The third is a photo of a palace by the Tigris River taken while on my ride back from Baghdad. Enjoy and post comments or write me if you have questions.
10.5 months left.