Weddings, VIPs, and Explosives

Yesterday was Wedding Day..got to watch the wedding with the Brits...wow!!! lol
Also had visit from a bunch a VIPS which is always lots of fun (not) ..see pic. Also something about suicide bomber explosives etc at Leathreneck...hummm...time to get weapon out of storage i think

The Luckiest Person in Afghanistan

Ok so we have this list: The Luckiest Person in Afghanistan. It has grown pretty big and there are alot of entries on it. However one does stand out.
This one particular person was shot in right side of chest with...yes rifle bullet...it went thru his chest and into his mediastinum. It managed to miss EVERYTHING, heart, great vessels, trachea, esophagus. It came to lie less then 1mm from the aorta!

Bad Days and Tennis and Dog Walking

It has been some very bad days here. Sat was especially bad for the USMC, we had numerous deaths and 3 very badly injured marines come in, and to top the day off had a VIGIL for Capt Lisa Jade Head, a female EOD officer. She did come to Cmp Bastion and then was flow home and died after getting back home to Britain. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13139980
Sunday we had 8 local nationals come in and yesterday several children with bad injuries from IEDs including two with lower extremity amputations.
But things go on here. Today I got to hit some tennis balls with my "partner" fellow Brit Surgeon on our "clay court"...well actually our Afgan dust court. . And for Easter Sunday several of us got up early and had a "dog walk". Pic is of my British partner surgeon taking a with his "pup". I got to walk Skype again. I wonder if I can pack him in my seabag when I am going home!!!The dogs are great therapy.

HAPPY EASTER!!! and...OUR NEW MOTO

Well I hope everyone at home is having a most excellent Easter with family and friends. It hasn't been a great weekend here; yesterday was really bad and today not so good either. But rather than focus on that I want to introduce our new Camp Bastion Role 3 Hospital Moto: STRENGTH THRU REST!!!!

The Jingly Shops

Finally after like 5 months here did make it over to Bastion 2 which is the Dutch Camp. And of course they have their own versions of the Jungly Shops. These are pretty much ubiquitous in ISAF bases I would imagine.  You can buy "Afgan" stuff here....hummm.  Rugs are a big item.  You definitely feel like a tourist shopping in these!

Friends and Departures

There was the change of command (flag) ceremony today (see pic). Basically all the US Navy that our small group has worked with for the last 5 1/2 months will leave tomorrow and all the Brits we have worked with for the last 3+ months will be leaving Thurs. We are happy for those going home but way sad to see our friends depart.

Bristish Solider Dogs!!!

Played a little "hookie" this morning and went with British doc to "walk the dogs". The Brits have it set up so that you can come over early in the morning and walk one of their dogs and even play a little. They have A LOT of dogs of varying breeds and what they do. I got to walk SKYPE a sniffer dog.  Get to walk them out of the compound then into big open area. SKYPE loved the attention and was just a super friendly dog. Was great fun  :)

Bastion and the 3/5

As I said the 3/5 is heading home. This is a picture of the US Navy contingent presenting a US flag flown over Bastion Role 3 in honor of the 3/5 to the Commander of that unit.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/04/marines-homecoming-camp-pendleton-.html

The 3/5 Goes Home

We had what many of the US Navy personnel here consider the most important visit of the tour.  LtCol Jason Morris Commanding Officer of the 3/5 came to the hospital to give his thanks to Bastion Hospital for taking care of his men that were wounded.  I think for us all it was a true honor to meet him.  As I have said in the blog the 3/5 and Bastion, especially the current US Navy Unit have a strong connection since they both arrived about the same time in Afghanistan.  Bastion has taken care of pretty much all their wounded and we have felt a tight bond. The 3/5 has started to head home as is the Navy Unit here. I know for me a tight memory of this deployment will be the courage of the 3/5. I did receive a 3/5 coin from the commander. It means more than any medal or coin or other honor.

New Herrick: Hospital Change Over

We are in the midst of the turnover for the hospital...all the Brits are turning over and we now will be Herrick 14!  Even more depressing the largest part of the US Navy contingent at the hospital will also be turning over. Only are relatively small group will be left.  It is very weird. Pic is of the "old group" of DOCS. This is second pic now our group has been part of. I am on end left

Kids

It does seem so surreal here at times...like one long MASH episode without HOTLIPS or the still :(
It has been very busy with kids. We have part of our ward filled with "little" patients AND their siblings.  Pic is of one of our Orthopods and one of our :little "charges"...both resting in the doctors lounge.

Busy

This place has been called the busiest trauma center in the world.. I never really belived that...but after last week I think it might be true. We did 150 some odd operative hours for the week, which makes it an average of 20+ hours per day. Everyone was tired and we were all getting a little cranky! Things do come along and help get you in a better mood. For me it was Guss

Guss was actually a patient. He was in a fight and had to get a CT Scan. So he came here and got one!  Was still a little woosie from the sedation for the scan but we all got to pet and play a little with him..super friendly dog even sonked. He ended up being ok. His handler was really good with all us around him. I don't think he realized how good therapy the dog was for us.