Bada Bing

May 12

Two of our docs, Chris Carr and Kim Smith, celebrated their birthdays Saturday at our new hang out - Bada Bing. It is a balcony type "bar" (minus the bar tender and alcohol) that is located three stories high on one of our buildings. It was such a nice night after having sandstorms all day. There was a cool breeze, good friends, cake, near beer, and cigars. What more could a deployed soldier want? Here are some pictures I hope you enjoy.

The Bada Bing Wings on the bar.

Me at the "bar".

The gang celebrating Chris's Birthday. (Front row center.)

Kicking back, waiting for my next "mafia" hit.
All you kids - the cigar and near beer are staged.

My mafia ladies and birthday girl Kim. (Center.)

Blow out your candles, Chris and Kim, before the wind does!

What's a birthday without gifts? Nice boxers, Chris!

Bada Bing from a distance. That's it under the green flag.

Is that the Temperature?

May 6

It had been steadily getting hotter and hotter during the days. Many bets were being made as to how hot it really was getting . So one of my friends decided to put his clock that had a temperature gage outside in the shade to settle the bets. Little did we know how hot it really was!! The time was noon and the temp was already 112 degrees. Whew! Bring on the Iraqi diet plan.

"Walk-In" Movies

May 2

Our morale and welfare organization has started showing outdoor movies twice a week. It reminds me of a drive in only with out the car and need for your own radio. This night I watched "Happy Feet" with my friend Harlan. He had never seen it and I just liked the music. I've tried to see a few other movies that they have had but either I get too sleepy or I get called away. I hope the nights stay cool enough to where we can enjoy going and watching them on the big screen. One of the wonderful additional things they offer is free popcorn and sodas. Now if I could just get some milk duds to mix with my popcorn I'd be set. Yum, yum.

Steal my heart

As I have already mentioned, we do see civilians here and unfortunately some are children. This little guy stole all our hearts, from his long hair (we thought he was a girl at first), chubby cheeks, and smile. A piece of mortar shrapnel found his right hand and with the help of my favorite orhtho doc here (psss...he's the only one) we were able to help him. He required several surgeries but he was a trooper.

The top picture is of him with his right handed club. Next is Harlan refering to a hand book for confirmation. And last is my favorite picture.

Iraq Critters

Recently we had our lecture on all the Iraq "wild life" in the area. This is a picture of a Fattail Scorpion that is highly venomous that some one caught in a sticky trap in their living quarters. Now before everyone freaks out, it was the old living quarters we refer to as swa huts. They are made out of plywood and have many gaps. So far our tin trailers are hole and pest free. Some of my co-workers have also come across cobra snakes but no one stayed around long enough to take a picture. We'll have to work on that.

So I am more aftraid of the critters here than the explosives. Most folks don't want to waste time with a flashlight at night going to the bathroom or shower. But I take mine and constantly sweep my path with it. I haven't come across anything but an ant or two and lets hope I don't.

Yellow Air

One afternoon after a sandstorm had come through, one of my friends took this picture of the outside. Everything was yellow looking. I guess it is a change from brown or beige but it was just so eery looking.

She Band

May 1

We had our second concert here. It was an all female band called "Bandshe". Anyone ever heard of them? They were pretty good. But you have to realize how strange it is to hear a woman singing a song that was made a hit due to the lead man singing it. The strange part is they actually sounded like the male singer. Since it happened the same day as Lew's promotion, he tried to pass it off as his "wetting down" party. Oh no you don't! Your not getting off that easy.

Nurse Corps Promotion

May 1

Everyone in the military looks forward to the day they can put on the next rank. It means several things: pay raise, more responsibility, new uniforms, and yes, let's not forget the promotion ceremony. Today one of our nurses, LCDR Lewis Dyer in an outside ceremony, was promoted by the General to CDR. Knowing my special skills with a camera, Lew asked me to video tape the ceremony for him. That's me with the camera standing off to the side. Congratulations!

Barbeque Anyone?

April 15

Well the weather was nice and we couldn't pass up the chance to get out and really enjoy it. Easter Sunday was a busy day for us so we decided to make up for it the next weekend. We all pitched in and bought steaks and chips. Grabbed a few goodies from the chow hall and proceeded to have a own little barbeque.

Across from where we work is "Hesco Beach" named after the hesco sand barriers that surround us. It has a wonderful volleyball court equipped with grill. So we got our game on! I even got out there a few times. The other times I spent sun bathing with my friend Lora or watching our Captain battle the fire on the grill. It was a great day for everyone. Well almost everyone (see the last picture).

Shopping

We have a little Hodgie store here that we can buy various items (electronics, movies, souveniers, etc ). It is unknown how they come across these items. I figure it is part of the don't ask, don't tell area. I bought my son Treys and cousin Steven birthday gifts from such a place. They were little turbans so they could see what the local men and boys wear in this country when it is warm. I hope they were able to figure out how to put them together. I had to get the "salesman" to show me how to do it.

Here is my very good friend LCDR Harland Taliaferro. He is an orthopedic surgeon and we originally met in Los Angelas during our trauma training. He is stationed in Conn. and recently he and his wife enjoyed the birth of their second child. Luckily his son was born while we were on our leave from training in Lejeune. As a matter of fact on super bowl Sunday. Many of the pictures you see are from either my camera or his. I have become his personal photographer during our OR cases. But we use those for training only.

Happy Birthday!!

Well on April 11 while I was trying to stay dry, my youngest son, Treys, turned 7 years old. Happy Birthday, baby boy!! His daddy did a great job giving him a birthday party the weekend before. He had a pool party in the back yard complete with pizza and cake. They were a little concern when the weather dropped along the east coast. But never fear, that's why we had a heater installed with the pool. Here is picture of Treys from our Texas trip last summer. It is one of my favorites.

Happy Birthday to my cousin's son, Steven, who turned 8 on April 14th. Hope you enjoy the special gift I sent.

And last but not least, my brother David celebrated his birthday on April 16th. I won't mention how old he is, but for those that know my age - he is only a year older. Happy Birthday, bro!

Rain, rain, go away

April 11

Well we had been told the rainy season was behind us but that is not true. Around 3 am, we were all awaken by the harsh rain hitting our metal roofs and the loud thunder breaking in the middle of the night. When we opened our doors the next morning this is the site we saw. Funny thing about water, it doesn't soak into hard desert ground real well. It likes to just sit there on top until the sun can evaporate it. The bad part of all this can be seen in the top pictures. The flood is in front of the bathrooms and showers. There was only one way to the toilet and that was through the water. Now for many people, going to the bathroom when you first rise is a must and I am not different. But I wasn't crazy about wading through water that came up to my shins. So I followed the water for about 2 miles - just kidding - but really I followed the water until I could get around it and came up behind the trailers and safely into it. It is easy to see why there is so much gravel here.

The last set of pictures were taken on my way to eat lunch. I included the one of me catching raindrops because I know you all can't get enough of me. That was the worse rainfall we have had so far. I'll let you know if it is the last or not.

Easter Dinner

April 8

Well I celebrated Easter by attending the morning church service immediately followed by lunch. I was looking forward to some ham and potato salad with maybe a deviled egg or two. Instead I had to settle for barbeque beef, rice, and a salad. Hey, wait a minute this is what I can get any day!! Lucky for me, Sunday lunch is more like a brunch and they serve breakfast. So I grabbed a couple of boiled eggs and a few supplies then proceeded to make some deviled eggs which I shared with one of the docs.

When dinner time came I didn't have high hopes but was I pleasantly surprised. We had ham and yams. Two of my favorite items with a glass of sparkling cider. Yes, that's right - I got a little risky and drank not one but two full glasses. Then I treated myself to apple pie a la mode which of course I had to compile myself. But best of all was sharing it with "Butter Jesus". I had to include a picture so you could fully appreciate this statue of honor. According to the rumor, it is made of styrofoam and you guessed it - BUTTER.

But what would be Easter without an Easter basket. Not having a basket, I improvised again. I especially liked the camoflage eggs and rolaids. I placed the chocolate bunny in my refrig. to have once the jelly beans run out. A big thanks goes out to all who sent items.

Easter Week - Doc's Perception

April 6

On Friday night, one of the Doc's from the Basic Aid Station (BAS)- Major Burns (don't go there MASH fans) gave a presentation/lecture on how people died physically on the cross. It was interesting to hear that the cause of death was ususally suffication. The position of the hands and feet caused the chest to be pulled tight thus making it hard to fully inhale and exhale. If the individuals being crucified took too long to die this way, they would help them along by breaking their legs causing massive blood loss in the lower extremities. This was not the case with Our Lord because he was already dead when they went to check. However, the two convicts next to him suffered this fate. To ensure Jesus was dead, they stabbed him in his side causing blood and water to escape from his wounds. Physically this is what you would see if say the staff penetrated the stomach or gallbladder.

One of the RPs made a bet with the Padre that if he could hang from the cross for 5 minutes, then the Padre would make him a real steak dinner. The doc had made a wooden cross out of 4x4s and nailed spikes probably very similiar to what was used back then to it. The RP had to grip the spikes with his hands and use his bare feet to balance on one spike below and literally hang from the spikes. The spikes were hard for him to grip because he was nervous and his hands were sweating. So we let him use some towels to help him along. You could see the sweat building up on his brow and the discomfort he was going through. He did make it the 5 minutes but he stated his entire arm muscles were extremely sore and his feet hurt from balancing on the spike. Imaging having your hands and feet nailed in place and hanging up there for 3 hours.

Easter Week - Holy Thursday

April 5

As some of you are probably aware, I do not know much about the Episcopal faith or the Catholic faith having been raised a Baptist. I know there are similarities. Any how, I attend a wonderful Baptist church at home and I go to the Protestant Services here on Sunday. However, this week I became an honorary Catholic beginning with the attendance of Holy Thursday services. It all began Thursday afternoon while working. The Padre came into the OR as he and the chaplain often do when we are working. We began chit chatting. I told him a few of the women I knew had made this 9 mile round trip hike to the lake and the single palm tree. The significance is that next to the tree are 3 crosses. They were very moved finding these during Easter week. I asked the Padre if they ever had services there during Easter Sunday. He mentioned that they do and we started talking about the different events the chapel has going on this week. One of them being Holy Thursday service and the reenactment of the last supper. Wow, I thought how exciting to attend an reenactment. I had already heard the readings and taken communion the previous Sunday but I thought I would like to attend. Well, might I say I was taken in by the word "reenactment". I was truly expecting folks to act out parts and ect. But I was disappointed on this aspect alone. It was interesting to hear about the washing of the feet and the meaning behind it all. Then to see the Padre wash 6 individuals feet (especially stinky soldier feet that have been in boots!) was a little moving.

I've included a picture of Padre Bautistojas in his finest "Barney" attire. Granted it is what their faith requires him to wear for this service and I would have been okay with that; however, when he started singing the "I love you" song as we greeted each other, I thought I'd pee in my pants from laughter.

First Sandstorm

April 6

The weather has been very warm and humid lately. Not too uncomfortable so far. However, we have experienced a few sandstorms. I've included a few pictures. Not the ones you would see in the movie "The Mummy", but bad enough to bother the eyes and make you want to bathe 5 times a day. I am still hoping to get a picture of a really good one.

This is my pal Stuart and LCDR Chris Carr (general surgeon from Bremerton, WA) modeling our finest desert wear. Notice the goggles and bandana used by many to keep the sand out of eyes and mouth.

Next is myself and CDR Chris Haughton and LCDR Valerie Meade (OR Nurses from Camp Lejeune, NC) as we fight the wind leaving the chow hall (seen in the background). Both Chris and Valerie were originally in Al Asad but they were made homeless when the Army took over the hospital. So being the decent navy folk that we are, we kindly ensured that they would be welcomed in our home instead of returning to the United States. Aren't we hospitable? Oh, and also notice the three women without their goggles and any bandanas. I actually lost mine the day I went shooting. Go figure! I was concentrating so hard on sightseeing and taking pictures that I did not notice they weren't on my helmet when I got off the bus. It will be a long summer without them.

We Care for Everyone

March 30

We got a call on our radios of inbound patients one afternoon. So like clock work, we quickly headed to the medical center. As we waited for details, we find out that we were receiving marines and their dogs. Dogs? Did they say dogs? Yes, apparently this special marine is on the bomb squad. He and his partner had just located explosives when an IED went off. Unfortunately, his partner did not make it nor his partners trainer. This German Shepherd is named Rex and had several cuts and open wounds on him when he arrived. The gentleman attending him is an Army Vet Tech in training. With our assistance we were able to care for him and get him quickly flown out for further care. These Marines consider them just as much a part of the team as one of their own guys. They are literally valuable members, costing quite a bit to train.