Wednesday 11 July 2007

Week 24--NSTR

NSTR--Nothing Significant To Report. It's a term we use on reports when there is nothing else to say. It always reminds me of the movie "All Quiet on the Western Front". If you've never seen the movie I'll just sum up by saying that in a war, even when nothing is happening, there is always a lot going on.

This last week was quiet. But I guess my standard of quiet has changed over time. When I think about the week I try to remember all the patients that have come through the hospital:
Two patients with gunshot wounds to the chest, one patient with shrapnel wounds to the neck, one patient with a traumatic amputation to the lower leg, one patient with a skull fracture and C-Spine injury from falling out of a truck and four patients from a vehicle accident, all with various cuts, scrapes, bumps and bruises. And those are just the trauma patients that come to mind right now. And that does not include the various scheduled cases in the OR; spleens and thyroids mainly, but also various abdominal and breast masses. And to facilitate all this patient care are the numerous MEDEVACs and Air Evacs for patients coming and going from the FOB. And all the training, in between patients arriving, to prepare for the next case. When all is said and done, even a quiet week around her is very busy.

And the good news continues. Azad, our current long-term patient is getting better every day. He's transitioned from a somber, sad patient into a little boy. He smiles now, and enjoys the attention from our staff. He particularly enjoys trips outside to watch the helicopters come and go and the trucks drive by the hospital.


And I got to see another FOB recently, where I found a Walmart. Those things pop up in the strangest places!


The movie details the events of one day and how much impact they have on the individuals involved, and how those same events are viewed from headquarters. I guess the significance of any event is dependent upon your perspective, and how much it affects you personally. But more on that in a future blog.

Phillips, Out.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great Movie!

mikentexas said...

Reminds me of the description of a WWII combat pilot: hours of boredome interupted by moments of terror.
We like boredom. You might not like it, but we do.

Haole Wahine said...

Yeah we do like boredom, but still sounds not quite so boring as other times. Azad's progress is going great. He knows love when he surrounded by it, and looks like your people show him plenty of that.

Will not even comment on Wally World sign.

Plynseas Fountain said...

Nice blog, LTC! I enjoyed the update on Salerno. Any word on the progress of the new hospital being built at Bagram?

Thanks for everything you guys do there in hope of a good future for everyone. Always praying for you.

"Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God."--Matthew 5.9

Hubert II said...

David recently told me the FOB is actually a fairly large place with lots of troops operating from it. Felt a lot better then, since my (wrong) first idea was the hospital being sort of by itself. Keep up the good work!!
Hubert