Comic Relief

I feel like I use the words "tragic" and "sad" a lot when referring to the cases we see.  Maybe they are overused, but other times they don't seem to do justice to the situation.

This past week there was one in particular that sticks in the gut because the children are always harder emotionally.  A four year-old girl came to us with a serious head injury that resulted from a motor vehicle accident.  When she arrived she was still moving but she deteriorated quickly.  Although our sense was that her wound was fatal, no one felt comfortable making that call here given our limited resources.  We stablized her sufficiently for transport in order allow her to see the neurosurgeon at KAF.  Unfortunately she died the next day.

Duke, my hero

 
Normally I have to manufacture something amusing or uplifting but not this week thanks to the USO.  Several nationally syndicated cartoonists visited the FOB last week.  The group included Garry Trudeau of Doonesbury, Mike Luckovich of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, and Rick Kirkman of Baby Blues.  There was a separate group that included Jeff Keane of Family Circus, Tom Richmond of Mad Magazine, and Stephan Pastis of Pearls Before Swine.



This was pretty remarkable because very few celebrities that come for visits to combat zones venture this far forward.  We were all impressed that they did so.

Natalie, our anesthesia tech chats with Rick Kirkman

They each spent time chatting with the troops and drawing personal cartoons and characteratures.  They also handed out collectibles.   Here are more samples of their work.

Mike Luckovich

 

Rick Kirkman

Doonesbury Swag