Embrace The Suck

Ramadan is ending and the Afghan elections are upcoming.  We were warned by higher authority to expect to get busier.  It didn't take long.  We had nine trauma codes over a span of 20 hours.

Two separate IED blasts plus two MVA's (motor vehicle accidents).  The saddest case was a 10 year-old boy with a sucking chest wound from some type of fragmentation round.  The story was sketchy but it may have been a mortar.  He went to the OR for chest tubes and exploration of the abdomen.  The surgeons had to repair damage to his stomach and diaphragm.  Word from the next level of care was that he was doing okay.

IED shrapnel taken from patient

On a lighter note, some Air Force PJ's showed up to escort the patients for one of the MEDEVACs.  PJ's, or Pararescue Jumpers, are the Air Force's version of special forces.  Their primary mission is pilot rescue but they are also well-trained medics. The thing is, they are at least 3 rungs higher on the cool ladder than any of us.  We wear army green, regulation hats, boots, and have regulation haircuts.  They have their own camouflage color, t-shirts, ballcaps, sneakers, and have cool sideburns.  They also have subdued Velco patches attached to their equipment vests that say cool things like "Pedro", "Lambchops", and "Embrace the Suck".  Words to live by in this environment.  We have been wondering if 40-something guys can ever be that cool.  Doubtful.