Groundhog Day

I've been here for just over two weeks and am settling into a schedule. I'm alternating 24 hour shifts at the hospital, starting at noon each day. I'm trying to hit the gym at least 2 out of every 3 days. Meals are at one of 5 dining facilities. Went to the British one tonight which was a big hit because they have a curry bar! Had some excellent lamb curry. Had a fun discussion with one of our Australian doctors about why cake with sauce is called pudding, and pudding is called custard, and fries are called chips and so on. This discussion on food also had to get around to that dessert I saw the other day at one of the dining facilities called (and this is the polite name) "Spotted Richard." Hmmmmmm.

It has been relatively quiet at the hospital for the past two days. I took a tour of the new hospital which will open sometime next year. It is going to be a monumental upgrade from the collection of huts/tents we're in now. The panoramic photo is from the roof of the new hospital. Our current hospital is in the foreground bottom left of the photo.

One of the saddest things I've seen so far is the cute as a button 11 year-old girl who stepped on a landmine (remnants from when the Soviets were here). She lost one leg below the knee and the other leg, while saved, has some pretty extensive damage. She has no family except for her uncle. He's asked us to do everything we can to save her other leg because "No Afghan male will marry a woman missing both legs."

Currently working on clinical practice guidelines regarding the use of interventional radiology in theater. We're breaking new ground here and a lot of what we're doing is trying to educate the various physicians about the capabilities that we have here and how it can play a role in the management of battlefield trauma.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day (or Remembrance Day for our Canadian friends). These long-running conflicts have increased the number of veterans in the U.S., many of them with visible injuries, just as many (or possibly more) with injuries not readily detected. Say thanks to one of them. Say a prayer for them and their families. Don't wait for Memorial Day to think of the ones who didn't make it home alive.