Afghanistan ER

“Hi, Jaded Julie. Mack copied me on his exchange of Christmas notes with his friends, Ernie and Susan. You might find them interesting. Here’s the note that Ernie and Susan sent to him:

‘Christmas Day is just about done where you are, and the grandchildren here are already winding down - all the Santa gifts are opened and being played with. But we wanted to wish you a very merry Christmas and lift you up with a prayer that 2011 will be a year of much more peace - for you in particular and for all of us in general.’”

“It sounds like a classical, peaceful American Christmas, Curmudge.”

“This is Mack’s response:

‘Dear Ernie and Susan,
Christmas has been pretty nice. Today was a nice, quiet day. Just got a cold so spent a few hours napping at the house. The whole camp has had it; I'm like the last one to get it. Just got back from screening a detainee tonight. Christmas Eve was a little more exciting. I was eating lunch when one of my medics ran in the chow hall and told me we had traumas coming. Apparently one of the good Afghanis in a nearby village was the victim of a Taliban motorcycle drive-by. Shot in the chest, head and leg. His cousin brought him to right outside our FOB, with the guy in the back of a minivan. Stokes, one of my medics, and I took the little ambulance and had a hair-raising ride to the gate. Blood everywhere. The van was outside the gate on the highway since they couldn't come in. We drove through the gate onto the highway, usually a no-no since the Ford has no armor (and we were in T-shirts!!) The Ford does have a siren loud enough to peel paint, however.

I had the Afghanis in the van lay the guy by the side of the road and I did a "cric", which is a surgical airway where I cut a hole in his throat and put in a breathing tube, right there on the road. Fortunately no snipers. We put the guy in our ambulance and took him back to the aid station. Unfortunately he died; had a pulse of something like 29 when we got him on the table, but I think we got some I/O points with the local population for trying.

We had a beautiful candlelight Christmas Eve service in the chapel (tent) last night. I played the piano for it like I do for most of the church services.

Today Major General Terry (RC South Commander) flew in to visit everyone for Christmas. We enjoyed meeting him very much.

Anyway, I'm guessing you guys had a pretty nice Christmas Eve service at church. Feel free to read this letter at Sunday School if you want, so they know we had a good Christmas as well. Stay in touch and God bless. -----Mack.’”

“Curmudge, the FOB (Forward Operating Base) must be a fortified island of relative safety amid a sea of anarchy. So why am I shuddering? Maybe if I put on a warmer sweater…”