Packaged Goodies!

I have been overwhelmed with packages over the past couple days.  I’ve gotten some looks walking from the mail room back to my clinic with boxes stacked to my nose.  “Is that all for you CPT Wood?”

I’ve never felt so loved – and had so many extra calories to fuel the miles I am putting in.  But the best part are your letters and your pictures.  So thank you all for thinking of me and sending me reminders.  The toys some of you have sent have also been a lot of fun.  There are some “growing” pets in water, lots of bouncy balls flying around the clinic, some “etch-a-sketch” cartoons, mini-slinkys, and the occasional coloring doodle art…

I’ve been sharing my good package fortune with the many people that pass through my (and CPT G’s) clinic.  It feels really good to share.  I wish I could get a picture of the smiles I get and post them so you could see for yourself!

I’ve started a new tradition in the clinic at the end of the day.  So after we do our final workout of the day and shower so we don’t smell, me and Merkler and CPT G turn on our Christmas lights in the clinic and have tea time.  Merkler and CPT G mostly study their anatomy cards, and I read from my textbook (one of many on how to get my patients better) or I write a letter to someone, or I answer anatomy questions if Merk or CPT G get stumped.  It’s been a great way to wind down at the end of the day.  So if you happen to be sending anything my way, you can throw a box of tea in the package!  We are drinking green teas, chai teas, rooibos tea, fruity ones, and the occasional hot chocolate!

I guess if I didn’t have so many people that cared about me, deployment would be hard.  But with all of you supporting me, I wake up each day more or less energetic and ready for the day.  So thanks to you all, I have positive energy to spare.  It’s a vicious cycle of good cheer.

In other news, I received an email a couple days ago from the All-Army Marathon coach.  I guess one of the All-Army Cross Country runners won’t be able to compete in their competition in February in St Louis, Missouri.  He basically gave me a free offer to run with the team, without having to go through the application process.  In one way it was a bummer, since of course I’m deployed and can’t do the race…but on the other hand it was nice to think that I might be fast enough to run for their team, even as an alternate.  So next fall I will definitely be applying to run for the cross country team!  I haven’t run a cross country race since 2006 and I miss that kind of off-road racing very much.  It’s also how my running career got started.

Plenty to look forward to, but the first step is for me to head to bed!  I hope you all have a great Thursday!