Readers of the blog-o-sphere. Sorry to have delayed a post for so long. I've been spending my past few evenings in the clinic - I usually run a few miles after dinner, shower, then have tea and read a book for pleasure (currently on "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan) or my textbook "Functional Movement." Patient care has picked up a little in the month of January compared to previous months. CPT Bluemle had told me that it probably would for the second half of deployment because folks would want to get their injuries documented. Today I had 3 new evaluations, 1 re-evaluation, and 1 treatment session. I probably spent a good 45-60minutes with each patient, but two of my new evaluations don't live at this FOB, so I try to do more with our time which includes a more comprehensive program and more patient education. If there's anything good about deployment, I seem to have a good bit of time for most of my evaluations.
It looks like I'll have at least one traveling trip this month. While I will probably only need 2 days to see all the patients who need care, I may be gone for up to 5 days simply because they aren't running the convoy or helicopter routes as often. I think I learned a bit from the last time I traveled, so hopefully this one will run smoother and I don't end up with 17 patients all at once, no treatment table, and without the proper contact numbers :)
Last Saturday movie night was a success. My small group popped some corn and watched the "Lincoln Lawyer." We all had a good laugh at the end when Merkler woke up and said, "so who goes to jail for the two whores?" She has a habit of falling asleep to movies. Sunday was pretty low key, I had a couple patients in the morning, I mopped the clinic floor, knocked out a 12-miler, and I had tea and read...very good day. The rest of this week has been busy with patients, but it hasn't been bad.
Living in Afghanistan begs a person to be creative, after all there's only 1 of 7 places on the FOB I can ever be - my room, the clinic, the gym, the bathroom, the DFAC, the aid station, or running in the expansion yard. One such "creation" has been drawing animals on the dry erase boards in the clinic (and at Merkler's office). Now on the surface it might sound like a silly exercise with no purpose at all, but it really is a lot of fun. Today I drew a rabbit on Merkler's board when she was out of the office. When we were walking to dinner I asked her if she saw the rabbit I drew and she said, "yeah, you mean the one that got shot?" Apparently someone decided to add something extra...and I was okay with that...they were being creative, albeit a little sadistic.
Another thing I make a conscious effort to do is smile. I try to smile a lot. I have friends that seem to always be smiling, it comes so natural to them, and it has always been a trait that I've admired. Those are the people who you can't find a photo of them not smiling. I realize that a smile in and of itself can be a very superficial thing...but it's a lot like laughing in that it's hard for me to NOT smile when someone else is genuinely (or appearing to be genuinely) smiling. I don't always get a great response from people. I think that so called "random happiness" and smiling throw some people off guard a little. Naturally, there are a lot of straight faces in the Army. But sometimes I do get a great response, and I get the gift of a return smile or a laugh or a friendly conversation. It totally makes all the people who ignore me worth it.
I have been blessed with joy in my heart since getting here to Afghanistan. I have felt lonely, tired, and even a little scared at times...but most of the time I just feel glad to be alive. I feel like God knows what He is doing and it's okay for me to trust Him. It's because of Him that I can have joy no matter what. I can draw animals and smile at people.
It looks like I'll have at least one traveling trip this month. While I will probably only need 2 days to see all the patients who need care, I may be gone for up to 5 days simply because they aren't running the convoy or helicopter routes as often. I think I learned a bit from the last time I traveled, so hopefully this one will run smoother and I don't end up with 17 patients all at once, no treatment table, and without the proper contact numbers :)
Last Saturday movie night was a success. My small group popped some corn and watched the "Lincoln Lawyer." We all had a good laugh at the end when Merkler woke up and said, "so who goes to jail for the two whores?" She has a habit of falling asleep to movies. Sunday was pretty low key, I had a couple patients in the morning, I mopped the clinic floor, knocked out a 12-miler, and I had tea and read...very good day. The rest of this week has been busy with patients, but it hasn't been bad.
Living in Afghanistan begs a person to be creative, after all there's only 1 of 7 places on the FOB I can ever be - my room, the clinic, the gym, the bathroom, the DFAC, the aid station, or running in the expansion yard. One such "creation" has been drawing animals on the dry erase boards in the clinic (and at Merkler's office). Now on the surface it might sound like a silly exercise with no purpose at all, but it really is a lot of fun. Today I drew a rabbit on Merkler's board when she was out of the office. When we were walking to dinner I asked her if she saw the rabbit I drew and she said, "yeah, you mean the one that got shot?" Apparently someone decided to add something extra...and I was okay with that...they were being creative, albeit a little sadistic.
Another thing I make a conscious effort to do is smile. I try to smile a lot. I have friends that seem to always be smiling, it comes so natural to them, and it has always been a trait that I've admired. Those are the people who you can't find a photo of them not smiling. I realize that a smile in and of itself can be a very superficial thing...but it's a lot like laughing in that it's hard for me to NOT smile when someone else is genuinely (or appearing to be genuinely) smiling. I don't always get a great response from people. I think that so called "random happiness" and smiling throw some people off guard a little. Naturally, there are a lot of straight faces in the Army. But sometimes I do get a great response, and I get the gift of a return smile or a laugh or a friendly conversation. It totally makes all the people who ignore me worth it.
I have been blessed with joy in my heart since getting here to Afghanistan. I have felt lonely, tired, and even a little scared at times...but most of the time I just feel glad to be alive. I feel like God knows what He is doing and it's okay for me to trust Him. It's because of Him that I can have joy no matter what. I can draw animals and smile at people.
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