"I'm tired of looking at skin"

This from one of my medic buddies at Camp Bucca, Iraq.


I'm tired of looking at skin. that sounds a little crazy but as of late, I find myself either cutting it open or sewing back up again.

I'm tired of smelling that metallic smell of blood and seeing infection oozing from wounds. it gets old.

I have been a Combat Medic now for 8 years, and I was in the Navy for 8 &1/2 years as a Hospital Corpsman. I am a Desert Storm Vet as well, and this is my 4th time in Iraq.

I'm glad we have young and eager people here that are excited about this type of stuff because I am more than happy to let them take the reigns of this horse for a while.

I have reached my hand into more than one situation and snatched a patient or two from the depths of the unknown. It's scary but you have to control your emotions. If you don't, they will control you.

well, that's about all I know. talk to you soon, d


"there is no greater love than one who lays down his life for a friend."

In awe,
Rog

This was the love of a grateful nation laid over a young Army Soldier

This is one of the most moving emails I've ever received. It's from Chaplain Andrew McIntosh, at the Bagram Air Force Base hospital in Afghanistan. Over the past few months, they have become the busiest hospital in the entire middle-east, and are now treating more American casualties than Iraq.

It is extremely unusual for us to receive a photograph of a wounded American soldier. It is only the deep respect the medics, chaplains and the soldier himself have for Soldiers Angels that gave us this gift, and I want to share it with all of you. Because you help make it possible. Here are the Chaplain's own words.....
-Rog


Yesterday was one of the busiest days yet and we had one of
our Purple Heart Warriors coming back in from the Operating Room to the
ICU for recovery, the ICU was cold and this poor guy was lying on his
side shivering. As God would have it, I entered the ICU with his Soldier's Angels backpack at the same time he was being wheeled in. When they
parked his bed in his room, I opened the backpack and laid his new warm
blanket over him to keep him warm.

This was one of those moments that
would have made you cry if you were there, this was the love of a
grateful nation laid over a young Army Soldier who placed his life
on the line in defense of freedom. The blanket kept him warm as he healed
from his surgery and I know he felt the love that went into the packing
of that blanket and the sending of that backpack. His name is Chez
Carter and he is from the Virgin Islands. I got his permission to take
this photo this morning and send it to you. You can still see he has
the blanket and backpack with him.


Blessings, Ch Mac.


To learn about how to make a Blanket of Hope for a wounded soldier, click HERE

To donate a First Response backpack to send to a wounded soldier, click HERE