Early this morning, asleep in my hooch dreaming of beer, food, and women ( Hooters chain embodies all of one's basic needs, eh?) when we get jarred awake by the CP with a call that only means one thing: casualties inbound. Urgent surgicals. (Are there any other kind?)
  It was the Army this time. Seems the 506th and the Marines 3/7 trade off fights. Us, we're on call 24/7. Great if nothings going on but really wearing in the long term.
  Stagger out of the rack, pull on BDU bottoms and boots, walk outside.
They come in. Dismounted patrol ambushed with an IED initiation. 2 DOA. Cracked both chests on the stretcher...we ALWAYS do a full court press. No joy. One's aorta was gone from arch to diaphragm...that was probably an instant killer. The other, just general massive thoracic wounds.
The third, "Mike", was awake and alert. Missing right foot and right hand, but awake and alert, and (amazingly) cracking jokes. He didn't know about the other guys and as far as I know, still doesn't.
Me: What's your name.
Mike:  Mike.
Me: how old are you, Mike?
Mike: 20....20 today.
Me: Happy f-ing birthday, guy.
Mike: Yeah, happy f-ing birthday to me, doc.
  I took mike off to sleep. Intubated him and placed a central line as the 2 surgeons scrubbed and started on his leg. He must have stepped on the IED. Foot was gone and the tibia was completely exposed. They controlled the bleeding, removed the non-viable tissue and a portion of the tibia while I was pumping in the O neg. Then to the arm.
  Once he was stablized, and his wounds covered, we called for air evac to the 10th CASH. He left intubated and sedated with our evac nurse, Dave, at his side. I usually give Dave a few drugs and instructions: BP goes up. give this. Goes down, give that. He moves, give this and that. Mike gets a ride in style: sole patient on a blackhawk with a cobra escort. (When Dave gets back, he has an exciting story of somebody shooting at the helo on the way out).
  All said and done, we come out of the OR to face the new sun rising over AR Ramadi. It's already getting hot and the wind kicks up some sand.
   Our OIC, a trauma surgeon who resembles (both in appearance and sense of humor) Jim Belushi and will retire from the Navy on 1 Dec (also my birthday) says that he feels that he is stuck in a bad MASH episode. We begin to talk about the night. The general consensus is that it was a bad birthday for the kid. One of the Corpsmen, a 1st class with 10 years in, makes a pretty telling comment...sort of along the lines of how many brand new 20 year olds would be able to keep up his spirit in the face of those severe injuries.
    We got to  talking about that. We see 'em come and go. 18, 19, 20 year old (not kids) but men. A 20 year old at school, worring about his date for the frat formal is a kid. A 20 year old 11B in Iraq is a man, years above his peers in character and fortitude....nothing like the whining kids I see back in the states. They should take a lesson from such men as Mike.
   This is why I went to medical school.
 
Well, I'm going to crash while I have the chance.
Another day in the life of the Forward Resuscitive Surgical Team here at AR Ramadi, Iraq.
"Cheaters of Death."

Happy Birthday, Mike of the 506th.
   

God bless you and your team for being there for those guys.

Thank you for what you do.

You guys are like magicians with scalpels.  It takes alot to do what you guys do.

Thank you mike and doc.

From a old Jar Head, thank you for all you do.

Happy birthday Mike!!!

Thanks.

Thanks and God bless, Doc.

You should start thinking about writing a book, good style.....thank you seems so trivial ...but thank you.

I'd toss you and them a cold opne if I could.


Stay safe and keep putting them back together.

thank you

Glad you're there doing God's good work, doc.

Happy birthday Mike, we owe you.

God bless and keep our fallen warriors.

NavyDoc1: Thank you for the report.  The news I get on ARFCOM is much better than the BS found in the so-called "news rags."  Be happy and stay safe.

Quoted: You should start thinking about writing a book, good style.....thank you seems so trivial ...but thank you.

Thanks for all the kind words gents. It's the trigger pullers that deserve the respect, not us support pukes.

Thanks for your service, Doc!

Take care of our troops over there and stay safe!

Thank you very much Mike for your service and a snapshot of current events. As a question, what specialties do you guys have there and what ratios and needs (ortho, neuro, thoracic/cv, anethesia)?

Thanks

God bless you for taking care of our Men and Women over there. Please extend my thanks to the rest of your team.

Reading your post was very moving, even for a well seasoned EMS pilot like myself.

Thanks,

Flyer

God Bless you guys.

Happy birthday Mike.  

THis is why I donate to the Semper Fi Fund, HHV, and why I sent my Leupold to Iraq with American Snipers.
Can I post this in another forum?

Its been said but... Thank you sir.

My feelings go out toMike and all the others like him.
Navydoc1, it is support pukes (your words) that make the job of Mike and others like him the best the world has ever seen.
I will pop a cold one for Mike and for you later today, Hell I may even go to Hooters for you.

from a zoomie in Al Sahra.. Thanks Doc, you guys are the ones we all respect and admire...  you fix it as much as you can, anything from a simple nail through the foot (me a month ago) to having bad traumas.
my hat is off to you sir.

Quoted:
THis is why I donate to the Semper Fi Fund, HHV, and why I sent my Leupold to Iraq with American Snipers.
Can I post this in another forum?[/quote]

Sure, be my guest. IM me with a link, and I'll answer any questions there too.

Thanks for all that you do!

Quoted: Thank you very much Mike for your service and a snapshot of current events. As a question, what specialties do you guys have there and what ratios and needs (ortho, neuro, thoracic/cv, anethesia)? Thanks

I'm part of an FRSS team. FRSS stands for Forward Surgical Resusitative System. 3 M.D.'s 2 surgeons of pretty much any flavor (we have an orthopoedic surgeon and a trauma surgeon); 1 anesthesiologist (me...I'm also fellowship trained in interventional pain management...we've done extremity surgery under local blocks only many times); and 3 corpsmen who do EVERYTHING from circulated, to scrub, re-sterilize everything, set up the generator, etc. Put all these guys in 2 hummers with 2 trailors and we can perform emergency surgery within one hour of arriving at a local. Everything is portable: the OR table is a frame that a standard NATO stretcher fits into, the anesthesia machine is a little portable/folding jobby (NARCOMED), etc.
We've a few additional assets: an evac nurse to take care of the guys as we move 'em to the rear for more definative care.
Our job is to perform resusitate and evaluate wounded. We perform life or limb surgery then evac for more definative care.
Zack

God bless.

NavyDoc1, Mike will get to see many more birthdays because of you. Great job!

Wish you and Mike the best.  Hope he recovers ok.  Thanks for your service to our country.  

Macumazahn    M-I in medical school

Thanks for your service Zach.
You Navy docs kick ass, and every Marine I know has the utmost respect for you guys.

Stay safe. Semper Fidelis.

Quoted: Quoted: You should start thinking about writing a book, good style.....thank you seems so trivial ...but thank you. Thanks for all the kind words gents. It's the trigger pullers that deserve the respect, not us support pukes.

Anyone who keeps them alive deserves respect. Just ask the family.

 Thank you NavyDoc.  Give Mike a Birthday wish and my gratitude too.

No business last night! Woo-hoo! Now some down time to write letters, do laundry, PR, etc.
We got word that Mike is in Germany already and will be undergoing many more surgeries. He is doing well and in good spirits.

Thank you sir for your service.

God bless yall, and the men and woman over there.
Share your stories anytime, that was 1 of the more captivating and interesting things I've read about the war in some time.

Thank's Doc. It must tear you up inside having inbound casualties. Stay strong and to you and all our forces, I salute you.