Pray For This Kid Who Got Wounded

[FC]

Brad O'Brien is a CPT, RN in Iraq. Here's part of what he wrote:

 

The other day we had a young man, PFC Dillon (I'll leave out last name). Young MP and I assume married ("I wanna talk to my wife!") He was on a convoy. They came to what they thought was a suspected IED emplacemt. Dillon got out and took a round to the neck.

 

It was a calm and almost boring day here at the 215th Aid Station. Then it came over the Icom radio: NET CALL NET CALL NET CALL: WE HAVE AN AMERICAN SOLDIER WITH GSW TO THE NECK, ETA ABOUT 10 MIKES. Well the unit drove right up to the front door, not to the side door where patients are brought in on litters from the parked ambulances. He was able to talk, but admitted to difficulty breathing. There was an entry and exit wound (later confirmed to be c5/c6 by the neuro guys at the USAF hosp in LSAAnaconda) He looked up at CPT Harrington and said "You're not gonna let me die are ya?" Naw we're not gonna do that.. "You promise?!" And when he said "You promise!?" it hit me hard cuz he said it like a kid on a playground would say it when you told him if you were captain of the baseball team you'd pick him: "You promise!?" When it became evident that breathing was gonna be an issue Harrington got really close and said--like a family practice pedi doctor that he is-- "We need to giv

e you some special medicine to make you go to sleep so we can drop a breathing tube down your windpipe. I'm concerned that you might have breathing problems on your helicopter ride" I already suspected he had some chord damage. They normally wince or grimace/moan when you give them their tetanus shot but this guy didnt even react. I hated observing that.

 

But he was entubated and sent on out. As the litter bearers carried him out, lotsa folks from his unit had assembled in the aid station lobby. He was out from the RSI meds but still folks called out stuff like what you'd hear parents holler out at their kids little league game as the kids round third headed for home: "You hang in there, Dillon!" "We're all here for ya Buddy!" "We'll catch up with you later on Big D" "We're all praying for you!" None of us had the heart to say "He's out and cant hear anything you're saying.."

[eric123]

There are some very amazing people over there right now...Seeing this kind of crap day after day makes old men from young men...

[FC]

Yup, grows 'em up quicker.

 

Here's what I got today:

You alone of all those I know can envision the blood that splatters on boots and clothing. The other day I was switching out a blood bag and forgot to release the pressure infusion pump.

Yep, all down the back of one of our medics.

Of course it was US blood bank blood. We dont trust blood from Baqoubah General Hospital.

 

Anyway.. the day before a 20 year old mp was paralyzed by a sniper. c5/c6 from the f/u report entered by the gaining neuro surgeon at Balad. That aches me immeasurably. Anytime we have an American on that trauma table it aches me. But that isnt as bad as the kids who show up.

 

Then yesterday we had 3 badly injured iraqis who were on the receiving end of a mortar round. All shreads and broken splintered bones below the knees. Partial hand amputations. Yours truly and our lab tech were hanging blood like crazy just as soon as our pediatrician and family practice guys could get IJ or Femoral lines started.