...week 1...

My first blog, and it's at an appropriate time in my life, in my career.
RN...AF...and my first deployment ever...to Bagram, Afghanistan, for 6 months.
I havent been here 1 week and the things I've seen and learned are the very reasons I'm a nurse, the reasons I want to get deployed at every chance I get.

Before I talk about my time here, I'll recap my week of travel:
26 Dec: departed Vegas for Norfolk, VA; placed in Navy lodging; stayed w/ relatives for the weekend (ate a lot!); visited the beach and dipped my feet in the Atlantic (experienced"feet freeze"); left the US on 30 Dec
30/31 Dec: in Germany for 2 hours to switch crews, and "gas up"; ate A LOT on the plane! watched (or slept through): Get Smart, Iron Man, National Treasure 2, Hulk, Mad Money
31 Dec: New Year's in Manas, Krygyzstan
small base; beautiful locals; best Blessed Sacrament room I've ever been in (small and private); lectored for daily Mass (of course I would volunteer); my "life" there: ate, slept, got online, shopped at the BX
3 Jan: ate lunch w/ the C-17 pilots that flew us to Bagram (1 went to FSU ROTC w/ me); got to go up into the cockpit; left Manas, arrived in Bagram, missing 1 bag, smallest corner of my dorm room (not for long!), got sick

now that I am here:
4 Jan: orientation in the morning; didnt get to go to Mass =( because the last Mass time was so late and it was dark by that time; my friends didnt think it was safe for me to go wandering in the dark looking for the church in an unfamiliar environment; God knew my intentions
5 Jan: first night shift on the Intensive Care Ward (ICW); 3 patients (pts): Active Duty (AD) Army soldier w/ chest pain (sent to Germany that night); an Enemy Combatant (EC): leg infection, 2 guards in the room (for all ECs); AD Marine (JJ's age): facial injuries after a blast; affected his eyesight but he still has it; wears sunglasses to avoid the bright light
6 Jan: off but came to work anyway; washed clothes, met Nazia (3 y/o local; patient [pt] after swallowing a battery; no voice, damaged airways, trachea; been a patient through several rotations) and her brother Atiqula who I am "teaching" English to (knows letters, numbers, colors, and a bit of English but I will try to help him brush up)
7 Jan: Air National Guard (ANG) s/p lap appy; another EC: arm infection; met the night shift interpreters, taught me a bit of their culture/language, watched them pray (1 of them prayed that I would become Muslim! if he only knew that that would never happen!);
learned how to say (will spell them phonetically): hello - asalam ulaykum (respond w/ ulaykum asalam); thank you - manana/tashakur; goodbye - hodas hofes; yes - bali; no - nay; hot - garmada
names of the interpreters: Dr. Shah (always calls me Ma'am), Dr. Isahmullah (Isah), Dr. Jabar (the one who prayed for me), Massoud, Masih, Nazar, Hafizullah (Hafiz), Rohani, Abdul, Safia
8 Jan: same ANG pt; local boy due for hip surgery the morning of 9 Jan; ICW rec'd 4 Remain Overnight (RON) pts en route to Germany; my pt: 19 y/0 AD Marine who experienced a seizure; started an IV on him (#1)
9 Jan: off but came to work anyway; started an IV on one of the RONs (#2); ICW and ICU rec'd pts from a suicide bombing in Kandahar; ICU: 5 pts, 1 had an arm amputation; ICW: 1 pt; they all rec'd the Purple Heart (PH) that night; witnessed the ceremony in our pt's room: official orders read aloud, Army 1-star pinned the medal on the pt's blanket which covered him; also rec'd the PH certificate that came w/ it and 2 coins; pt recapped his experience: (from what I could hear) they were patrolling in the market, called it in that they would head back to their camp, walked around the truck where he came across the bomber, saw a flash, felt a wave, fell to the ground, never lost consciousness, saw his men also fall to the ground; all of them en route to Germany w/ the 4 RONs

This country is so poor and I can't help but feel empathic for them b/c the Philippines is also very poor (walking outside, it smells and sounds like the P.I.). From what I have learned, they have no running water; they pump water from the ground. Since there's no running water they have no toilets, so they go outside; their feces gets into the soil and into their water, so they end up getting worms (we purchase locally bottled and filtered water). Many are malnourished due to several factors including lack of food and the worms in their bodies. Also, due to no water, they are unable to shower. The guardians for our pts (eg. Atiqula) can get their clothes washed in our hospital, and they have showers accessible to them. Whether they shower or not is up to them (why do something new if it's not something you grew up doing, I guess?). I, unlike my co-workers, am very tolerable of the smell (which isnt as strong as I thought it would be).

Despite all this, the people seem happy (at least the ones I've met). They lead simple lives (if you live simply, why wouldnt you be happy?). They are very devout to Islam. For them to stop what they are doing so they can pray 5 times each day to give praise to God....THAT is something we as Christians should imitate. Yes, we have those who choose to pray that often daily or whose lives require it (eg. religious life), but it should be part of our lives, just like their religion is to them; it shouldn't just be an obligation to go, like how many Catholic Christians feel/see our religion as. Even those who are at war with us stop what they are doing so they can pray (very ironic). They asked me about my religion and how often I pray. My response of 30 minutes (daily Mass if I go) and 60 minutes a week, and short prayers throughout my day seemed so insignificant compared to what they do. They know their Koran well and quote readings during their prayers (also remembered from repetition of prayer), while I'm can't even name all the books in the Catholic Bible! Also, because of their religion there is no divorce (or at least it's very very rare). When they marry (whether or not it's arranged), they marry for life. They tell me that if you have problems, you're stuck and you have to work it out (DEFINITELY something our culture should emulate). If someone leaves Islam (also very rare), it is frowned upon and they are basically disowned.

Unlike my co-workers and others around me, I am willing to learn, understand, and embrace the culture. I have been warned to be careful about what I tell them and how close I get. I know very well how dangerous it could be if I give important information regarding the military or my personal life. However, I also know that getting to know people of other cultures is very "me." I've always done it, and always will; something I get from my mom. I guess that's why I am tolerable of their ways and habits. Plus, I dont want them thinking that all Americans look at all Afghans as "the enemy." I have 2 very good friends from Lebanon and they tell me how they are thoroughly searched in the airport. It saddens and sometimes angers me because...well, if only others took the time to get to know these people. But I do understand because it's a precaution (9/11), plus unfamiliarity of the unknown can cause fear. I will try to be more aware of my responses/actions to give peace to those working around me, and break any assumptions. I guess I'm just too trusting.

Anyway, this is the end of my 1st post. I hope to and plan on posting either daily or every other day. I don't want to forget the pts I meet or take care of, my new nursing experiences (plus I'll need them for my OPR bullets), my conversations with the interpreters, new words and phrases, and the new information I learn regarding Afghanistan and its culture and people.

Praise God for this rare and beautiful opportunity in my life!