I am now back at the FOB in good ol' Zhari district. I made record time back from Germany! It look me about a day and a half. There were a few changes while I was gone, mainly I have a new Team Sergeant. Much to my dislike, but understanding, he got a golden ticket home (long story, contract mumbo-jumbo) and decided to take it. His replacement will do a fine job too though. So situation stays the same, just some new people in the mix. All is well though. I am happy to be back. =)
Not much time to write now, so I will have to catch up with you all later. Much love!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Good news!
Just saw the doc this morning and my labs have improved significantly! My prayers were answered. I guess God and I saw eye to eye on this situation. He thought I should be back with my troops just as I did. ; )
I admit I was scared. I saw some of my lab results from when I was inpatient, and they were not pretty. My ALT levels went from over 900 to 441 today (normal is 7-56). It's still high, and a few others are too, but he expects them to continue to trend down to a normal range over the next few weeks. So, I have to stay another week here in Germany BUT he is confident that I will return to duty next week. Thank goodness... cuz I am going bonkers here. As far as the lesion on my liver, since I am not experiencing any pain they will leave it alone. I'll just follow-up with periodic labs down-range and another MRI when we demob to make sure it does not grow. All my hepatitis tests were negative. They don't know what causes all of this, but it's likely it was a virus of some kind.
Yes, I have enjoyed the long, clean showers and porcelain toilets. I've also experienced some guilt. I'm sure that will go away quickly once I'm back on the porta-potty. ; ) I will miss the clouds here too. I don't think there are clouds in Afghanistan, but I'll have to look again.
Thanks for all your prayers and emails. They were just what I needed for recovery.
I admit I was scared. I saw some of my lab results from when I was inpatient, and they were not pretty. My ALT levels went from over 900 to 441 today (normal is 7-56). It's still high, and a few others are too, but he expects them to continue to trend down to a normal range over the next few weeks. So, I have to stay another week here in Germany BUT he is confident that I will return to duty next week. Thank goodness... cuz I am going bonkers here. As far as the lesion on my liver, since I am not experiencing any pain they will leave it alone. I'll just follow-up with periodic labs down-range and another MRI when we demob to make sure it does not grow. All my hepatitis tests were negative. They don't know what causes all of this, but it's likely it was a virus of some kind.
Yes, I have enjoyed the long, clean showers and porcelain toilets. I've also experienced some guilt. I'm sure that will go away quickly once I'm back on the porta-potty. ; ) I will miss the clouds here too. I don't think there are clouds in Afghanistan, but I'll have to look again.
Thanks for all your prayers and emails. They were just what I needed for recovery.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
What a week....
Where to start? Well I just had a wonderful vanilla latte, my first one in four months. Not sure it worth the trip, but it was pretty dang good.
I'm in Landstuhl, Germany at one of the finest military hospitals in the world. I was not blown up or hurt in combat! I have something going on with my liver, which they're trying to figure out while I'm pleading to be sent back to the worst place I've ever been... Afghan-land.
I had been feeling bad for a few weeks, but nothing that made me go to sick-call. After a lot of sleepless nights and comments about how bad I looked, I divulged all my symptoms to our medic. (Bless his heart, he takes such good care of us all.) The tell-tell sign was my yellow eyes, so he made me go see one of the docs the next morning. Next thing I know they're medevac'ing me to KAF for further testing. Well KAF is a trauma hospital and thank the good Lord, I didn't belong there. So KAF medevac'd me to Bagram... another trauma hospital. The whole time I am thinking about how I don't belong there. There are Soldiers who were wounded in combat, real heroes being sent home from battle wounds. I'm just a little yellow with nausea and itching. Next stop was Landstuhl, Germany.
The flight from Bagram to Landstuhl was awful. However I kept reminding myself that the only pain I was experiencing was from lying on my backside for about 8 hours straight - strapped down to a litter. The guy strapped down above me (they stack patients 3 high on litters on medevac plane flights) had all sorts of tubes coming out of him. So I know the flight was much more tolerable for me. Please remember those Soldiers in your prayers.
So all I know as of right now is that my liver enzymes are not normal and I have a 'spot' on my liver. They have no idea at this point what has caused all of this, and they may never know. I've had a gazillion tests done and a few more to go. My arms have been a pin cushion. But I have a gut feeling (no pun intended) that all is well and this is just some freak thing that will go away. I already feel a lot better than I did a week ago. I think I just needed a good coffee!
There's an internet room in the hospital for patients or whoever to use. After being here 3 or 4 days, I find out there was wireless internet too... in my room. Nicely done. I would never have thought to ask. I'm now used to real floors and toilets... which may have been worth the trip. j/k btw. Anyway, the other day I was waiting to use a computer and this guy was ooo'ing and aah'ing over some pictures and invited me over for a peek. OMG.... they were pictures of him and his injuries. He was shot with a MK-19 (google that if you don't know what it is, it's worth the google) through his thigh. I could not believe that he was sitting there, in a wheelchair of course, showing me these graphic pictures. The round went through the outside of one thigh, grazed his scrotum (yes, he showed me that too... in the photo!!!!) and exited through the other thigh. Amazingly all through soft tissue. (It was a 40mm round in case you didn't google it.) In his defense for showing me these pictures, he's a medic. And I used to be one, even though he didn't know that. We're probably a lot more open about that stuff than the average joe. Anywho, he is one blessed fella.
The nurses and doctors have been amazing. In particular, the doctor and nurse at KAF that made me call my Dad and tell him I was in the hospital. I boo'd and hoo'd that I didn't want to call and worry him. They convinced me it was best for him that I call before someone I didn't know, and maybe misinformed, may call him and really scare him. Dad is all well and informed now. Big thanks to them for letting me cry it out and understanding why I want to go back to the sandbox.
So just waiting impatiently now here in Germany. It is a nice change, I can't deny that. It's been raining here and the temps are much cooler. Oh, and there isn't any dust!
I just ate a bag of Haribo gummies and a diet Coke for lunch. I'm sure that's good for the ol' liver. ; )
Take care friends!
I'm in Landstuhl, Germany at one of the finest military hospitals in the world. I was not blown up or hurt in combat! I have something going on with my liver, which they're trying to figure out while I'm pleading to be sent back to the worst place I've ever been... Afghan-land.
I had been feeling bad for a few weeks, but nothing that made me go to sick-call. After a lot of sleepless nights and comments about how bad I looked, I divulged all my symptoms to our medic. (Bless his heart, he takes such good care of us all.) The tell-tell sign was my yellow eyes, so he made me go see one of the docs the next morning. Next thing I know they're medevac'ing me to KAF for further testing. Well KAF is a trauma hospital and thank the good Lord, I didn't belong there. So KAF medevac'd me to Bagram... another trauma hospital. The whole time I am thinking about how I don't belong there. There are Soldiers who were wounded in combat, real heroes being sent home from battle wounds. I'm just a little yellow with nausea and itching. Next stop was Landstuhl, Germany.
The flight from Bagram to Landstuhl was awful. However I kept reminding myself that the only pain I was experiencing was from lying on my backside for about 8 hours straight - strapped down to a litter. The guy strapped down above me (they stack patients 3 high on litters on medevac plane flights) had all sorts of tubes coming out of him. So I know the flight was much more tolerable for me. Please remember those Soldiers in your prayers.
So all I know as of right now is that my liver enzymes are not normal and I have a 'spot' on my liver. They have no idea at this point what has caused all of this, and they may never know. I've had a gazillion tests done and a few more to go. My arms have been a pin cushion. But I have a gut feeling (no pun intended) that all is well and this is just some freak thing that will go away. I already feel a lot better than I did a week ago. I think I just needed a good coffee!
There's an internet room in the hospital for patients or whoever to use. After being here 3 or 4 days, I find out there was wireless internet too... in my room. Nicely done. I would never have thought to ask. I'm now used to real floors and toilets... which may have been worth the trip. j/k btw. Anyway, the other day I was waiting to use a computer and this guy was ooo'ing and aah'ing over some pictures and invited me over for a peek. OMG.... they were pictures of him and his injuries. He was shot with a MK-19 (google that if you don't know what it is, it's worth the google) through his thigh. I could not believe that he was sitting there, in a wheelchair of course, showing me these graphic pictures. The round went through the outside of one thigh, grazed his scrotum (yes, he showed me that too... in the photo!!!!) and exited through the other thigh. Amazingly all through soft tissue. (It was a 40mm round in case you didn't google it.) In his defense for showing me these pictures, he's a medic. And I used to be one, even though he didn't know that. We're probably a lot more open about that stuff than the average joe. Anywho, he is one blessed fella.
The nurses and doctors have been amazing. In particular, the doctor and nurse at KAF that made me call my Dad and tell him I was in the hospital. I boo'd and hoo'd that I didn't want to call and worry him. They convinced me it was best for him that I call before someone I didn't know, and maybe misinformed, may call him and really scare him. Dad is all well and informed now. Big thanks to them for letting me cry it out and understanding why I want to go back to the sandbox.
So just waiting impatiently now here in Germany. It is a nice change, I can't deny that. It's been raining here and the temps are much cooler. Oh, and there isn't any dust!
I just ate a bag of Haribo gummies and a diet Coke for lunch. I'm sure that's good for the ol' liver. ; )
Take care friends!
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