Archive for October 18th, 2007

So I’ve been in the hospital for the last few days with what is called a Non-Battle Injury. In other words, I was not wounded in battle, I had an urgent healthcare matter that required surgery.  I got a whirlwind tour of the medical evacuation system for Iraq and Kuwait in the process.  I have to say it works pretty well, especially if you are litter bound.  I was medevac’d from my FOB to the Combat Surgical Hospital, CSH, in Mosul.  They did an evaluation and decided I needed surgery. An hour or so later I was in surgery.  Can’t really say too much about how that went as they gave me some really good sedatives and a spinal block.  I woke up shortly after the surgery in the recovery room numb from the belly button down.  Strange experience trying to get up and walk when you can’t feel anything below your umbilicus.  I was placed in the ICW for monitoring and was treated pretty darned well.  They gave me civilian clothes to wear on the ward, brought in food, and made sure I was a comfortable as I could get for the pain I was in.  I took some pain meds at first, but I hate the feeling they give you so I pretty much just dealt after that.