Afghanistan and the inevitable Bastion quick step
One reason that I feel that I may be able to contribute something meaningful to the tour is, as I have already mentioned, because I have already done one.
Admittedly Afghanistan in 2009 is a completely different situation to Iraq in early 2003 I know that some things will probably be the same.
I know, for example that the heat will drive me mad for a couple of days before I quickly become used to it. Ditto, sand, dust, flies and lack of beer. I have resigned myself to (at least) one serious bout of diarrhoea and vomiting (apparently known as the Bastion Quick-Step) as I remember from Iraq that no amount of sanitation, clean living, Imodium or prayer can stop it if it wants you. I know also that I will miss my friends and family terribly.
I am also aware that working in a hospital, I am unlikely to avoid witnessing things that we English tend to describe as 'disturbing'. In Iraq I imagined the very worst thing I could see in terms of heartbreaking tragedy and hoped that real life would not live up to it.
Sadly it did - frequently! I would imagine that Afghanistan will be the same. However, with every great tragedy some good comes and I will also get to see my clinical colleagues in action with their 'game faces' on.
This can be a mesmerising and wonderful thing to behold as skilled, talented and committed people deal with things that we 'non-medics' find hard to fathom and even harder to cope with.
I know that the people who come through the hospital doors will get the very best of care and experience tells me that this makes every awful moment significantly easier to bear.
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Fusilier Paul Dorrell - 4 Mercian, Sheldon
Corporal Tony Green - from Kings Heath 202 Field Hospital
Allright Cuz?
For those of us who are not in a position to offer their services to their country, We salute you. We ask but a few things, that you do your best, come home safely and remember that where ever you go there will always be people thinking of you.