Something to think about when you hear "injured" or dead soldier

[rainbow4321]

http://www.blackfive.net/main/
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Blog entry from a military hospital set up in Iraq:

http://www.blackfive.net/main/someone_you_should_know/index.html

One young sergeant was badly broken and rushed to the OR. The IED had done its intended job and shredded this courageous American everywhere that wasn't covered by body armor. He was dying, but we weren't going to let him go without a fight. He had no immediate eye injury, so I just went to work getting the blood and hanging it on the infusers since those that usually do this were otherwise occupied. We kept pouring unit after unit into him but he was loosing it as quickly as we were able to get it in.

The trauma surgeon and the vascular surgeon cracked his chest and started going after his injuries to try to stop the hemorrhaging. His heart stopped a number of times. The trauma surgeon held his heart and kept squeezing to aid in circulation while the anesthesiologists were infusing the medications needed to restart the heart.

Two major injuries were found in the carotid and subclavian artery but too much damage had been done too much blood had been lost, and too much time had passed before his injuries could be repaired. We went through 45 units of blood. His heart stopped 7 times and we were able to restart it 6 times. When it became clear that we would not win this battle and that this young sergeant had gone into that good night, we turned off the machines and monitors, the chaplain stepped forward...<snip>

Once the sergeant's body was prepared, his fellow soldiers came through and paid their last respects. This will always be the hardest part of my time here.to see these rough men break down at the sight of their fallen comrade.

[Erika]

1. I watched young Iraqi men in the U.S. celebrating the election

and the Iraqi men in Iraq. Why weren't they defending their country instead of Americans?

[maddezmom]

2. thanks for posting

:(

[Historic NY]

3. Thank you my niece spent 16 months patching up

our soldiers sent to her care. She was a replacement sent to Germany. For months she and her fellow soldiers would instant message me in the wee hours of the morning. I was going to sleep when they were half way through their shifts. She gave out my addy to them because, I would listen and could share their successes and failures. At home, some were nurses, EMT's, Dr's, cops or fireman. We all shared a unique common bond as most public service/emergency workers do. Some would call it strange or bizarre, but its an unwritten code, a belief of giving hope to the hopeless that ties us all together. Yes, they suffered pain and anguish in their duty but without hope there is no life. It is not an easy task, but somehow through it all they do not stop trying. Every unsuccessful case, cuts one through the heart, a wound that is not easily forgotten.

[RazzleDazzle]

8. What a wonderful way for you to serve and help them

:thumbsup:

[Swamp Rat]

4. kick and recommended n/t

[bigtree]

5. .

[Marleyb]

6. so sad

Thank you for posting. People need to understand the reality of war. Besides the unacceptable number of dead, the number of injured is +15,000, many maimed and incapacitated for life.(over 50% GulfWarI vets are now disabled-11,000 dead from Depleted Uranium and other causes) What happens to these true patriots, that sacrificed themselves for our country, when they come home and find out it was all based on lies told by a madman, while so many in the country just looked the other way. And then to top it all off, they cannot get the treatment they need because the bastards in DC have cut the funds to veterans hosptals.

Our military signed up to protect our nation. These are the bravest, most courageous people, willing to sacrifice themselves for US.
This nation owes our soldiers a huge apology.

[trixie]

7. Isn't the administration covering up

the deaths by calling them noncombat if you can get them to the hospital with a heartbeat and then they die quite soon afterward? Aren't they padding the deaths by saying they were not on duty? If a soldier is sent to Iraq I assume they are on duty 24/7 defending their own lives and any death should be combat related.

[rainbow4321]

9. Much like Katrina victims..

If they died outside of NO (or the other affected areas)--or after certain "cutoff dates"--the deaths are not considered Katrina related. It's just another of chimp's cover-my-ass fuzzy math.

I've seen some troops returning home at DFW airport while I was there picking up my 18 y/o daughter...they all look about her age. To think of them going thru all the injuries, being maimed, is just heartbreaking.
And yet MSM has become so "oh, by the way" when they say "x numbered injured".

[Bosso 63]

10. Honor Discipline Sacrifice

It pisses me off that these people who are willing to offer "the last full measure", are being exploited by a spoiled brat and his cronies for their personal enrichment. Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines; deserve much better leadership now!