GOOOO NAVY!

Well I didn't get to skype Madison's bath yesterday but I did get to skype with mommy and Maddy for a good 25 minutes! It's okay though, it's not her only bath and mom is very busy and very tired -- which by the way she is doing an amazing job with everything. This morning I got to hear Madison while she was drinking her bottle making those cute noises. Poor girl has been a bit fussy lately.

In other news, the stress level for everyone on deployment has risen to the next level... I think we hit that plateau of adjustment and the time period where we only have half of the deployment left so anxiety is irratiating from peoples' auras.

My co worker just told me one of the officers here claimed that he hit him last night... That is hilarious. First off this officer is a dick, one of the biggest smart asses I have ever interacted with. With these attractive traits of his he is also a nurse... a profession he believes comes before god himself. So with his almighty facade and red carpet he believes the world should be bending over backwards to make due with his needs, not the needs of the Navy, no that's far to petty, but the needs to him and his self only. What doesn't surprised me is that since my co-worker got into a debate with him last night over mail hours and got fed up with his shit while closing the door on him, he goes to our chief and complains that he was assaulted but didn't want to press charges... .... let's say that again... he was assaulted but didn't want to press charges. First of all if I was assaulted, you best believe I am pressing charges ESPECIALLY on deployment so good on ya chief for seeing right through that one. Secondly this officer is already known for giving people trouble around base... like to the point where he has been talked to several times already so once again good on ya chief for seeing right through another one. What is even more hilarious is that my co-worker had to make a statement while having to give up his weapon in the hands of lawful justice in any case he may go crazy and assault people on base. Give me a break.

I have another story about this officer... sorry, I meant to say god...

I will share that story another time. Goooo NAVY!

Like Flyleaf, I'm so sick...

Of this damn place. It may sound typical but everyday gets worse and worse. I think it may be because I have a family waiting for me and that I am dealing with massive amounts of bullshit out here.

I didn't think I would be like this... I have been so happy up until this point and this is my first deployment and I remember someone telling me that everyone goes through phases on deployment. I guess I am in the pissed off mood phase just because I am about half way done and I am anxious to go back home to my family. Aside from the obvious, I am still bitter that I work over in the manual labor department eventhough I am grateful that the opportunity of getting my hands dirty has risen. It's a love hate thing. I love that fact that I can be on my own but I hate it that I am not doing what I am trained to do, you know... what the Navy actually paid me to train for.

And for the old timers, *Cough* Dad *cough* Flyleaf is a band. :)

I do just want to say one thing though... I love you all and appreciate all the mail and support... that's what is really helping out.

Oh wittle Maddy!

In case you didn't know... I AM A FATHER!!!! A proud father at that. My amazing wife gave birth to our wonderful and beautiful little girl, Madison Elizabeth weighing 7 pounds 2 ounces. She is going to have me wrapped around her finger... I am so excited.

Apparently she looks just like me and is strong enough to hold her own head up already. I Skype with her and Lauren quite frequently and am supposed to see her get a bath tonight. When I Skype with her she loves to stare at me, it's adorable.

Oh my little girl, and wife, I can not wait to get home!

Don't worry, I'm Alive!

So here's how it goes:

I was able to update my blog almost every single day while assigned in primary care due to the fact that we acted like an emergency room -- lot's of down time at times.

Now that I have moved over to the CQ I have been absolutely busy, busy to the point where I just fall straight to sleep when I get back to the barracks. First of all I was switched to the day shift without any notice besides like a 15 minute one before I went into work... after taking my meds (I think I blogged about that already). THEN I thought I would be getting a lot of down time because CQ is only known for the support and welfare of the hospital (ie. mail call and laundry) but upon my arrival we are prompted by the higher ups that our location needs to be moved... cool, shouldn't be too bad... ... right?

2 1/2 to 3 weeks later we are still putting forth the heavy lifting and manual labors that came with the relocation... sure it doesn't sound bad but setting up a military tent along with all the additives we desire proved to be very tiring... also very rewarding so don't take it as bitching. At first I fricken hated where I am at now but now that I have been getting used to coming home every day with a blood stained uniform and a sweaty undershirt it almost makes you feel proud of the little things you've created. What little things you ask? Well after all this I am proud to say we basically built this tent with a lot of elbow grease, floor plans, integrity, and expectation. With all those in mind we have been motivated to put up custom doors that have been shaved down with our own table saw, framing put up with our own hammers and nails, weather protective design with our own planning and pulling strength, and of course many many empty cans of Monster energy drinks.

All in all its not a bad area and working with guys is a lot less frustrating just because when we have problems they are hashed out immediately. "Why the fuck do you do it like that? Give it to me.... see how that works? Now you do it." Easy... done. No hurt feelings.

So here's to my mom and dad and whoever cares... I love you and I plan on updating my blog more often, trust me.. I think about it every day. Just know that I am not going to have as much time as I have had before because I am not only giving my time to CQ, I still go over to Primary Care to help and the OR to do cases... so I have like 3 jobs.

On an amazing note... MY WIFE IS ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH!!!!!! MORE ON THIS TOPIC SOON!!!!

Wow what a delay... I mean day

Okay it's been a while since I wrote an entry and let me explain why. If you haven't already gathered from the lack of journal updates that I started in the CQ then I will tell you... I started working in the CQ and my first few days have been rough.

First of all I was set to come into work on the 19th, putting on my uniform and about to walk out the door to start walking. I grabbed a water, took my meds, and suddenly receive a text message... from Chief? Hmmm, wonder what it says...

"Hey don't bother coming in to work tonight, show up at the CQ tomorrow morning at 0730"

Seriously?

Only reason why I was upset was because I took my Adderall already.... it's a stimulant so the night ended up being a restless one... literally. I lied awake in my rack, pissed off, unable to sleep... not one second of sleep throughout the night. This job is not what I do and the initial day was terrible just because I was already tired and I was doing manual labor while the guy in charge demanded work condescendingly.

To answer the absence, I have been tasked with the razing and re-establishment of the CQ tent which brings along plenty of bruises, achy bones, and blood. In a sense it's good... yea good if you are back in the States and if it's a personal project. I'm not going to take a salesman who's good with numbers and money and throw him into steel factory and say "Good luck! Figure it out buddy."

To wrap things up, I try to look at the positives to this job as much as possible but when it all comes down to it, I am a medical provider providing... providing mail call, laundry and heavy lifting. Awesome. We are surrounded by first year hospital corpman and they decide to choose the Surgical Technologist/Field Medical Service Technician to do the bitch work.

All in all I am glad I am contributing to the relocation cause but who's Cheerio's did I piss in to get this?

Take the bitterness as bitching if you will but I came here to save lives, not mail.

Alright, over to the CQ... I think.

Alright I'm the bitch, let's just lay that out on the table. No but really that's how it feels right now. I know I may not have the highest rank in the department but I mean I shouldn't be working myself up and preparing for maybes.

The story? Well I am a corpsman, I am a health care provider, I provide health care to the best of my knowledge and scope of practice, I can also provide a body, nurse, who can offer a higher scope of practice with access to controlled medications and such. Where am I going with this...? Well first of all I am out in a fricken third world country caring for the sick and wounded, doing my job, and all of a sudden get word that I will be tasked with going over to CQ. What is CQ? CQ is the forgotten realm, the jailbox, with all stigmas attached -- the dunce corner. Their job's consist of:

• Picking up Laundry (from staff at the hospital)
• Picking up Mail (for staff)
• Administrative bitch work

Quite honestly, I don't know what else they do... But I do know they work an awesome 7 days a week on 12 hour shifts -- sweet!

So you are telling me you will be getting rid of my health provider status and gaining technique and experience just so I can fill for a body that doesn't do a good job? Roger that. Besides being a detriment to my career path, my higher ups decide to give me the run around especially a certain person. What is he doing? Well I am suppose to go work for CQ tomorrow right? I was taken off of our schedule for tomorrow and everything up until yesterday. This dude tells me all sorts of shit like:

• Stand by to stand by because I don't know what's going on yet.
• They don't know what's going on with the whole CQ thing yet.
• Well I put you back on the schedule just in case.
• You are suppose to go tomorrow but I still don't know.
• As far as they're concerned, they will be receiving you tomorrow.

But at the same time I got word from my buddy, who talked with this leader, saying that he told him that I wasn't going over to the CQ anymore but he just didn't want to tell me -- he wanted me to just stay and work the schedule I am working and just accept that I 'hadn't gone to CQ'.

Why don't you just tell me I'm not going instead of saying one thing to one guy then another to me? Pissing me the hell off.

Three sutures coming up!

It's not often regular corpsman get to step outside their field of practice and do medical procedures they normally don't/can't do.

We had a patient come in tonight who was pretending to be a ninja at the barracks. He has two knives and was messing around with his friends. During his intensive attempt to intimidate his buddies by swinging his knives around he ended up stabbing himself in the upper arm. Boredom kills on deployment.

So I get in and first thing I am tasked with is to suture this guys stab wound... AWESOME! Everyone knows that I am a surgical technologist so when it comes down to doing procedures that require the least bit of sterility they come and ask me if I want to do it, trying to keep my skills up and all.

So I get in there, do my thing and this, now-fixed, gentleman gets to go home with three sutures and a smile.