Posted by admin on November 21, 2008, 5:40 PM

08 World Market Iraq

Date Line Iraq 6/7/08
World Market Iraq
A letter from

Lt. Commander Sandy Kimmer M.D. U.S. Navy

Al Taqaddum is truly its own little cross-section of the world. Walking around base is like taking a world tour, seeing a variety of faces and tastes. The Green Beans World Café is one of my favorite spots. The baristas are all from Nepal and they have an uncanny memory...they practically have my double iced hazelnut latte ready for me when I walk in the door. Just like Starbucks, they have music playing, from all over the world. They also have a coffee card so you don't have to remember to bring cash...good coffee is truly a universal desire!

The dining facility is another country, mostly run by men from Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries. Each group has a different uniform, preserving their national pride. When they have finished cooking and serving the masses of military and contract workers, they sit down to meal, which reflects their unique culture. If you linger after dinner, you are assaulted by the language and aroma of far-away worlds. Protecting the checkpoints within the base is the responsibility of our Uganda Security Forces.

A smiling, joyous group, they great you with a hearty "Jambo", their universal world for hello, good-by, and "how's it hangin'." My friend Susan and her colleagues in the Combat Stress Department have befriended the Ugandan physician, Dr. Taremwa. Meeting and talking with him has been incredibly interesting. He joins our weekly Continuing Medical Education talks on Thursdays at the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon and gave an enlightening talk on the medical system in Uganda and the impact of malaria. After witnessing their passion for volleyball when we visited their camp, Susan was instrumental in procuring a new volleyball set for the Ugandans. They were so appreciative, with laughter and cheers all around.

Any manner of Iraqi gifts can be purchased at the gift shops on base. Rugs, jewelry, and soapstone carvings and drink ware are just a few of the items sold. Leather goods are also popular and many of the marines can be seen sporting elaborately tooled leather holsters. Iraqi coins and currency are also popular gifts to send home. The Iraqis who work in the stores also run a teashop where you can sip tea and smoke a hookah. They have also invited some of us for meals, serving traditional Iraqi foods. My own knowledge of the Iraqi medical system has increased dramatically through the Iraqi Women's Engagements (IWE). I had the pleasure to travel to Fallujah recently to participate in one. We worked out of a clinic, which the US built for the Iraqis. The clinic manager took me on a tour of the pharmacy, which was well stocked with antibiotics and topical medications. What I did not see was a supply of drugs for managing chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. I worked alongside a female Iraqi physician who was obviously well trained. What struck me was the lack of faith that the Iraqi women we saw have in their medical system. Several of them brought paperwork from the laboratory and radiology studies they had performed. I was consistently able to reassure them that they had received the correct care and treatment. Many of the patients were children with Cerebral Palsy or mental retardation. The mothers of these children had all heard of a miracle cure in Jordan or the US. I had to explain to them that, even with the best care by the most qualified doctors in the US, there is no cure for these children. I praised them for making them a natural part of the family and engaging them in life...that is the best that can be hoped for!

Thanks to these experiences, I am still finding my deployment incredibly rewarding. We have had our share of casualties, including several from the unit we were with for the Combined Medical Engagement (CME). The morning prior to the CME, they were hit by an IED and sent to TQ Surgical. Ironically, my friend Jim provided Cobra helicopter escort for the medical evacuation of the wounded soldiers. I was glad to be with them and be able to call and get information on how their buddies were doing. They were happy to have their questions answered and just to know what was happening. I felt, once again, that I was in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, this incident was likely the reason that only two Iraqi physicians, as opposed to the five who had agreed, joined us for the CME. My friends and I are celebrating 3 months down and being near the halfway point of our deployment. We are all a little bit crazy out here!

Hope YOU are staying sane and I MISS YOU!!

Love,

Sandy

Sandy is now safely back in Carlsbad CA. Commuting to Camp Pendleton every day. She arrived there on 18 Sept.

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