48 Hours In The Green Zone

Appendicitis. That's the diagnosis that brought SSG Pete to the Baghdad Hospital in The Green Zone. I was his escort, there to keep an eye on and report back to base on his status. Happy to say that after a quick operation, he was recovering well and on his way to Qatar for some recuperation time despite wanting to simply rest back at base (but DR's orders said Qatar).
Having just spent far more time in a hospital then I have in years, I find myself wondering if maybe I shouldn't have followed my father's footsteps and studied medicine. 'Sfunny, maybe just if that Anatomy & Physiology course had fit in the schedule my senior year of high school. Or maybe if I had just listened to Jenn's advice and gone in as a medic when I enlisted (although I think we all know that I would, in general, be much better off for following her advice). Ah, maybe later in life. Might be a fun way to retire – spelunking around the world with Doctors Without Borders.

Some thoughts on The Green Zone:

There are attractive women in the military. They hide many of them in The Green Zone. And had I stayed just a little longer, I would've gone to Salsa Night and pushed my luck. Although, according to my tour guide there, PFC Mechtel, I would prolly have failed (exchange between a sergeant that dropped off me and SSG Pete and PFC Mechtel: " So you get alot pussy around here? No, the Aussies live down the street and they steal all the girls." Still, woulda been fun to flirt (hey, I'm a single boy now, I'm allowed).

The grill your own panini at the embassy was awesome! And nice building (old one, not new one), too - one of saddam's old palaces. Really pretty interior spaces that just scream I'm an insane and wealthy dictator with oil money and I like decorating
Wish I'd brought a camera. Sadly, it didn't make the trip. Oh well, then I would have really felt bad for not seeing The Assassin's Gate.