At Long Last

A couple of emails ago I mentioned someone with henna dyed feet.  This is as close of a picture as I could find to what they looked like.

This picture was taken on the day I was told I had influenza.  This is a box that one of my classmates from CRNA school sent to me.  It was incredibly thoughtful of him to do something like that and it cheered me up greatly.

As you will recall from previous emails I was coerced into keeping my mustache for over a week after I could have shaved it so we could take a department picture in which everyone had a mustache.  This is the day that I finally got to shave it off.  I thought the biohazard sign was appropriate because when I would wake up in the morning or blow my nose my 'stache would be filled with all kinds of creepy stalactites.  Gross!

Kind of a bad picture but this is me having fun with the remains of my mustache.

  

This is the picture that I had to keep my mustache for.  I guess it was worth it.

We were suppose to take a hospital wide photo on the helicopter pad but at the last minute they cancelled it so Ally and I walked around taking pictures until the haircut place opened.  This is one of the rare totally clear days in Bagram.

Me and one of the heavily armored assault vehicles with a 50 caliber machine gun on the roof

Another of the giant armored vehicles that do patrols around base

An armored ambulance

Me and my mismatched name tapes

This is the group of OR staff that ran the Valentine's Day 5 or 10K.  We are only smiling because this was before we realized we didn't get T-shirts.  There was a live band you can see in the background.

A fuzzy picture of the runners during the race.

                                               This is Dr Bode who was voted to be cupid on Valentine's Day.  He is humongous.

Just hanging out with my bottled water.

This is high security tape sure to keep out anyone trying to get through this fence.

We saw this sign and found its location pretty funny.  I am not sure who put it there but I am pretty sure they were not in the Army.

I took this picture about an hour ago.  This is the flag I am taking home and using at my house.  I am planning on taking it to Normandy when we go this summer.  It is good to remember all of the places and countries over which our flag has flown and upon whose soil our men and women's blood has been spilled to defend what this flag represents.  I feel honored to be here making my own small sacrifice in a cause my nation has engaged in.  It gives me perspective and appreciation for what I have and so often take for granted.