VMO

So, sometime in my recent past I was able to go on another village medical outreach about an hour from my new location. Turned out that it was a village surrounded by a refuge camp with approximately 12000 families. If you know anything about families in Afghanistan, that's like 10 dudes with 10 wives a piece and a few thousand kids running about the mine fields like no big deal! Anyway, two other PAs and I went out with SECFOR (security forces) with humanitarian goods and medical supplies for about 300-400 people. The three of us saw about 300 people in about 4 hours. This seems impossible but when you have a limited diversity of meds to treat acute illness and minimal else, you can really crank it out especially when you have 1 interpreter per provider. That really helps. We had people being carried in on backs, on wheel barrows and in sacks. There were illnesses reminiscent of biblical times. I found myself thinking of the stories in the bible about people bringing their sick to Jesus to be healed and there I was, watching this old haggard woman being carried in on the back of her dilapidated husband just to see me. How humbling! Unfortunately, there was little to do for her but give directions on how to seek further care either in the large public hospitals or in Pakistan. Right, like there's money for the trip! On my last VMO, I noticed a significant amount of arthritis in "older" meaning 40s and 50s around here. So, this time I came prepped. Alright!!! Something in my lane......injections! Thank God, get me away from this primary care crap and give me something I can fix! So, I came armed with multi vial cortisone for injection in did probably 10 injections, about 30 less than I thought I would. It's a way to really get some effect longer term, up to 6 months or a year if your lucky. Much better than giving a few tablet to last a few days. Among the other issues we saw: blindness, traumatic amputees looking for prosthetics, dry skin....go figure....thank God vaseline is cheap over here. I can't seem to get them to understand dry skin. Imagine that! Others...club feet and other disfiguring deformities like severe scoliosis and kyphosis, worms, TB (please step back), malaria, and of course every form of Ear, Nose and Throat problem. Back to the TB. You do your best to be polite when someone walks in and tells you that they have fever and bloody cough. Out of the "man-jammies" comes the xray with infiltrations all over. You take your step back to get yourself some breathing room and tell the terp to step in and let them know they need to be seen at the public hospital for TB screening and full treatment. It's the same look, every time. I'll be on one side of the room and the other PA with be on the other. Haji walks in and whips out the xray. You look over your shoulder and see your comrade step back and get some space. It's kind of funny. Meanwhile, the terp's like "But sir, why the hell do I have to stand next to him!?" For all you on your way over....Always take hand gel with you and hand wipes. You never can get enough gloves and dear God! The stuff you'll put your hands on just to treat the needy. It's enough to break a nail biting habit! We had to turn away what was approximated to be 1000-1500 people for treatment. We didn't have time or supplies. Women were literally fighting in line to get ahead of the other. We had to get terps outside to try to calm the situation because we aren't allowed to touch them (women) and shooting a few to make a point doesn't exactly fall in line with Army values!
I didn't get many pictures of the VMO because I was too busy. There were two medics that were a big help and they took a few shots. Nothing amazing but here are a few pics. The sunrise pic is one of the FOBs we stayed at on the way to the VMO. Nice place. Gets mortared about 3 times a week. Usually Tali is pretty wide though!