I'm Lovin' It

Amazingly, after 24 hours of travel time over who knows how many thousands of miles and only a few hours of sleep here and there, I'm doing great.  We left Norfolk about an hour late because it was determined that we could make it to Germany without stopping in Maine because the plane wasn't full, but they had to add more fuel to the plane first.  I spent about 4.5 hours in Germany in a city called Liepzig in what had to be their military terminal.  They fed us free lunches and most of us laid across rows of chairs and dozed because at that point we had been up all night.  Thanks to earplugs, a face mask , benadryl and a great reclining seat in first class, I think I slept for about 3 hours while going over the ocean on a 7hr flight.  After leaving Germany, we had a 5 1/2 hour flight to Qatar; we used the same plane with a new crew of civilians from North American Airlines.  I am kind of disappointed that I didn't get to ride in a C-130, but I know it was much more comfortable this way.  

It took about 2 hours to in-process the base and go through Customs but I have a great 1st Shirt who had already gotten me a room in billeting and handed me the key right there.  Then she loaded my luggage, and the 4 other medical people who came in, on a truck and van and drove us to the dfac (dining facility).  I loved just swiping my ID card and getting to pick out what I wanted (I got an omelette and banana since it was 3am).  I finally made it back to my room just before 4am after stopping off in the Cadillac (the bathroom and shower trailor) to try to go to sleep.  It is easier said than done!  I have a tiny little room in a trailor with two beds and two storage cabinets but no roommate as of yet.   When my sponsor leaves on or about the 15th, I will take over her room which is right across from the hospital and gym.  So far I haven't had to walk anywhere because it seems there are vehicles everywhere and people have to offer rides.  I will be driving one of the hospital vans (nicknamed the "Talivan") to get patients off of the flight line.  Thankfully I can drive a manual!  My sponsor had to run over to the flight line side of base and I got to tag along and see the base.  It is huge!  You have to take the shuttle or drive to get to the different sections of the base.  They have 11 inpatient beds where they recover OR patients (there is only 1 OR).  Three of these beds are ICU beds, which they hardy use as such but use them for isolation rooms instead.  I am the first of the new group of people arriving, most will come next week.  I have a lot to learn to get spun up on my jobs but it is exciting to be doing something different than Labor and delivery.  They also have about 25 outpatient beds for military members throughout the AOR (African Horn, Iraq, and Afghanistan) who need to have care or minor surgery but can be expected to return in to duty in less than 30 days.  

I got to go the gym during the duty day today and they say most days you can do this.  I went with my sponsor, the chief nurse, and one of the physicians, as the chief nurse teaches a spin class.  It was my first spin class but it was a crazy workout and I did make it all the way through it.  

Right now I am sitting outside my trailer with about 10 other people on the sidewalk because you can't pick up the wifi from inside the rooms.  They temperature now is great, weather.com says 102 and feels like 101 but the breeze is great and I was surprised to see what the temp was.  Earlier it was hot and windy with dust flying so much it looked like it was snowing.   

I will post pictures as soon as I find my cable for my camera; hopefully I didn't leave it at home!  I know this is a long posting and most won't be like this but so much has happened in the last day and a half.  I am about to go to the cadillac to get ready for bed and then take an ambien so I can actually fall asleep.  I have to be at work at 0645 in the am.  

  You'll hear from me soon.

Love, Megan