A world Apart

Tonight I was feeling pretty good after working out in the gym, excited to call home and talk with some of my buddies. It was a night that I could tell I would be able to have some of those good long conversations not the short awkward whats up and that's about it talks. After the gym I walked outside got my book with phone numbers and started making my way to the phone center. On my way I saw an Iraqi ambulance parked right out side our CP and quickly thought that some IP(iraqi police) or maybe some CLC(Sons of Iraq) got shot again while watching the road. I walked over to go help out as just a week ago I helped treat two of these guys for gunshot wounds sustained out here. I walked over to the ambulance and they had everything in control so I moved over to our aid station to see if any other casualties were around and see if I could help out. When I walked in side I wasn't really expecting this one but there was a little girl wrapped up in dressings and bloody. I threw on some gloves to help out with whatever else needed to be done, but most of the work was finished. I inquired as to what happened and found out that she was hit with an IED while riding in her car. She was the only one in the car to be injured. I looked back at her and did some more examining of her wounds and got her ready for the helicopter ride to one of the hospitals on our big bases out here where we generally send our wounded troops. She just laid on that bed not a tear in her eye calm as could be, no doubt from the anesthetic but to her credit her own bravery as well. As I strapped her down to the litter, preparing her for the ride in a black hawk, I looked into her one eye that wasn't patched up and apologized to her. I was sorry that she had to live like this, in the midst of violence and probably now disfigured for the rest of her life. So young and innocent yet experienced more then most in an evil way. I kept looking at her studying her face and she kept studying mine probably one of the few times she has seen American troops not in full battle rattle. This time she was being served by one in a caring none authoritarian way. I asked her in Arabic if she was good, she nodded yes and I finished strapping her down. I said to my self that the thing that gets me the most is this was caused by her own people. The same people that have taken the lives of 2 of my fellow soldiers just the day before. What gives ya know? I wish the Americans were more pissed at the people doing this rather then those that are trying to at least fight it. I am not saying agree with everything but come on man cast some of that blame and near hatred to the parties on the other side of the detonator. After we loaded her on the bird to go get treated better then any Iraqi hospital would be able to I came back took off my medical gloves and continued on to the phone center. My excitement of calling and talking to others was still there but instead of clear and confident it became confused and much more solemn and quiet. You just don't call and have a normal conversation when you you feel such a world apart from your family, your friends, your people. I don't feel angry or saddened or alone about this fact of being out of the loop so to speak with others. At times maybe yes but now....no. I just wanted to comment about the quick turn of events and really how that effects the normal attitude of simply talking with loved ones that are involved in a different pace of life. Being an emt back in the states and being involved with this similar kind of stuff I know brings the same attitude and reaction from those workers as well, its just the nature of the beast unfortunately. But its a fact or maybe just a thought I wanted to share....