Fall Color

Today was one of those rare days for the Alexander family in that we decided to blow off work and just do something fun.

Destination - Around the top of Mt. Lemmon where you can see the Aspens turning.

We loaded up the paint boxes - this was the first time in awhile we had painted as a family and so that was a big chore. Greg made sure everyone's box had brushes and paint and he rounded up all the paraphanelia it takes to make a plein air painting.

I've been working long hours this week and so I hadn't been to the grocery store so our picnic supplies had to come from the the Circle K on the corner -- we were not to be detered by this.

After all, we decided, it's not about the food but the experience. And we had places to go!! Besides, the kids weren't that upset that I had to pack chips, candy and cokes for their lunches... And of course there's the quick stop at the art supply store to pick up panels.....and then the long drive across Tucson to the Catalina Hwy.

William was sure we'd have to stay in a hotel before we got there because it seemed to him that we'd been in the truck forever.

But finally we are on our way - we'd stopped and paid the day fee and met a lovely woman who admired our dog, Cookie and had a chat with her.

And then the truck died. ON the highway as we were CLIMBING up the grade. It just sputtered and quit. This can't be happening! Our luck wasn't all bad as there was a pull out we were able to crawl into.

Got the truck started again but couldn't turn around at that tight spot and so we went a bit further and stopped at a picnic grounds.

Greg decided that we should let the truck cool off and go ahead and have our junk food picnic.

The kids were wonderful and didn't complain as I explained to them that there was no way we could go on up the mountain today. Maybe the Snickers and Hersheys bars helped or maybe it was that we realized it was a beautiful picnic spot.

We were no where near the Aspens but hey - we'd been in the low desert all summer and here there were pine trees and oaks.

William, who had been looking forward to seeing real fall leaves decided to go look for some. So we hiked a bit and sure enough there were bushes and small trees - I didn't have a field guide so I won't try to name them - that were turning red and yellow and orange. He had found what he'd come for.

And so we set up and all painted. Nothing as pretty as those leaves. We didn't even keep our paintings but went ahead and wiped them off while they were still wet. But I think the kids will remember our fall leaf adventure for a very long time.

My brother in Afghanistan

I thought I'd share an email from the frontlines in Afghanistan.

Sorry for the interruption.
I actually have fetched a couple of patients from the gate since I left off. Their stories are not that unusual. The first guy was shot 6 days ago in the upper leg and the xray shows a nice size caliber bullet still in there. It is probably an AK 47 round. He is a security gaurd at a hospital over the mountains in the next valley. He has had some initial treatment and the wound looks surprisingly clean. So he is a lucky guy. We just gave him some antibiotics, tetanus, and packed the wound. You leave the round in unless it is compressing vital structures. The body will wall it off. So he will follow up with us for simple wound care on our clinic days. You dont sew up gun shot tracts. Just keep shoving dressings in the wound until it starts to heal down.
The second guy is elderly and he was hit by helicopter fire 3 days ago. He has a nice open fracture of the left lower leg. Ofcourse we have already had our SF guys over here and they have "interviewed" him and his buddies. Their stories check out so they are probably not bad guys. In this case just at the wrong place at the wrong time. The guy is pretty old anyway. I doubt very much he is a fighter. It is hard sometimes to guess ages. They have no idea how old they are. They don't keep up with it. The life expectancy is 45 for males and even less for women. So what would pass for a 70 to 80 y/o man in the States may be only 50 or so over here.
So we get lots of fresh wounds and lots of older wounds. Most have not been treated. We had one elderly gentlemen this summer who rode his donkey for 6 days to see us. He was hit by an RPG in the right arm. It basically blew the whole back part of his elbow away. He was open from about the top of the arm to almost the hand. Pretty impressive even by our standards. Especially considering being on a donkey for a week. These folks are tough.
So our old man is going to surgery and my partner who will be with me for a couple of more days is going to do his anesthesia. So I am just relaxing and waiting for the next phone call.
The interpreter and I did go browse through the bazaar while we were waiting for this last casualty and his cohorts to be searched. We don't touch any of these folks until they have been searched thouroughly. We have a bazaar every other Sunday here. It is safe to go to cause it is on the Dutch side of the base. You don't go to bazaars off base. That is where people get blown up. Mostly junk over there. I guess I could buy a burka or one of their hats, but naw, I have better things to spend my money on. The Dutch make pretty good milk shakes on their side of the base. Nothing like Brahms or Dairy Queen though.
Our interpreters are invaluable. We could not do our job without them. We have several and one is assigned to us but sometimes we have used all of them. They go out on SF missions and our "terp" under our tutelage works traumas with us. He will start IV's and do whatever is needed. He is trying to get to the States. He would do well over there. Especially with his language skills.
Well it is about 3:30 on Sunday afternoon and that has been my day. I am on until 8 in the morning and we will see what happens. I like not knowing. I guess that makes me kinda weird. LOL
Hopefully I will watch some NFL tonight. Doesn't start until 9 or 10 and is on all night. I am hoping to get a couple hours sleep. Since my partner is here for a few more days I can sleep tomorrow unless something really big happens. But you do what you do. I am home in a couple of months and then I will sleep well.
Love to all
Gregg

Otis at the park

The new morning must....walking Otis at the park. Today I had to think very seriously if this would be his last one. He's stumbling badly and just isn't all into the park and its smells and sounds.

I'm not sure anymore that he's not hurting.

The DECISION must be made soon.