Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #14: Corpsman Up!

On June 17 we celebrated the 111th birthday of the Corpsman. A Hospital Corpsman (HM) is a member of the U.S. Navy's Hospital Corps, and is frequently the only medical care-giver available in many fleet or Marine units on extended deployment. Hospital Corpsmen serve as enlisted medical specialists for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The Hospital Corpsman serves in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships as the primary medical caregivers for sailors while underway, or with Marine Corps units. The colloquial form of address for a Corpsman is "Doc." In the U.S. Marine Corps, this term is generally used as a sign of respect.


Be they assigned to hospital ships, reservist installations, recruiter offices, or Marine Corps combat units, the rating of Hospital Corpsman is the most decorated in the United States Navy with 22 Medals of Honor, 174 Navy Crosses, 31 Distinguished Service Medals, 946 Silver Stars, and 1,582 Bronze Stars. There have been 20 naval ships that have been named after hospital corpsmen. Assignment to US Navy facilities and ships is referred to as going "Blueside" and serving with Marines is considered going "Greenside."


Hospital Corpsman Pledge
"I solemnly pledge myself before God and these witnesses to practice faithfully all of my duties as a member of the Hospital Corps. I hold the care of the sick and injured to be a privilege and a sacred trust and will assist the Medical Officer with loyalty and honesty. I will not knowingly permit harm to come to any patient. I will not partake of nor administer any unauthorized medication. I will hold all personal matters pertaining to the private lives of patients in strict confidence. I dedicate my heart, mind and strength to the work before me. I shall do all within my power to show in myself an example of all that is honorable and good throughout my naval career."

Although there are many good natured put downs between the Navy andMarines serving side by side, Marines take special care of their corpsman. The individual Marine knows that "Doc" will respond, no matter how deadly the situation, when the call "Corpsman Up!" sounds.

"Corpsman Up" is the call you would here in battle when a Marine was injured.

This is a picture of the Hospital Corpsmen that worked with me on 2AFT this last rotation. There are also included a few that worked on the ward from the US Army and the Canadian Army.

My Dad, Marvin J Laseke, was also a Corpsman.

This is my Dad's Honorable Discharge Certificate from the US Navy.

I did not know, until I was here on the USNS Comfort and working with Navy Corpsmen, that my dad was a corpsman. I always knew he did something in the medical field but I never knew exactly what it was. While doing a little research on the history of the Corpsmen I came across his rank. His official rank was a Pharmacist Mate Third Class, which is listed as a Corpsman. He served in the Pacific during WWII.

I am so proud to know my dad was one of these fine men and women. It is such an honor for me to work with them here, they are very knowledgeable, experienced and always willing to help. All I have to do is ask and they are there when I need them. They alert me to an abnormal vital sign, a patient with pain, if they ambulated, if they are nauseated, or anything they notice from their vast experience that helps me care for my patient. We definitely work as a team, but I have to say honestly that I wouldn't be as effective without them. In fact, they know a lot more than I do and their assessment skills are incredible.

To the Corpsman I worked with, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your dedication, hard work, help and support. You made my job on the USNS Comfort so much more enjoyable. I sincerely hope that I will have the privilege of working with you again.

Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #13: My Room/Colombian Translators

In my room, I have 3 Captains, 1 Commander,
and 2 Lt Commanders. I am definitely outranked!

My Roommates

Back Row: Kirsten Klein CIV, Lt. Commander Lori Snidow, Lt. Commander Karen Moore, Commander Karen Morgan-Lynch
Front Row: Captain Andrea Demello-Stevers, Captain Betty Chern-Hughes and Captain Kathryn Johnson

Kathryn Johnson MD, CAPT MC USN. She is a contract physician to the US Navy in Occupational Medicine at the Groton Branch Clinic. She is from East Lyme, CT, and is the CO, OHSU in San Diego, CA.

Andrea Demello-Stevers, CAPT, NC, USNR, Senior Nurse Leader NR OHSU San Diego, Det D - Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a Nurse Educator for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She was the co-coordinator of Cruise #3 for the Navy Reservists, USNS Comfort, CP09 Mission.

Betty Chern-Hughes, CAPT, USPHS, Certified Nurse-Midwife, National program Nurse Consultant, Office of Family Planning, Office of Population Affairs, Rockville, MD. She is from Dallas, Santa Fe, Ft Defiance, Tucson & Globe AZ

Karen Morgan-Lynch CDR, NC, USNR OIC Det Q OHSU Bethesda Arlington, VA She is an ICU Nurse at GWV Hospital in Washington DC, FNP, Arlington DHS

Karen Moore, LCDR, NC, USNR Camp Lejeune DET L (unit drilling in Chatanooga, TN), She is a Certified Nurse Anesthetist working for Moore Anesthesia, PLLC, doing local assignments throughout US.

Lori Snidow, DDS, LCDR USPHS, Indian Health Service Pawnee Indian Health Center, Pawnee, OK. She is a staff Dental Officer, Advanced and is originally from Bristol, TN and practiced previously in Roanoke, VA.

You can see from their background and current practice that if anything happened to me I was in good hands. My roommates were great and I enjoyed meeting them. Unfortunately it is time for them to go home and a new group will come on after them.

My Locker

My Bunk
When the last group of Reservists was here I slept in the top bunk. As soon as they left I grabbed the bottom bunk.

Translators

These are some of the translators from Colombia that stayed on the ship in Tumaco. Many of them are from a University in Bogota, Colombia. The United States Embassy paid to fly them to the Comfort to help translate for us. They volunteered on the ward I work on and they helped us so much. They worked very hard and we were so lucky to have them here. Claudia, Claudia, Me, Andrea, Maria, Diego, Monique

Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #12: UNREP

At 9:00 am this morning we met up with the cargo ship USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE-5). They pulled along us for Underway Replenishment. It took about an hour to get it set up and it will take about 4 hours for the transfer. We will take on about 200,000 gallons of fuel and several pallets of supplies. I signed up to volunteer this morning. We met at 8:30 am and were given a briefing of what would happen.

Initially a gun is shot to the cargo ship that has a line attached to it from the USNS Comfort. Once that was secure, a group of us started pulling over a rope that had the fuel line attached. I think there were maybe 40 of us taking turns pulling. It felt like we were pulling the two boats together! The first six people in line took most of the load, the rest of us behind helped as well. At times we had to loosen up and allow some slack in the line. It took us at least twenty minutes because there was a kink in the line somewhere. We finally got it secured and then we had the chance for some photo opportunities.

At one point I did have a chance to be first on the rope, but it wasn't the original rope pulling the fuel line. It was actually quite hard! I also had to start it going around a corner because of the way the layout was.

It is absolutely amazing to me that these two ships will be side by side for 5 hours, transferring fuel and supplies. We are very close to one another and we have to maintain the exact same speed and heading. I am in total awe that we are able to do this. This ship came out here just for us!

Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #11: Carlos Vives

Carlos Vives visited us while we were in Tumaco, Colombia. At the time we only had a handful of patients left onboard. Carlos took the time and sat with each one and talked with them. He is very personable, friendly and kind. I got a chance to shake his hand and he said "thank you for everything you are doing." Here is a picture of him with one of my patients.

Carlos Vives is from Colombia, and is well known as a recording artist, composer and soap opera actor. He has a style of Vallenato music that has made him well known to the Latin America music crowd. The patients were obviously very happy to have him visit them.

Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #10: Faces of Colombia

Kira

This 2-year-old is one of my patients. His mom couldn't come on board because she was pregnant. She had a neighbor take care of him while she couldn't be there. Holding him is US Army Specialist KC Ellis from Ogden, Utah. He is an LPN and works at a Skilled Nursing Facility in Utah. He has 2 kids of his own at home. When the little boy woke up crying, Specialist Ellis immediately comforted him so he could fall asleep. I could tell he was a dad right away!

Lt Commander Kelly Hamon & Patient

Letter from a Comfort Patient

Colombia, Tumaco 15 June 2009

Dear Members of the USNS Comfort:

To the Captain of the ship, chaplain, medical team, and specialists Dr. Kumar, Dr Diaz, Dr Janeth, military, personnel, translators and every single person that is part of the crew.

On behalf of Andres Camilo Lucano and Luis Eduardo Aquino Munoz who have received your support: we don't want you to leave without expressing to you our endless gratitude for the opportunities both kids have had while on this ship. This experience has helped them overcome some of the pain they have been through despite their age. Thanks for the opportunity of letting us know you, sharing with you and getting the support of such special people. While we were here our day started with love and kind smiles, with warm hugs filled with affection and not just sympathy, with people who would cheer us up and make us forget our difficulties; it was all indeed a gift from God. Your endless demonstrations of affection towards them made them feel unique and important as they have always wished. I hope God repays your kindness and blesses every single moment of your lives and spread it to all of your families.

Thanks for being part of this mission, for your time, patience, love and giving spirit. We will always remember you and keep you in our hearts.

A thousand times, thank you, your friends, forever farewell.

Maria Jesus Montenegro Berna
Special Worker

Note: The two boys she is referring to were orphans. I heard a rumor that one of them might be adopted by someone from the Navy, and the other from a family in Colombia.

Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #9: Juanes Concert

Juanes

Juanes is one of the best-selling Colombian musicians, having sold more than ten million albums, and won 17 Latin Grammys (more than any other artist). He is well-known for his humanitarian work, especially with aid for Colombian victims of anti-personnel mines. He was in our area visiting victims of the underground industry and he performed a benefit concert for the cause. In 2005, he was named by Time as one of the world's 100 most influential people. He's like a hero to Colombians.

Juanes welcomed our ship the other night by giving us a concert on the flight deck; he was thanking us for the work we are doing for his country. He sang reggae, blues, country, and spanish.

Juanes PerformingJuanes Taking Photos with Fans

Air Force South Band
They started the concert, then they played some with Juanes.
The band singer's name is Keisha Gwin-Goodin.
Keisha did some background vocals for Juanes.

Happy Birthday today to my wonderful husband Gary!

Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #8: The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal has several webcams set up at landmarks along the way so you can see ships as they pass through. Our ship went through the canal yesterday, and Michelle was able to capture some images of us from a webcam!

A Diagram of the Canal
We were heading SouthEast, going downThe webcam Michelle watched was on the Miraflores Locks.
The webcam updated every 2 minutes; the pictures have timestamps.
I believe the Centennial Bridge is visible in the distance.

Approaching the Miraflores Locks

Passing through the Locks Can you see the mules?

Leaving the Locks

Here is a wikipedia link to an article on the Panama Canal locks explaining the history and function of the locks and what a mule is.

Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #7: Work in Panama

At the Clinic in Panama

I spent 2 days at a clinic onshore in Panama. It is a baseball field, about a 5 minute bus ride from the ship. By time we are there at 6:45 am there is already a huge line. I was taking people's temperatures and watch for signs and symptoms of flu.

After the people passed through us they went to a table where their information was taken and what they were being seen for. Luckily we had several Panamanians that were able to help us with this. They are then sent to the bleachers and sit in sections according to the service they are waiting for. The first day we saw 1037 people and the second day we saw about 950.

There must have been a dozen Missionaries from the Church helping everyday. Some can translate as they speak both languages; others help us to take temperatures or keep the patients organized. It has been so nice to see them working! Most of them are from Utah.

I got an MRE for lunch both days onshore. First I had spaghetti again, and then I got the cheese tortellini. I even had tootsie rolls!
I think I got caught up on all my sunshine while I was onshore. I can go days without seeing the sun! One night my roommates and I all went out to the pier for a hamburger and fries. It was delicious!
We had 2 special visitors from our Church this week. Sister Julie Beck was here; she's our Relief Society General President (meaning she's head of our women's organization).

Me with Sister Beck Sister Beck with the Helicopter

And Bishop Richard Edgley was also here; he is the first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.

Bishop Edgley and Captian Bob Lineberry

We are having serious water issues here. While we are at the pier we are not able to make our own water. We have water trucks bring us our water on a daily basis, nearly 24/7. I am learning all about Navy Showers. By the way, the Army, Air Force and the Marines all have to take Navy Showers as well!!

Petty Officer Jasey is a member of the flight crew. He opened up the helicopter door for us and let us take some pictures inside. This is probably the closest I will get to riding in a helicopter.

Here is the June Crew

We've been doing surgeries this week. I'm working 5 days on swing shift, then I switch to the day shift.

Here I am with a few of my Panamanian patients.

SH3 Marcus Williams (from Houston, Texas) came down and taught some of the children in the ward all about rhythm. He didn't speak Spanish, but they communicated. He taught them to tap their legs with a rhythm and then try it with the drum sticks.


I had one patient that was having some issues with anxiety; every time she got up to walk she almost passed out. He went over and sat with her and made her laugh. From then on my patient was completely different. He made a tremendous difference in her care.
The Discovery Channel has been here all week taping the experience of life here onboard the USNS Comfort.