AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (July 1, 2007) -- In the United States things can be relatively simple. If someone is ill, he goes to the doctor. If a person is very ill, then they go to the hospital. In Iraq, on the other hand, it is not always that simple.
Medical care is very expensive and many times the wait to be treated can be weeks long.While on patrol, soldiers from Company A, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), stumbled upon two boys who were truly sick, took a stand, and decided to help them.One of them has a serious heart condition.“He has what’s called Tetralogy of Fallot,” said Spc. Eric Rasmussen, a medic with the company and Maple Grove, Minn., native.
“It’s pretty much a hole that keeps the heart from receiving oxygenated blood.”Mohommed Yesier Abdula Essa has been living with the hole in his heart for quite some time. “Once we decided to help him we contacted a group called the National Iraqi Assistance Center in Baghdad,” said Army 1st Lt. Gordon P. Giswold, a civil affairs officer with the battalion.
“They said they could sponsor these kids to receive surgery.”Once the ball began to roll, it was a matter of getting the children to Baghdad to receive treatment.“The (commanding general) made things happen,” said Giswold, a Cold Spring, Minn., native.
“Pretty much everyone was trying to make this work.”Once they arranged for transportation, the company went out and retrieved the sick children and family They were prepared to be moved to Baghdad to the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad where they would do further testing.Once the testing is completed, the surgery will be preformed in Jordan, Germany or even possibly the United States, according to Giswold.
One of the little boys was still in shock by the change of atmosphere and meeting many new people. He stared in bewilderment at the surgical compound surrounding him.“He is really nervous and it’s his first time being around different people and strangers,” explained the boy’s father through an interpreter.
Gunnery Sgt. Michael Getchel, the civil affairs liaison officer for 2nd MLG (Fwd) handed one of the boys a Superman book bag and said it was a gift from his mother.Superman may be considered part of the United State’s cultural lexicon. In Iraq, he has become just as large an idol.
The cartoon movie is something kids in Iraq enjoy as much as any child in the world.Up until today, the boy’s father might have thought it would take someone as strong as Superman to help his sick little boy.“This is like a dream for me,” said the father.
“My son is everything to me and this is a really, really happy day.”Just as happy were the servicemembers able to assist the child in living a happy and healthy life.“It’s good to see we can actually do something tangible,” said Rasmussen. “When you are involved in a project like this you are truly doing something good.” By Cpl. Wayne Edmiston, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
No comments:
Post a Comment