------------------------------------------
Autumn Richards made the decision to spend the day packing more supplies for the medics at Fire Base Lilley and hanging out as a "dust off groupie". This means no nap ..... but the day has been relatively quiet from a medevac point of view and hopefully will continue to be ....
July 5 at 3:46pm
Autumn Richards is glad she went to the gym instead of taking a nap. :) Now it's off for a long night of pediatric ICU and adult ward call .....
July 5 at 6:18pm
Autumn Richards had a tough night on call, but had a wonderful day hanging out at the dust-off and at the secret squirrel compound!
July 6 at 10:34pm
Autumn Richards is super tired after taking a flexeril at dinner. Perhaps the camel pose in yoga today wasn't the best of all ideas!
July 7 at 10:18pm
*Editorial comment: I love yoga, but boy was I sore this day!
Autumn Richards is dragging today for no apparent reason.
July 9 at 9:35am
*(obvious) Editorial comment: Ummm .... maybe because I had been in theater for 120 days....
Autumn Richards just noticed the beginnings of a farmer's tan.
July 10 at 4:12pm
Autumn Richards is wondering why the numbers on the scale don't match the way she feels. :(
July 11 at 10:41pm
*Editorial comment: This was an interesting social experiment. Everybody who commented on Facebook assumed that I felt lighter than the scale said. In reality, the scale showed a lower weight than I felt I weighed - probably because here there are no "skinny jeans" to fit into or flowered skirts to wear and feel "skinny" in. Army uniforms just aren't that flattering!
Autumn Richards put up flyers all over the hospital for the upcoming ethics lecture. They said, "Ethics Discussion: June 13, 15, and 17 at 1845 in NutMed." I think I'm losing my mind!
July 12 at 8:24pm
Autumn Richards: Is it a call day again???
July 13 at 6:29am
Autumn Richards: My first purchase from the gem store on base! I can't wait to wear it on call tonight. :) ------------->
July 13 at 3:16pm
*Editorial comment: The jewelry is made of lapis, a stone native to Afghanistan. I got killed on Facebook for this one! Everyone wanted to comment on how I can't wear jewelry in an Army uniform, but if I were in the Air Force, at least earrings would be allowed .... !
Autumn Richards just finished a midnight (Bagram time) session with Matt's social worker back in California.
July 14 at 12:49am
Autumn Richards might have had the opportunity to go to Kabul for a few weeks if it weren't for a new FP who was diverted from Balad. The stars have aligned to make sure I DON'T get to leave Bagram for the remainder of my tour!
July 14 at 9:25am
Autumn Richards is glad to see a bunch of friends return to Bagram this week!
July 15 at 12:43am
*Editorial comment: one returned from Kabul, one returned from R&R, and one came through BAF from Lilley!
Autumn Richards is thrilled to see Matt having fun with his cousins yesterday at the La Mirada Children's Museum! ----------->
July 15 at 11:54am
Autumn Richards can't believe that this is the start of the 20th week away from my family .... July 15 at 11:07pm
Autumn Richards thinks that her core muscles might need a day off tomorrow.
July 17 at 6:00pm
Autumn Richards is feeling stressed. NRP online submission, OER, compassion fatigue presentation, dinner with friend from downrange, potential training at the hangar this evening ..... that's my whole day! (Oh, yeah, and I'm post-call.)
July 18 at 11:14am
Autumn Richards is a bit annoyed that nothing she needed tonight was where it was supposed to be: Army combat shirt, rank and nametape, camera battery, kevlar NVG attachment ..... it's funny how I can "lose" things in my 5' x 15' box! It's all "found" now, but at the cost of 15 minutes of searching.....
July 18 at 7:10pm
Autumn Richards just became a model on skype.
July 19 at 2:16am
*Editorial comment: Isn't skype wonderful?! James sent me some clothes and got to see them from Iraq!
Autumn Richards is glad to have re-connected with 2 old friends through Facebook! :)
July 19 at 11:20pm
*Editorial comment: I talked this day online with Catherine Enders Carlton and Casey Miller, both good friends of mine at Webb and part of the Class of '97. Both had been keeping up with the Richards' family adventures and have pledged their support of both me and James during our deployments.
Autumn Richards experienced the most chaotic day since her arrival at Bagram. There were 32 patients admitted to a 28-bed ward this morning, and by the end of the day I had discharged 15 and admitted 3 (with 4 more awaiting evaluation in the ER). By 1800, all I could do was sit on the couch in front of the plasma in the "doc box" with a handful of wheat thins and some cheese .....
July 20 at 10:08pm
Autumn Richards: Big surprise here! Autumn just took the "What combat role would suit you best?" quiz and the result is ... Medic.
July 21 at 2:30pm
Autumn Richards: 1 fifteen-hour overnight shift + 31 med-surg grown-up patients + 3 sedated, ventilated kid patients + 1 subclavian line + 1 pediatric intubation + 4 slices of pizza = one very happy but adrenaline-depleted Autumn. :)
July 22 at 9:44am
Autumn Richards has a new address: TF MED/36th ASMC, APO, AE 09354.
July 22 at 9:41pm
*Editorial comment: A bunch of people began reporting that mail had been returned to sender from my hospital. I tracked down the culprit and it turned out that I wasn't on the mailroom's personnel list. Now I am, so packages to the 602nd or 36th will arrive safely, but I was pretty frustrated there for a few days!
Autumn Richards sometimes wishes she could just tell everyone to stop fighting so that people would stop getting hurt.
July 23 at 10:58pm
Autumn Richards has to do "Officer Professional Development" with her company commander this afternoon. As if being deployed to Afghanistan isn't "development" enough?!
July 25 at 1:38pm
Autumn Richards is happy to have solved the mail problem. Four packages arrived today!!
July 26 at 2:15pm
Autumn Richards is, for the first time, thinking that it might be good to go home.
July 27 at 10:49pm
*Editorial comment: James and I chatted online for 2-3 hours that night, and discussed some of the logistical issues behind our redeployment. I felt quite relieved after the conversation.
Autumn Richards hated the 15-hour day today.
July 28 at 11:20pm
Autumn Richards just had pizza, iced tea, and a shopping trip with a new SF friend!
July 29 at 3:01pm
Autumn Richards is going out to the flight line to load patients onto their KC-135 headed for Germany! ------------>
July 30 at 12:32am
Autumn Richards is disappointed in some of her Army colleagues.
July 30 at 9:58am
Autumn Richards is now even MORE disappointed in the actions of some of my colleagues. Oh, the cataclysmic problems they have caused! It's amazing how a single action can reduce all of our progress to rubble in an instant.
July 30 at 8:34pm
*Editorial comment: I can't really talk publicly about the topic of this post, but it had to do with my position as the co-chair of the ethics committee at the Bagram hospital.
Autumn Richards is either very crazy or very stupid or both to be awake at this hour.
July 31 at 3:03am
Autumn Richards just woke up and is confused. Is it 0530 or 1730?
August 1 at 5:56am
*Editorial comment: no kidding! I really DID look at my iPhone and ask myself this question.
Autumn Richards might have missed a unique opportunity to do something a little crazy and unexpected tonight.
August 2 at 12:55am
Autumn Richards just weighed in and was under the maximum weight for the first time since the age of 17!
August 2 at 10:15am
*Editorial comment: The Army standards have changed since 1996 when that original "passing" weight occurred. However, I have lost around 20 pounds during the deployment and am in much better, leaner shape!
Autumn Richards is trying to be more like a duck today (but NOT an Oregon duck!) .... just letting stuff slide off my back ....
August 3 at 6:55am
*Editorial comment: I made an improvement in the physician report sheet by combining it with the nurse report sheet. Makes sense, right? My supervisor tore into me first thing in the morning. Quack!
Autumn Richards is skyping with Matthew during his first infant therapy session!
August 3 at 8:41pm
July 7 at 10:18pm
*Editorial comment: I love yoga, but boy was I sore this day!
Autumn Richards is dragging today for no apparent reason.
July 9 at 9:35am
*(obvious) Editorial comment: Ummm .... maybe because I had been in theater for 120 days....
Autumn Richards just noticed the beginnings of a farmer's tan.
July 10 at 4:12pm
Autumn Richards is wondering why the numbers on the scale don't match the way she feels. :(
July 11 at 10:41pm
*Editorial comment: This was an interesting social experiment. Everybody who commented on Facebook assumed that I felt lighter than the scale said. In reality, the scale showed a lower weight than I felt I weighed - probably because here there are no "skinny jeans" to fit into or flowered skirts to wear and feel "skinny" in. Army uniforms just aren't that flattering!
Autumn Richards put up flyers all over the hospital for the upcoming ethics lecture. They said, "Ethics Discussion: June 13, 15, and 17 at 1845 in NutMed." I think I'm losing my mind!
July 12 at 8:24pm
Autumn Richards: Is it a call day again???
July 13 at 6:29am
Autumn Richards: My first purchase from the gem store on base! I can't wait to wear it on call tonight. :) ------------->
July 13 at 3:16pm
*Editorial comment: The jewelry is made of lapis, a stone native to Afghanistan. I got killed on Facebook for this one! Everyone wanted to comment on how I can't wear jewelry in an Army uniform, but if I were in the Air Force, at least earrings would be allowed .... !
Autumn Richards just finished a midnight (Bagram time) session with Matt's social worker back in California.
July 14 at 12:49am
Autumn Richards might have had the opportunity to go to Kabul for a few weeks if it weren't for a new FP who was diverted from Balad. The stars have aligned to make sure I DON'T get to leave Bagram for the remainder of my tour!
July 14 at 9:25am
Autumn Richards is glad to see a bunch of friends return to Bagram this week!
July 15 at 12:43am
*Editorial comment: one returned from Kabul, one returned from R&R, and one came through BAF from Lilley!
Autumn Richards is thrilled to see Matt having fun with his cousins yesterday at the La Mirada Children's Museum! ----------->
July 15 at 11:54am
Autumn Richards can't believe that this is the start of the 20th week away from my family .... July 15 at 11:07pm
Autumn Richards thinks that her core muscles might need a day off tomorrow.
July 17 at 6:00pm
Autumn Richards is feeling stressed. NRP online submission, OER, compassion fatigue presentation, dinner with friend from downrange, potential training at the hangar this evening ..... that's my whole day! (Oh, yeah, and I'm post-call.)
July 18 at 11:14am
Autumn Richards is a bit annoyed that nothing she needed tonight was where it was supposed to be: Army combat shirt, rank and nametape, camera battery, kevlar NVG attachment ..... it's funny how I can "lose" things in my 5' x 15' box! It's all "found" now, but at the cost of 15 minutes of searching.....
July 18 at 7:10pm
Autumn Richards just became a model on skype.
July 19 at 2:16am
*Editorial comment: Isn't skype wonderful?! James sent me some clothes and got to see them from Iraq!
Autumn Richards is glad to have re-connected with 2 old friends through Facebook! :)
July 19 at 11:20pm
*Editorial comment: I talked this day online with Catherine Enders Carlton and Casey Miller, both good friends of mine at Webb and part of the Class of '97. Both had been keeping up with the Richards' family adventures and have pledged their support of both me and James during our deployments.
Autumn Richards experienced the most chaotic day since her arrival at Bagram. There were 32 patients admitted to a 28-bed ward this morning, and by the end of the day I had discharged 15 and admitted 3 (with 4 more awaiting evaluation in the ER). By 1800, all I could do was sit on the couch in front of the plasma in the "doc box" with a handful of wheat thins and some cheese .....
July 20 at 10:08pm
Autumn Richards: Big surprise here! Autumn just took the "What combat role would suit you best?" quiz and the result is ... Medic.
July 21 at 2:30pm
Autumn Richards: 1 fifteen-hour overnight shift + 31 med-surg grown-up patients + 3 sedated, ventilated kid patients + 1 subclavian line + 1 pediatric intubation + 4 slices of pizza = one very happy but adrenaline-depleted Autumn. :)
July 22 at 9:44am
Autumn Richards has a new address: TF MED/36th ASMC, APO, AE 09354.
July 22 at 9:41pm
*Editorial comment: A bunch of people began reporting that mail had been returned to sender from my hospital. I tracked down the culprit and it turned out that I wasn't on the mailroom's personnel list. Now I am, so packages to the 602nd or 36th will arrive safely, but I was pretty frustrated there for a few days!
Autumn Richards sometimes wishes she could just tell everyone to stop fighting so that people would stop getting hurt.
July 23 at 10:58pm
Autumn Richards has to do "Officer Professional Development" with her company commander this afternoon. As if being deployed to Afghanistan isn't "development" enough?!
July 25 at 1:38pm
Autumn Richards is happy to have solved the mail problem. Four packages arrived today!!
July 26 at 2:15pm
Autumn Richards is, for the first time, thinking that it might be good to go home.
July 27 at 10:49pm
*Editorial comment: James and I chatted online for 2-3 hours that night, and discussed some of the logistical issues behind our redeployment. I felt quite relieved after the conversation.
Autumn Richards hated the 15-hour day today.
July 28 at 11:20pm
Autumn Richards just had pizza, iced tea, and a shopping trip with a new SF friend!
July 29 at 3:01pm
Autumn Richards is going out to the flight line to load patients onto their KC-135 headed for Germany! ------------>
July 30 at 12:32am
Autumn Richards is disappointed in some of her Army colleagues.
July 30 at 9:58am
Autumn Richards is now even MORE disappointed in the actions of some of my colleagues. Oh, the cataclysmic problems they have caused! It's amazing how a single action can reduce all of our progress to rubble in an instant.
July 30 at 8:34pm
*Editorial comment: I can't really talk publicly about the topic of this post, but it had to do with my position as the co-chair of the ethics committee at the Bagram hospital.
Autumn Richards is either very crazy or very stupid or both to be awake at this hour.
July 31 at 3:03am
Autumn Richards just woke up and is confused. Is it 0530 or 1730?
August 1 at 5:56am
*Editorial comment: no kidding! I really DID look at my iPhone and ask myself this question.
Autumn Richards might have missed a unique opportunity to do something a little crazy and unexpected tonight.
August 2 at 12:55am
Autumn Richards just weighed in and was under the maximum weight for the first time since the age of 17!
August 2 at 10:15am
*Editorial comment: The Army standards have changed since 1996 when that original "passing" weight occurred. However, I have lost around 20 pounds during the deployment and am in much better, leaner shape!
Autumn Richards is trying to be more like a duck today (but NOT an Oregon duck!) .... just letting stuff slide off my back ....
August 3 at 6:55am
*Editorial comment: I made an improvement in the physician report sheet by combining it with the nurse report sheet. Makes sense, right? My supervisor tore into me first thing in the morning. Quack!
Autumn Richards is skyping with Matthew during his first infant therapy session!
August 3 at 8:41pm
From Your Dad :
ReplyDeleteAre the times local or GM or when ??
Dad -
ReplyDeleteAll times given are local to Bagram. Yeah, hard to believe, huh? I post at all times of the day and night....
Love,
Autumn
Autumn, I have really enjoyed keeping up with you and James and family back home. I have sent emails, but I'm not sure you have been receiving them, so I finally thought I'd try to post here--not sure how all of this works!!!! I'm learning!
ReplyDeleteHope this finds you, and Gary and I want you both to know that you are in our thoughs and prayers daily...thank you for your service. Keep up the good work, and take care. Will keep in touch.
Luv ya, Gary & Genny Pfaff