Hearts Reuniting

I had been taking care of a patient who'd had some chest pain. We ruled him our for heart attack but an echo revealed that his ventricle wasn't moving right and it wasn't pumping out as much blood with each beat as it should. So, we filled out the evac paperwork and he was scheduled to fly the next night to Germany for some further testing.

That night I was working with N, and at midnight rounds PAD came over and said, "the Air Force wants him to fly with a cardiac monitor and medical attendant". My heart JUMPED. Last time this happened, they sent another nurse, but I knew that not only was I qualified to take this patient, I knew him already and I was off the next two nights. There were a million and one reasons why I should be the one to fly with him. I told PAD we'd page the doc and let them know first thing in the morning. The rest of the night I was jittering from nerves and excitiation at the same time.

Dr. S came first thing in the morning and I told him what the Air Force was asking. He saw how excited I was at the thought of going and he said if he saw MAJ H, he'd endorse my selection. Before I left that morning, I had been told to get ready, give PAD my info, turn in my weapon, and pack my bags. I was so thrilled, but until I got on that plane, I didn't trust that something wasn't going to go wrong. And, it almost did. I ran in to MAJ H after I turned in my weapon, nearly 3 hours after change of shift, and she told me to follow her. I thought, "oh no, here it comes." Apparently, higher powers believed that I should not be allowed to go because I was from Germany and they knew my fiance was there. The firmly believed that I would drag my feet and "get stuck and be gone for weeks". My head nurse pulled out the list of qualifications and won the debate. She said she even had more in her arsenal if resistance came up again. After all, I got a 300 on my PT test earlier that week. Most places give their soldiers a 4 day pass when they get 300's. So, I'd been warned, "don't drag your feet". I have to say, I was very hurt that the higher powers believe I would do that. I don't think that I have ever demonstrated myself to be less than a professional or not committed to my duty and the mission. But my head nurse rocks and stuck her neck out for me. That meant a lot!! I was determined to not let that ruin my excitment. I was ready to go. Now, I just had to get some sleep!!!

4 hours later, I woke up to get ready! I had NOT told Joe that I was flying, but it was also my night off, as well as his, and we were supposed to have our nightly skype date. So, how was I going to keep him from suspecting?? It worked out perfectly, I skyped him and was talking to him about nothing special when my pager went off to tell me the flight had been moved earlier and I had 15 minutes before I needed to be there. So what did I tell Joe? "Crap, I just got paged, I have to go in. I'll try to talk to you online later!" Toooo easy.

The patient and I got on a flight around 6pm to Balad where we stopped in at the CASF (Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility). It's essentially a hold over for stable patients. We stayed their waiting to find out if we were going to make the maniest for the 2am flight going to Landstuhl. We had dinner, I read, he was seen by the doctor, he called home, I got online hoping to catch Joe and continue my charade. Well, Joe went to a friends house for dinner so I ended up missing him. But, I told him in an e-mail that I was working, there was a cardic patient who needed a nurse, and that I'd be on again later. All true.

The CASF has a list of names on the board with a red star next to the names to be manifested. My patient was a priority patient, but every time I walked by more and more names had stars next to them.... except his. I was getting really nervous thinking we'd have to stay there overnight and I'd miss Joe's day off. But, at the last minute, with my pestering I'm sure, we got confirmation that he was on the flight and a red star showed up next to his name. So much weight was held in the little red star. Thank God, we're going to Germany!!

We got on the C-17 that was set up for patient transport and spent a freezing cold 5.5 hours in the air. My patient slept, his heart kept beating, and his 02 sat stayed good. I was reading Pride & Prejudice on my new kindle from the wonderful fiance I was going to surprise. It was hard to stay awake after only 4 hours of sleep, I dozed a few times, but finally we were landing and I perked up with excitement. My patient knew that I was from Germany and he was in on the game that I was going to get to surprise my fiance.

The blue bird buses were waiting for us when the tail opened. Germany was GREEN and chilly. It looked as wonderful as ever. We got on the bus and drove to LRMC. Funny thing about LRMC is that all cardiac patients first admit to the ICU. So, my walking, talking, stable patient on the ambulatory bus was called off of it and sent up to the ICU. I recognized many people who were working. As the patient got settled in the room, CDR P walked in to ask him a question. I said, "Hi, Ma'am" and she stopped, looked, and stated, "Oh!! Does Joe know you're here?". "No". "Oh!! I'm calling him in! I'm telling him we've got 23 patients, he's got to come in a work!" She came back and told me that she'd called Joe and told him he needed to come in, be here in 15 minutes, and don't even change into scrubs. It took him nearly an hour. I was trying to hide in the room, but the longer it took the more I started doing stuff with the patient.

Joe says that he got to work and everyone was playing the game. The shift leader told him he'd be taking a cardiac patient with an orienting nurse and he'd probably go to cath lab and maybe he'd be able to go home later, sorry man. Joe said it was ok and walked towards Room 6. I was telling the patient how to call his wife from the phones in the room when Joe walked by. He says he saw the hair, saw the downrange ACU's, and then heard my voice and thought "It can't be". He popped his head in the door just as I turned around. I heard him exclaim, "Oh my god..!" and he put down his bag and came in the room to pick me up in a huge hug.

Joe said one of his first thoughts was, "That sucks, she's here and I have to work!" No, silly, it was part of the game. He didn't have to work, even though there really were 23 patients, he got me. I was released from the patient by the attending physician and had my orders from DWMMC around noon. I called our TOC at my first chance at a phone. I had until 0600 the next morning when I would report to the PAX terminal to find out when the next flight going to Balad was.

Joe took me home. The house was clean and so familiar, yet foreign at the same time. I showered without flip flops, I brushed my teeth naked, I put on JEANS, and I put in earrings. We went to Barbarossa for 'breakfast for two' and he made me my favorite white roll with butter, jelly, and brie cheese. It was a strange feeling. I felt like I'd been gone forever and not at all at the same time. I knew that it was 1/2 way and I'd be back before I knew it. 6 months wouldn't feel so long in the end as it had before I left.

We spent the day together, went to the PX, ran into friends, made Mac & Cheese for dinner ;-). I was exhausted, but it felt so nice to just lay in Joe's arms I didn't care if I was awake or alseep as long as I was there.

The next day Joe worked, I went to the terminal and there were 2 flights to Balad that evening. They told me to come back at 1500 for roll call. I went and had lunch with Joe, and even though we both wanted more time, I knew I was getting on one of those flights. We kissed in the stairwell of the tower 3rd floor and then I left and Joe went back to work. I got space on the 2nd one and flew to Balad that night. I spent the night in the Balad terminal and flew to Speicher in the early morning. I was back in less than 3 days. I slept that day and worked that night. It was the greatest trip ever, even though my time was so fleeting it felt like I hadn't gone anywhere at all.

Now, I only have about 9 weeks left. I am counting the time on my fingers. I can't wait to get back and continue the rest of my life with the man who makes my heart beat harder. I know seeing me does the same to his.