Merry Christmas from Iraq

Well the holiday season is more than upon us, two days until Christmas. December went with the blink of an eye and it won't be long until the New Year. The mornings here carry a chill in the air as the temperature of this desert winter drops into the 30's at times. I actually enjoy the mornings with a sense of nostalgia as I breathe in the cold air through my nostrils and then exhale slowly to catch the sight of my breath in the air. This of course can't compare to the winters that I'm used to back in the midwest where I would be sitting out on the ice, fishing until I got bored or was too cold. This will be the first winter in my life without snow and without ice fishing.

So what will I be doing this Christmas? Working in the ER at Balad of course and hopefully enjoying some food at the DFAC. Maybe make some hot cocoa and reminisce of times past, or go caroling throughout the ER all day long.

Life here in Balad has been great. I like the work and the people I work with are quite enjoyable. For the Air Force medics it's their job here, for me on the other hand it's a vacation. I would gladly spend the rest of my tour up here but command is sending me back to my home base to go back on patrols with the rest of the unit.

Merry Christmas everyone,
Nick

N.B.- The picture above is of me suturing up a gunshot wound to the back of the head.