After the first day of Hostile Environment Training, two things struck me: 1. I’m more prepared than I thought I cialis price check was. 2. Old memories aren’t as deep as I’d thought they were. Don’t get me wrong; I’m learning a lot. Our first day bounced between two intermittent, brain-overloading segments:
first aid and situational awareness. “The thing that’s generally missing
from most first aid courses,” said our instructor, a former military medic who, for part of his career, was the only medic in his unit in Kuwait, “is how to pharmacy museum new orleans treat yourself.” I now know how to instruct someone to dress my own gunshot wound to the chest. In theory, at least. While the first aid info was new and potentially (but hopefully not) useful, the situational awareness instruction was common sense. But, like most common sense, it deserved a bit of consideration. Several times during the day I found myself thinking (with a slight British accent), “Oh, right, of course,” and glad to have been made aware. I also got my groove back. For weeks, I’ve had what Truman Capote called “the reds” – an ambient fear of something I couldn’t quite identify. Today, I learned I know more than I realized. I’ve already talked my way out of checkpoints with edgy soldiers and I’ve already talked my way into rooms where I was too conspicuous to be harmed. Today, I remembered that I already possess a quick instinct, a disarming sense of humor and a willingness to say “no.” Good things to build on. And I found myself getting a bit emotional as thoughts of Iraq resurfaced. As we discussed the responsibility we have to our cialis 20mg sale local fixers, drivers and translators, images of Marla Ruzicka and her driver – a new father – being gunned down along the Baghdad airport road flashed through my mind. I viagra vs cialis vs levitra price roomed with Marla in Baghdad during my first pre-invasion trip. She stayed on through the initial onslaught to canvass door-to-door to count civilian casualties – something the Bush Administration declared it would not do. She later successfully lobbied Congress for funds for Iraqi families whose loved ones had become “collateral damage.” Other memories of the deep pains I vicariously experienced from Iraqi moms and dads who so humbly and honestly shared their sorrows and anger remind me I need more than the physical protection I’m learning this week. Tomorrow is wilderness training. Look overthecounterviagra-best for smoke signals…