Happy New Year's?

I feel like I've been here for at least 2 weeks and it has barely been one. Half the time I don't know what day or time it is because I've been working the nightshift. I worked New Year's Eve and sadly it was busy. I got a few nontrauma patients- chest pain, appendectomy, two crazies, but we also had a 5 person trauma come in. They were all Canadian Coalition forces who had suffered an IED blast while on convoy. I was actually running one of the resuscitations- basically going through the ABC's of airway, breathing and circulation. My patient was conscience and doing well besides a nice T12 burst fracture - unstable spine fracture- and a L humerus fracture. Not too bad, but it was my first time running my own table. Four of the five ended up coming to the ward (my responsibility) after a thorough evaluation from ortho for their mostly extremity wound/fractures. These guys I just mostly babysit for the 24-48hrs they stay at Bagram- their injuries are mostly surgical and I just make sure they don't crump from any other reason. Sometimes this is easy to do and other times, no so much.

I think at midnight I was in the ER writing admit orders for a guy with purely soft tissue injuries from shrapnel. Someone had gotten some non-alcoholic champagne and we toasted to the new year. Hopefully it will be a good new year. It is predicted to get much busier when the weather starts to warm up. I'm bracing myself for the onslaught, but trying to remind myself of patience and the educational value to this whole experience. I know I will get tired and homesick and frustrated and sad, but I hope to keep focused on my tasks and keep my priorities straight. Only one week in and I know it will be a long 6 months.