Surgery

I read the story about the sailor performing surgery with great interest. Most stories about Submarines catch my eye since I proudly served in the Silent Service and enjoy keeping up on it. This story hit a little closer to home though.

While the guy that did the surgery deserves his accolades I want you to think about the guy laying on the table. Some guy that isn't a doctor standing over him getting ready to cut into him. Believe me that is scary.

One time when my Sub was out doing "oceanographic research" I got a strange infection in my leg. The corpsman on board thought it was pretty serious and wanted to evacuate me to a shore station for real doctors to deal with. The higher ups in D.C. decided that our "oceanographic research" was to important to do this and informed the corpsman he was to take care of it.

So there I lay on a galley table with this guy that isn't a doctor going to cut into my leg to clear this infection out. I will tell you it is scary. No anesthetic and this lowly corpsman carving into you.

It all turned out well but it hurt like a son of a bitch. I got to take a couple days off duty while at sea. Really a strange thing since you never get time off at sea.

The story in the paper reminded me of all of this and how it feels to be a guniea pig to a corpsman. Not Fun.

Do your duty, and let the gods do the rest. Pierre Corneille