Paradise General: Riding the Surge at a Combat Hospital in Iraq by Dave HnidaThis is the story of an American physician who volunteers for two tours in Iraq. The story touches on his first tour and then goes deeper into his second tour where he is an ER physician working "just another day in Paradise".
Some would think that because this is a book about a war and a memoir that it will be dull and boring, it is anything but. Dr. Hnida shares his thoughts about his dad, his practice in Littleton, CO, his daughter and the sights he saw while on tour.
I love how he brought humor into an otherwise dark situation. He details the accounts of injuries to soldiers, who were the age of his children, from car and road side bombs, gunshot wounds and assaults and at the same time having to treat the very people who did the bombing, shooting and the assaulting. All physicians take an oath "to first do no harm", some who are not in the medical field may not realize how hard that oath is to keep at times. Dr. Hnida shows that he is truly a man who cares about humans and takes that oath seriously.
The story also shows how complete strangers, the physicians and other medical staff, formed a great bond, were able to lean on each other during the dark times, and laugh during the good times even while in the midst of some unfortunate circumstances. I highly recommend this.
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2 comments:
This sounds like a book that leaves an impression! If you have time, please pop over to WWW to participate in my give-away for "A Gate At The Stairs"
That does sound like an intense read. You usually don't get to read about "modern" wars so much but I think it is good toy get the information and views from people who were there.
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