8/03/09Good Afternoon, or I should say Morning your time, I just received another package from Heroes at Home, so I figured I would write a personal letter to thank you all for everything you have been sending. I have received I think 4 packages so far over these past 3 months, and every time I get one it lets me know that people back
home are still thinking about me, and I have not been forgotten.My fellow Sailors here at Naval Hospital Naples always ask where all these boxes come from, and I tell them about the program you have set up back home to help out all the Military members. The response is always appropriate, being that they too, even though they are not receiving the packages themselves know that back home people "support our troops / sailors / soldiers / marines / airmen." So I thank you for everything you have been sending, and for the future packages I will be receiving.
As you know, I have been stationed at the Naval Hospital in Naples Italy, on the Support Site Base. What we do at the hospital is what most hospitals do back home at the civilian hospitals, but for thousands of active duty members from each branch, their dependents being that wives and children, local Italian nationals that work on the base, and even the Italian military branches.
I have been assigned to work in the Emergency Department, which is my dream come true. Ever since middle school I have had a goal to become a Nurse, and work in the ER, and although I am not a nurse, I am a Corpsman, but I can do most everything Nurses are allowed to do. It is the most rewarding profession, being able to help people with the practice of medicine, seeing a transition from sick to healthy, and just knowing that you have made a difference for all the patients you treat. I wouldn't give it up for anything, besides getting my Nursing Degree of course =)
Being in Italy also has its perks, and you would probably imagine. Traveling throughout Europe these next 2 years is going to be amazing, and something that I thought I would never do when I signed the contract to join the armed forces on October 8th 2008. Already being here I have visited the towns of Gaeta, Rome, Sicily, Capri, Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast all in Italy. In the future I hope to travel to every part of Italy, such as Florence and Tuscany and experience the Italian/Neapolitan cultures. Not to mention the rest of Europe. I would like to see Prague. I will attend Oktoberfest next September in Germany, I will travel to Ireland next St. Patricks Day to really celebrate like an Irishman. I will travel to Egypt to see the Pyramids, and so many other experiences I cant wait to enjoy. And periodically I will send you photos of these beautiful places to keep you updated, and always to say thanks.
Again, I thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done throughout my "A" School, and my tour here in Naples, Italy. I hope you enjoy the photos that I have attached.
Sincerely,
Thank you so much for the wonderful care packages. We are deploying in the next few months and I have been saving up the great hygeine items that were included. I was so excited about the cherry and apple items as they remind me of Hood River. Plus, cherry chapstick is the the bomb :)
Life at Ft.Carson is great, much better than Ft.Bragg! The climate is much better here and it is nice to have so many outdoor activities available. Luckily we have had time to get our family settled before I go away for a year. Work is extremely busy. I am putting on a Back to School Physical marathon tomorrow for all the kids in our Brigade. I think I will need a long soak in the tub after that! I am enjoying the new job and getting used to working with the heavy armor guys, cavalry, artillery, infantry, etc. Very different world than the hospital environment I just left!
I should have some great opportunities to teach the medics and PA's in this job. We are doing a lot of trauma training which is always interesting. I haven't delivered any babies for awhile though which I miss.
Dr. Mary Deighton
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