I am flying over Romania in a C-141 on my way back to Iraq. I went to Germany to help care for a critical patient who was being aerovac’d to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. This Marine was injured in an IED (improvised explosive device) blast. His lungs had been injured and he was placed on a new device that acts like an artificial lung. This patient had multiple injuries and was on a ventilator, with 4 chest tubes and was what we like to say was 4+ sick. We were not sure whether he would tolerate the air plane ride.

The reason that two doctors came from Germany to place the device was that his lungs were so damaged that he would decompensate every time that he was moved in his bed. The hope was that this device would enable him to stabilize to the point where we could move him; if not, he would probably die in Iraq. So, how many people were involved in this one soldier’s care? It starts with the medic on the ground. Then the Medic flying on the BlackHawk helicopter, took over, which has two pilots and a crew chief. The soldier was then taken to Ballad. There was a team who met the helicopter at the Hospital. He was then taken emergently to surgery where an anesthesiologist made sure he was properly sedated and paralyzed. The surgeon operates with the help of a nurse and a scrub tech. The Marine was then transferred to the ICU where he had multiple physicians, techs and nurses caring for him. When he wasn’t doing very well two physicians flew in from Germany to attempt placing the new device. Another trip to the OR for the device placement and getting his belly cleaned out. Then back to the ICU. He had a rocky course after the device was placed which required consultation, with surgeons, cardiologist and even a pediatric cardiologist. The pediatric cardiologist was called because this device mimics the physiology of lesions that children with complex heart disease may have.

After 4 days it was decided that it was time to try to get him to Germany. Now the CCATT team is mobilized. The team Critical Care Air Transport Team, is composed of a critical care physician, and critical care nurse and a respiratory therapist. I went along as a flight surgeon and to help if he deteriorated in flight and the CT surgeon that p[laced the device also would be there at his side during the entire process.

The team to move the patient from the hospital to the plane was quite impressive. It was necessary because of all the equipment that was required to keep this brave Marine alive. At one point going on to the plane there were at least ten people around this one litter, either holding the litter or holding equipment attached to the Marine. The plane was met by a crew of 7 who helped transfer the patient and at the ICU there were at least 8 nurses docs and techs waiting to provide care in the ICU. The transfer to Germany was successful and now he is recovering in a much better equipped ICU, with a lot less dust than in Ballad.

So why did I tell this story. Well, I think it illustrates a point that is at the very nature of God and how He cares for each of us as an individual.

All of this effort was made for one man. People may say what a waste of resources. Not in the military. Every one who serves knows that the medics will do whatever it takes to get them home. We are not always successful, but, you can trust that everything that can be done will be done. I am reminded of the conversation that Abraham had with God when God told him that he is going to destroy Sodom. Genesis 18. Abraham is trying figure out how many righteous people need to be in the city for it to be saved. Abraham started at fifty and made it down to ten people. Abraham never asked any number lower than ten. I imagine that at that point he realized how compassionate and just God was. Jesus also demonstrated this principle as He would purposely go out of his way to minister to a single person. I completely believe in this principle of the worth of a single person.

Lastly, I wanted to share another story that happened a couple of years ago. There were two soldiers in a South American country that had a car accident and ended up in a local hospital that was poorly equipped to care for their urgent medical needs. This information got back to the command in the states and an aircraft was scrambled to go pick them up. One of the patients was on a ventilator. The other had very serious injuries but was awake. The awake soldier saw all of these soldiers coming into the hospital. His thought at the time was, “Wow, whoever these people are coming to get must be very important, to come all this way.” At that instant the Colonel leading the team came up to the soldier and said, “Son, we are here to take you home.”