Bad Day in Baghdad...

I recently had the absolute worst week of my life. I truely know the feelings of panic and emotion when it comes to our sons and daughters serving in the military abroad. Up until now, Ive handled it quite well. I knew that my daughter was in a somewhat safe area of Iraq...( is there really a safe area anywhere over there??... my mind asks) I am quite lucky in the fact that I can talk to her quite frequently, and for that Im very thankful. I know many families dont get that opportunity.
Poohy has not had to view, first hand, the casualities and injuries of this war, she hears about them all Im sure, but I felt secure in the fact that she was not directly in the middle of it.
She recently had to travel to Baghdad for medical tests. I was worried about the travel "outside the wire".
It was to be her first time for that, since she arrived. She arrived in Baghdad, the day we here in the states, got the news about the raid on, and death of, Al Zarqawi, just north of Baghdad. Needless to say I went numb with worry. I knew she was closeby, and thats all I knew. Next came the car bombings in Baghdad, the day following Zarqawi's death. I hadnt heard any details on those... were they Iraqis'??, civilians??, soldiers?? My worry grew even greater. Your mind and imagination can really get the best of you, when you have no news or communication, to go on. It was almost a week before I heard from Poohy, and was almost beside myself by the time all those days passed, with no word. You can imagine my relief when I got that call...
She had the unfortunate experience of being at the medical facility, as med-vacs brought in many severly wounded people. I am assuming the injured were Iraqi's, tho she never said. She told me it was so awful to see the the injured, some mortally injured as well. More blood and mutilation, than she'd ever seen in all her life. They called for people to donate blood, and SGT T... who had traveled with her to Baghdad, did so. Many thanks to SGT T for that. We even give our own blood to save these people, but yet the terrorists believe we just want to "kill the Muslims" So many have given life and limb to SAVE these people.
Poohy also spoke to a Marine while there, who was wounded. He had just lost a fellow Marine in the truck they were in due to an IED.
All of this really hit home with Poohy. She now had seen, first hand, the tragedies of war. It was no longer something she learned in training, or had been told by other soldiers. She saw the bigger picture, and it was a traumatic awakening for her. People injured and dying for the cause of freedom. Its so sad, that many innocent also die in that cause.
I felt so helpless, listening to her relay her experience. Nothing in the "Mother's Manual" prepared me to know how to comfort her. As babies .. a Mom's kiss and a hug, can heal anything.. but for this?... no words I could have mustered on that phone, would have taken away her pain and emotion of what she had witnessed. I truely hurt inside, being unable to bring her comfort.
I have a much deeper respect for the parents and family of those soldiers who are in direct conflict on a daily basis. I cannot fathom what they must feel daily... not knowing from moment to moment the whereabouts and safety of their soldier. I thank God for protecting those in harms way, and also for looking after my soldier.