Of Dentists And Diplomats! By SFC Kevin Kelly
July 30, 2005 - A DENTIST OFFICE ON THE ROAD IN IRAQ
Today’s mission actually started yesterday. We had 3 dentists come to our FOB today to do a Civil Affairs mission of checking the teeth of locals in the village.
The dentist then had a little boy around 7 years old that sat there ready for a tooth to be pulled. The doc actually pulled out two. When he was done, the doc pulled out a dollar bill and explained to the boy that in America when you have a tooth pulled, you put it under your pillow and a tooth fairy comes and gives you money. He told the boy since he was a U.S. Govt. representative of the tooth fairy; he was granted special permission to give him the money now. When he told the little boy that, the little boy opened his mouth and pointed in his mouth and said he had another one that was hurting and it needed to be pulled. He was proud of his dollar, but no other tooth had to be pulled.
Next was a little boy with very bad teeth. He had to have 3 of them removed. When the dentist stuck the needle in the first time, the little boy yelled and jerked, but luckily the dentist pulled the needle out in time. We had to actually hold him down so that the area could be stuck with the needle. This little boy sounded like a little dog that had been hit or whipped. When he finally got all the shots and started to pull the teeth, he just sat there like there was nothing wrong. He got a dollar from the tooth fairy representative as well and 3 toys for his troubles. He went away with the biggest smile, but his mouth was full of gauze.
July 31, 2005
As we were standing by this house that we had searched earlier, this little boy who we had pulled a tooth from yesterday came up to us offering us some fruit. I’ve had it in the states before, but can’t remember the name of it. It’s this fruit that you pull off the peel and it has these little pouches with seeds in it. Very sour like a green apple, but very good. SGT Nazario and I split one. Man it was good, but made you drink more of that hot water. The one little boy came up to me and started pointing to my hand. I looked down and I must have cut it on something because it was bleeding. He ran inside to get me something that looked like a Band-Aid, but I passed on it and waited till I got back to the FOB. He did help me pour some of the water on it to wash it off. He was so proud that he could help. I’m telling you that the kids of this country are the ones that will be able to turn this country around if they are ever given the chance.
Today’s mission actually started yesterday. We had 3 dentists come to our FOB today to do a Civil Affairs mission of checking the teeth of locals in the village.
The dentist then had a little boy around 7 years old that sat there ready for a tooth to be pulled. The doc actually pulled out two. When he was done, the doc pulled out a dollar bill and explained to the boy that in America when you have a tooth pulled, you put it under your pillow and a tooth fairy comes and gives you money. He told the boy since he was a U.S. Govt. representative of the tooth fairy; he was granted special permission to give him the money now. When he told the little boy that, the little boy opened his mouth and pointed in his mouth and said he had another one that was hurting and it needed to be pulled. He was proud of his dollar, but no other tooth had to be pulled.
Next was a little boy with very bad teeth. He had to have 3 of them removed. When the dentist stuck the needle in the first time, the little boy yelled and jerked, but luckily the dentist pulled the needle out in time. We had to actually hold him down so that the area could be stuck with the needle. This little boy sounded like a little dog that had been hit or whipped. When he finally got all the shots and started to pull the teeth, he just sat there like there was nothing wrong. He got a dollar from the tooth fairy representative as well and 3 toys for his troubles. He went away with the biggest smile, but his mouth was full of gauze.
July 31, 2005
As we were standing by this house that we had searched earlier, this little boy who we had pulled a tooth from yesterday came up to us offering us some fruit. I’ve had it in the states before, but can’t remember the name of it. It’s this fruit that you pull off the peel and it has these little pouches with seeds in it. Very sour like a green apple, but very good. SGT Nazario and I split one. Man it was good, but made you drink more of that hot water. The one little boy came up to me and started pointing to my hand. I looked down and I must have cut it on something because it was bleeding. He ran inside to get me something that looked like a Band-Aid, but I passed on it and waited till I got back to the FOB. He did help me pour some of the water on it to wash it off. He was so proud that he could help. I’m telling you that the kids of this country are the ones that will be able to turn this country around if they are ever given the chance.
posted by Auntie Tracye @ 11:00 AM
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