I wrote my first Kos diary about a week ago about my husband, Dr Milad Pooran. He’s running for Congress in MD-06, but he’s been deployed on a military medical mission until the end of January. You can read that diary here, but several commenters asked for updates. Here’s my first update, below the jump.
Milad arrived in Germany before the start of the New Year. He was excited about the opportunity to work with his new team a nurse and respiratory therapist from other Air National Guard Units across the country. The community of critical care air transport team members is small within the Air Force and so over the years you are bound to work and see the same people in different corners of the world.
The Guard crew was scheduled to fly a mission later this week but an emergency arose and a critically ill Marine had to be flown from Afghanistan back to Walter Reed for definitive care. It is a rare event that a service member cannot receive stabilizing care in-theatre or at the military hospital in Germany, but the nature of this illness required urgent transport back home.
The Guard crew was alerted and their mission day started. The CCCAT team from Afghanistan arrived and the lead doctor was a dear friend of Milad’s and a supporter of his campaign. They had both gone through CCATT training together this past year, and were both flying their first mission of the deployment. The first crew had spent over 20 hours with the Marine and now my husband would spend the next twenty hours caring for him the rest of the way home.
I got this email from my husband’s colleague:
“Dear Amy,
I had the chance to run into Milad today as we dropped off a patient in LRMC, looks like he is going to fly this patient home (it’s a real tough case). Your husband took great care of us. We have been up for almost 35 hours and after drop off had less than 20 minutes to get back on a plane headed down-range. Milad bought our entire crew lunch; pizza and sandwiches. It was nice to break away from the day’s realities even for 15 minutes and catch up with an old friend. He tells me the campaign is going well and that you have volunteered to step up and fill in for him while he is deployed. Well I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you that you have a great husband, but you obviously already knew that. I am proud to be his friend, colleague, and to wear the same uniform as we serve our country. Marylanders and the entire nation will benefit greatly from his leadership in Congress. Be strong and I am certain you will represent him well. When I get back in late summer, you guys have to come out to our place for BBQ and beers.
Best wishes,
Adam”
Milad landed yesterday afternoon at Andrews Air Force base and last night only hours after the transfer to Walter Reed was on a flight back to Germany where he and his crew will stage again for their next mission.
Milad’s birthday is this Sunday. “Two weeks after Christmas, a week after New Year’s day, and on the same day as the King, Elvis Presley.” That’s what Milad always says. So on his birthday lets wish him and his patients the best.
As before, you can learn more about Milad’s campaign at miladforcongress.com.
Thank you all again for your support.