Medical treatment at Fort Polk

Photo By Kimberly Hackbarth | Spc. Michael Shwarz, a medic with 2nd Squadron,1st Cavalry Regiment, reviews medical paperwork on June 10 at the Troop Medical Clinic 4 at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La.  

06.12.2009

Story by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth 

4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division

While most Soldiers from my unit were sleeping or packing the night before leaving for the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., I spent most of my night in the emergency room.

I was attempting to sleep, but I had all of my things locked in my locker, including my blanket.

I used my cell phone for light, unlocked the locker and pulled out my blanket. A side plate from my body armor came out with it and landed on my bare foot.

After getting X-rayed at Madigan Army Medical Center on Fort Lewis, Wash., the doctors told me to get more X-rays in a couple of days just to make sure there were no serious injuries.

Arriving at JRTC, the pain in my foot was tolerable, but I decided to follow the doctor's advice and went to sick call.

Spc. Brittany Bell, a medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and one of the only female medics in the female quarters on Forward Operating Base Sword, accompanied me.

We signed in and the Soldiers at the front desk secured my weapon. I was taken into a small room where Bell took my vitals.

I was then seen by Capt. Anne-Marie Spearman, a physician's assistant for 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div.

She pressed on spots of my foot and asked where I felt pain.

On a scale of one to 10, I said it was a four.

Because I was recommended by a doctor at Madigan to get follow-up X-rays, Spearman filled out the paperwork and I was sent forward to be seen by a PA at Troop Medical Clinic 4.

Normally, to get sent to TMC 4 a Soldier must sustain some sort of injury or illness requiring additional care the battalion aid station can't provide.

TMC 4 takes patients from all the FOBs in the area.

The process there was similar to that at the aid station on any of the FOBs.

I turned over my weapon, signed in and waited.

My vitals were read by a specialist from 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. and a specialist from 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div.

I removed the boot and sock from my left foot and watched as people came in to see the effects of a body armor plate meeting a foot from three feet up on a shelf.

I repeated my story again, again and again.

Finally, Capt. Douglas Marcum, a brigade surgeon cell PA, entered the room.

I told my story one more time.

After following the same foot-pressing pattern as Spearman, I handed Marcum the paperwork from the battalion aid station along with the papers from the doctor at MAMC.

Again, the original paper from MAMC proved to be handy.

Recommending follow-up X-rays meant I was getting those X-rays. The captain, a specialist and I headed over to the hospital.

There was some delay because the PAs with 4th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. were not in the system allowing them to order lab tests, prescriptions and X-rays. So it was off to the emergency room again.

Once the X-rays were complete I was taken to another room and took my boot and sock off one last time.

The nurse who evaluated my foot finally gave me the word. After visiting three facilities, being evaluated by three medics, two PAs, and two nurses, nothing was broken or fractured.

Hearing those words was a relief, even though they were what I expected the whole time.

Going from the field to the hospital took most of the day, but the wait was short and entirely bearable compared to limping around and not knowing if I were making things worse.

And while being assured my foot would recover without any special treatment was great, being certain- through personal experience - that if I or any Soldier out here requires medical attention, we will be able to get the medical services we need.

• Date Taken: 06.12.2009
• Date Posted: 06.12.2009 18:32
• Story ID: 34987