Photo By Sgt. 1st Class David Benamati | Iraqi Police Lt. Col. Shehitha Hamed is recovering from wounds he received while...... read more read more
Story by Sgt. 1st Class David P. Benamati
138th MPAD, FOB Courage
MOSUL, Iraq - Just weeks after having his heart lifted out of his chest by a U.S. Army surgeon, Iraqi Army Sgt Taha Salm Hamed is sitting up in bed at the intensive care ward of the 47th Combat Support Hospital on Logistic Staging Area Diamondback in Mosul, Iraq.
Insurgents shot Taha directly in the chest as he was leaving a restaurant in Mosul where he was picking up lunch for his men back at the checkpoint they operated.
"Luckily, the bullet just missed his heart and only damaged a portion of his lung," said U.S. Army Col. Philip Corcoran. Taha was first brought to an Iraqi hospital, but because of a lack of proper medical supplies and facilities to handle his case, he was stabilized and then transported to the 47th CSH. Corcoran is the cardio-vascular surgeon who was in charge of the team of surgeons who operated on Taha.
"During the operation, we lifted his heart out of the chest cavity to inspect it and to ensure there was no damage to the back of his heart as well," Corcoran said.
Taha's injuries have not deterred him in his struggle to free his country of insurgents; his resolve is even stronger now than before. The injury has also prompted him to quit smoking.
Taha and the Iraqi Army are not alone in the struggle to free Iraq from terrorism. The Iraqi police are also actively engaged in the day-to-day fight for security of the country.
Iraqi police Lt. Col. Shehitha Hamed was brought to the 47th CSH after he suffered abdominal wounds in a firefight with insurgents. The Iraqi police were clearing a building known to house insurgents. When Shehitha heard his men struggling through a firefight over the radio, he quickly arrived to lend support. Shehitha entered the building and, after being shot in the abdomen, returned fire, killing one insurgent and injuring two others.
Both men say they will continue to fight terrorism in Mosul and throughout Iraq, despite their injuries.
As far as their treatment by the staff and doctors of the 47th CSH, the Soldier and the police officer say it is the best treatment in Iraq and that they owe their lives to the doctors and staff.
According to Maj. William Uptergrove, patient administrator for the 47th CSH, most Iraqi hospitals are ill equipped to handle critical care patients. Uptergrove and some of the staff from the 47th CSH periodically visit local Iraqi hospitals to assess their patient care capabilities. So when their conditions improve to the point where they can be adequately treated by the Iraqi hospitals they will be transported to local Iraqi hospitals. There they will finish recuperating from their wounds.
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 02.26.2006 10:39 |
| Story ID: | 5519 |
| Location: | MOSUL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 431 |
| Downloads: | 15 |
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