Book is available for pre-order

I got some very exciting news this week; our book is now available for purchase!

The book can be ordered at the Coppola the Book website, and it will ship out on 1 NOV

http://buy.coppolathebook.com/Hardcover-Book/Coppola-A-Pediatric-Surgeon-in-Iraq-p4.html

The book is available on Amazon, but Amazon will not be able to ship it out until FEB 2010




http://www.amazon.com/Coppola-Pediatric-Surgeon-Iraq-Chris/dp/0984053115/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255023674&sr=8-1





For more information, check out the multimedia information available at:





http://www.coppolathebook.com/





Here are some quotes from advance readers:





Powerful, thought-provoking and unforgettable, A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq stands alone among accounts of the Iraq war. Unlike other authors, Chris Coppola has chosen to focus on the two issues that transcend all conflict: our mortality and our sense of morality. Writing with poignant honesty, he illuminates the well-worn generalizations of war with trenchant details, recounting stories about American and Iraqi individuals who must bear, as well as care for, the often tragic consequences of combat. You will never again look at the Iraq war – or any war for that matter -- in quite the same way. - Dr. Pauline Chen, transplant surgeon and best-selling author, Final Exam, A Surgeon's Reflections on Mortality





Dr. Chen's Book and New York Times Column: http://paulinechen.typepad.com/



“Coppola speaks as a witness to human tragedy—a testimony of two deployments in hell . . . This is a heartbreaking memoir by a hero who would never call himself that . . . essential reading for our time.” —Terry Sanders, two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker, producer/director, Fighting For Life





Terry's film account of military medicine: http://www.fightingforlifethemovie.com/



“War often puts doctors in impossible situations. Dr. Chris Coppola's remarkable account of his experience as a combat surgeon in Iraq throws a whole new light on medicine under fire . . . This is a great read and tribute to the American spirit of generosity." —Dr. Khassan Baiev, president, the International Committee for the Children of Chechnya and author, The Oath: A Surgeon under Fire





Dr. Baiev's account of surgery in wartime Chechnya: http://www.theoathbook.com/home.php



"Compelling, heartwrenching . . . Coppola reveals the true victims of war; the children of Iraq." —Gunnar Swanson, War Kids Relief





More about War Kids Relief: http://warkidsrelief.org/



“With a quick wit, and a fine tongue, Coppola brings a fresh voice to the war.” —Michael Anthony, Iraq veteran and author, Mass Casualties: A Young Medic’s True Story of Death, Deception, and Dishonor in Iraq





About Michael's book: http://www.masscasualties.com/








I am very happy for such complimentary feedback, and I would love to hear any and all opinions from others.

Honor the Quiet Professionals

During my deployments to Iraq, I had the honor of serving some of the military's "Quiet Professionals" as a small but very unique portion of our clients. The quiet professionals are the US military Special Forces; highly trained and independent shadow warriors who complete the most dangerous and tricky missions. In the hospital we met Navy Seals, Army Rangers, and Air Force Combat Controllers. They came to us as patients, secretly in the middle of the night with false names and social security numbers, and then disappeared just as fast when they had been stabilized. We coordinated care with Special Forces physicians, many of them reservists who left their families for months at a time, completely out of communication. We trained their medics to intubate, decompress collapsed lungs, and quickly pass venous or intraosseous catheters to help their men in times of need. One medic I knew started IV's on his troops before battle, and packed bags of fluid in his ruck with stacks of ammo magazines so he could quickly start resuscitation if they were hit. It was very humbling to work with such dedicated troops.

20 FEB 2009 SSgt Tim Davis lost his life to an IED attack near Bagram, Afghanistan. He was a USAF Combat Controller. Members of his team are trekking 800 miles in 10 days in his honor. They will travel with 50lb packs on their long walk from San Antonio to Pensacola. Tim leaves behind a wife and a one year old son.

Learn more about Tim here:

http://www.sgtmacsbar.com/CCTPhotos/Gallery24/Davis/Davis.html

Here is the team's fundraising site:

http://firstgiving.com/samschindler

Here is the breakdown of the trekking team:

http://sites.google.com/site/stmemorialmarch/

and lastly, here is a map of their route from TX to FL:


View Larger Map

Amputee Coalition of America

I read an interesting article by Lola Butcher in the Bulletin of our professional organization, the American College of Surgeons.

She described how the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) has been working with Dr. Jeffrey Gambel, a physiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC to develop a Peer Network for veteral amputees. The ACA has a vibrant National Peer Network, but Dr. Gambel found that just because a person showed up and volunteered to help counsel new amputees didn't mean that they had the necessary skills. Often the conversations were one-sided without the soldier ever being drawn out. Also most non-combat related amputees are much older and suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, so it was difficult for the troops fresh out of their teenage years to relate to them.

With the help of the ACA a cadre of trained peer amputee visitors was educated and now serves the veteran amputees undergoing rehabilitation at Walter Reed.

If you or anyone you know would like to learn more about the Amputee Coalition of America, their website can be found here:

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/index.html

If you have had an experience with the peer visitors, I would appreciate learning your thoughts on the program in the comments here.

Take care!