Back in the saddle again...

Happy Labor Day!

I last heard from Donnie on Friday at 2:30am.  It was so nice to hear his voice, and I totally didn't mind that I had to get up at 4am for work :)  I was just happy to hear from him and get to talk about what was going on with his health and state of mind.  For a while we thought he was going to be at Leatherneck for the remainder of the deployment due to his injuries - a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that with time is expected to heal.  Plans changed a bit when he was released from care, which means he is "healthy" enough to go back out to the field.  A bit frustrating since his headaches have decreased in frequency, not pain level, and he is still having trouble with memory and such.  The plan was that he would be flown to a forward operating base (FOB) to work.  He would be reunited with his guys but remain in a central location versus heading out on patrol.  However, plans changed yet again, and now he is scheduled to drive with his guys to the FOB and go with them on patrol.  This will happen very soon, if not already.  Hopefully I will get another phone call before he leaves, but if not lets hope there is a satellite phone he can use during the rest of the time in Afghanistan.  
On a brighter note, the Chaplain for 3/7 has been highlighted in a WSJ article - pretty cool!  The article discusses how he and his RPS (Religious Programs Specialist, or basically his security) work alongside each other while having different views on religion.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703467004575463833265055248.html

Donnie update / care package update

Hi!  For those of you who are still planning to send a care package, please send to the attention of either Sgt. David Goodshield or 1st Lt. Joshua Waddell. At this point Donnie himself won't receive any packages due to the fact that he has moved around a lot and there isn't much time left to distribute, but sending to either name above will ensure his guys in the field will get the goods! The rest of the address is posted in a previous blog below.

Also, Donnie is still under observation at one of the main camps. He is doing okay and says he has gained some weight back due to the french fries and other yummy food available! We still don't know where he will spend the remainder of his deployment, but we hope his health will improve as each day passes!

The good with the bad

I finally heard from Donnie yesterday, August 13, after more than a month!  It was definitely an emotional and surreal experience to hear his voice after so long!  He called at around 9:45am, right when breakfast was on the stove and the maintenance man was trying to avoid being eaten by our vicious Cocker Spaniel.   After recovering from the shock of actually speaking with my husband (how weird does that sound to a normal person) the first thing I noticed was how happy he sounded..."friggin happy" in his own words!  A shower and real food, any food, after weeks and weeks of no bathing and 400 calories a day was a definite plus.  Apparently it was difficult at times to even get food and water delivered to the areas they were patrolling.  The not so fun news is the reason Donnie was back at the main camp.  He had been pulled from patrol after being involved in 2 IED (improvised explosive device) explosions and a truck accident that resulted in him being knocked unconscious for a period of time.  He is being evaluated over the next week and will know shortly what the rest of his deployment will entail.  We do know he has a grade 2 and grade 3 concussion and is on medication to help with the headaches.  As much as I know how badly Donnie wants to be back with his men, as his wife I can't help but be grateful he is in a less dangerous environment for the time being.  I'll keep everyone updated as I hear more!  And one last thing - during his downtime on patrol, he was able to construct a pair of flip flops and other Donnie-eque items from the natural resources around him.  That plus his bushy hair and beard probably made for some interesting photos!  I hope to post them once he returns so stay tuned!

Map of Afghanistan

Half-way point...

Well, it's been more than a while since the last post, and I wanted to take some time to update everyone on what's been happening with us, while I have access to a computer that works for once! Facebook seems to be a good communication tool for some, but for those who aren't logging on all the time, I figured I'd try to maintain this blog too. A major reason I haven't posted for a few months is that I'm going through some serious health problems...a few gigantic bumps in the road strategically placed during Donnie's deployment to test our strength while we are apart. Broken record, right! But I'm hanging in there and appreciate everyone's concerns. It can feel like I'm stranded on an island sometimes, and as Bon Jovi sang, no man is an island, even if it is bloody Ibiza! The phone calls, cards, and prayers do help very much, so thank you! And, I can imagine how much they lift Donnie during his time in country. Donnie spoke with me last on Thursday, July 8 at 3am. I've been getting good at making sense in the middle of the night, a newfound skill I guess! He has warned me before that a phone call could be the last one for a few weeks, months, or until the end of his deployment. But, I've always lucked out and heard from him again. This last call, though, gave me the impression that there is a very good chance I will not hear from him again until the end of his deployment. He had been splitting his time on patrol and at the BAS (battalion aid station) and so he was able to experience some comforts every now and then, including hot meals, clean clothes, and showers, which lent to his positive outlook. The smile on his face was also from receiving a rank promotion and official warfare corpsman status while in country! However, the direction has changed as far as where Donnie is going now, and so I'd like to request everyone pray for his safety and those he protects on a daily basis. It's not much fun imagining my husband sleeping in a dirt hole every night, wearing the same clothes over and over, and eating MREs (meals ready to eat), but the danger he faces on a second to second basis is unimaginable. Whenever you glance at your clock, take a minute to think about what time it is in Afghanistan (around 11 and a half hours ahead of us) and send Donnie a little prayer :) Speaking of sending things...although he has mentioned care packages won't get to him anymore, if you have already purchased items, please don't hesitate to send them as the items will be used by other soldiers. And, you can always send Donnie a letter (it only costs a regular stamp to mail!). He may not get it for 3 months, but there's always a chance somehow he could receive it sooner - you never know with the military! If you are a Facebook member, you can add the group "3rd Battalion 7th Marines, The Cutting Edge" which provides news and support for close friends and family. As for me, I'm currently living with my parents in Thousand Oaks (with Trident, our cocker spaniel) until I find full-time employment in the desert, which can be a little like hoping for a day under 100 degrees in Palm Desert. But, I'm hopeful something will come up and I'll be healthy enough to start back to work in a permanent role! Again, thank you for visiting our site and I'll post again when there are updates. I hope this post provides some of you with news that you hadn't heard - if you have any questions feel free to reach out to me at heathermaurine@yahoo.com.

Donnie teaching a local kid to hang loose














Thank you Sharon for the Imodium!

Almost a month in...

Donnie called this evening, around 5am his time and just before he was about to go to bed. Guess that tells us a bit about his schedule! He's finally received some care packages, one from Heidi (a big thank you to you from Donnie, and from me) and another from Friends of Nevada County - full of Girl Scout cookies! Thanks to Sandy for getting that one out!

Every time we talk, I try to get some clues out of him about what they've been doing - with no avail. But, here are some updates he was able to share:
He and the other Corpsman have been giving medical care to the locals...his latest cases include tending to a man's burns, and treating a villager who walked 10k for help with dysentery.

The village population has been very hospitable, bringing eggs, vegetables, and bread to the soldiers, mainly the Corpsman, for the medical care they provide.

The children yell "cheese" (sp) to the soldiers, which means "give me" in Pashto. They have a penchant for candy, pens, and strangely, the soliders' watches. Apparently they'd rather have their watches than the ones they are sporting from 1985 :) Donnie said some are well behaved, but there are those without much direction or discipline. He said imagine the worst child you can think of and mutiply that by 10 - yikes!

Some schools have opened up in the area – he thinks funded by US Aid, and the soldiers are ensuring they stay open and get fully built.

His new call name is "Viking" perhaps due to his dashing Scandinavian looks :)

Despite being very busy, he's been working out two times a day.

There have been some "minor misfortunes and setbacks" but nothing that has resulted in any fatalities - thank God!

And most importantly, in the next few days, Donnie and the soldiers will be starting there most important mission yet. What, I don't know, but he requested everyone pray for him and the others. He hopes they will be on foot or "beating feet" vs. in the Humvees. Thank you so much to everyone who takes a moment to read this blog and send your thoughts and prayers to our men and women in Afghanistan.

Call from Donnie / Address

Happy Easter! Anyone feel that shake? Wow, a 7.2 out of Baja, CA...our cat wasn't too happy! Well, the good news from today is that Donnie called! He is at Camp Bastion right now, acclimating and training before going further into the desert. He was proud to say that he had lobster for dinner (what?!), and pineapple juice from Saudi Arabia earlier in the day. The mess hall (and that's my lingo people, I'm sure there's another name for it) is open 24 hours and has TVs, and a lot of American drinks with Farsi words. There's a lot of dust, as proof of the "100 days of wind" they are experiencing. He's still overwhelmed, and where he is hasn't really sunk in - but he's taking it one day at a time. He said he's reminded of where he is when he wakes up and sees the mountains all around him. He wasn't able to say when he was leaving the Camp, so I guess we will know once the phone calls stop. Thank you everyone again for all your support and prayers! The mailing address, for letters or care packages, is:

Donald Koenig

3/7 India Co

Unit 41580

FPO AP 96427-1580

They say the turnaround time, from the US to Afghanistan, is about 2-4 weeks.

If anyone has any questions just post a comment or email me at heathermaurine@yahoo.com.

Thanks!!!!!

Care Package Suggestions

First of all, thank you to everyone who was able to make it out to the pre-deployment going away parties, and to those who sent their well wishes! You could tell by the smile on his face Donnie was really happy! Second, my apologies for not posting again sooner - things have been crazy here and I will try to make posts more regularly from here on out!

Some of you interested in sending care packages asked what he could use in Afghanistan. Here are a few suggestions...please keep in mind everything we send, he has to carry on his back!

chapstick

drink powder

socks - Smart Wool, Thorlo, any backpacking sock

moleskin

glide

Non-melting snacks

Fruit and Nut mix

baby wipes

batteries

I will post the mailing address soon!