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I am Erik Rupard. I am currently serving as the sole physician in a 20-person Troop Medical Clinic in the western part of Iraq. This blog was started shortly before my deployment began, and, starting from Feb 2008, works its way chronologically forward from that time until today. I write about four-to-five entries per week. Topics include my life here in Iraq, the people with whom I work, the United States Army to which I am currently indentured through April 2011, and various other topics which leap out of my feeble brain. (In other words, it’s all about me.)
Things you should know about me include (but are not limited to) the following:
1) When I am not deployed, I live in Evans, Georgia, with my sweet and/or lovely wife, and three beautiful daughters.
2) I work at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, on Fort Gordon (near Augusta), Georgia, where I am a doctor specializing in Hematology and Oncology.
3) Favorite (material) things: The Simpsons, the Boston Red Sox, New York Times Columnist David Brooks, Economist Thomas Sowell, country singer Neko Case, huge computer monitors, massive hard drives, audiobooks, WWII veterans who tell me their stories during my clinic, peanut butter M&Ms, and a nice hot shower. Not necessarily in that order.
Here is a picture of my wife Lorri and me, and our cat, Mimba. Lorri is the good-looking babe on the right. (We have kids, too, but they wanted too much money for publication rights, so no pictures…)
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Hey, what about the Pats. Mom R.
March 8th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
EJ So glad to see Adam hasn’t changed one bit after all of these years huh? Thanks for the commentary guys–which has Adam (not Lisa) written all over it. We miss you guys too. Especially Tuesday night runs of Roseanne, Seinfeld and… escargot? Good times, although I’m still scarred from a certain experience and I’m sure Fulvia’s house probably still wreaks of garlic.
I was happy to hear you arrived safely in Kuwait today EJ. I didn’t know they’d have pay phones scattered throughout Kuwait but “What-evs”
. The girls were sorry they couldn’t talk to you.
An interesting episode occurred this evening after the girls and I went to see the 5 pm matinee of Be Kind Rewind which is a nice departure from Jack Black’s usual shenanigans. You would have loved it Erik. It was actually touching-a tad arty, and Mia Farrow (one of your favorite girls) had a decent role. Drew and Maya liked it, Maddy fell asleep and so did I for a minute there. I didn’t get a ton of sleep last night and was up early talking with you on Skype. As we were strolling around EarthFare I saw this long-haired hippie dude beside a gallery of acrylic post-modern-ish psychadelic paintings all on display. I waited patiently for him to finish a conversation and then introduced myself by saying, “You don’t know me but my husband treated your father as he was dying from Cancer about a month or two back. You happen to come up in discussions whenever we go to Mellow Mushroom.” He looked astonished and grabbed me by the arms and gave me the most royal embrace of my life. (I told Maddy that’s actually the very same hug I want from a particular long-haired man when I leave this earth-life). As he pulled away, there was a big tear rolling down his face and he expressed such gratitude for the amazing treatment you gave his father. He said you made such a difference in his father’s life end. He then handed me his most recent CD (I guess he’s a rocker too)–at which point I said I would send it to you in Iraq. Later on, he tracked us down and presented us with a small painting and told us the story of the angel dog piece. (the one you noticed by his dad’s bedside after he’d passed away). It was neat to hear about your work from the perspective of a patients’ family member. Anywho, I need to run and unplug something besides help w. a lot of procrastinated homework. Talk soon, Love and miss you. Lorri.
March 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Neko Case. My mom has a Neko Case album. It has an interesting name. “Furnace Room Lullabies” I believe.
March 9th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Why not Spongebob. Thats good, right? And Van Halen. They’re cool.
Submitted minutes after other reply. Weird, huh? I must have some type of craving for communication.
March 9th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
HA! I wrote it. Maybe Adam is wearing off after 15 years of marriage.
We are enjoying the kids and California. Adam was in Toronto two weekends ago. He keeps commenting on the length and characteristics of Joelle’s toenails. Who thought he wasn’t a writer? His descriptions are fabulous! Think of the disc sander scene in “Dumb & Dumber.”
Can you guys please move near us so we can all play Outburst, watch the Superbowl and generally eat every dinner together?
I am currently listening to Damien Rice, Long Beach Dub All Stars, and Slightly Stoopid. Our kids are all crazy over music. Syd and Sam play the drums and Allie is starting the guitar and sings for EVERYTHING around here. We are like a much fatter Partridge Family.
Good to hear from you Lorri and Erik.
Lisa and the Spice Rack
March 15th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I love that pic! E- you’re no doubt sound asleep in your cannister but here in Evans it’s about 7 pm and we’ve been hit by a cavalcade of wild electrical storms and tornadoes smattering across the area 16 counties under severe warning. Yi-ikes.
In columbia county we were told to get away from all windows, wrap ourselves in blankets or coats and get into an inner hallway. Maya’s friend Sydney is here visiting too. It was freaky but kind of cool-we were hunkered down in the hallway with blankets, Mimba and Neko (with her termite breath!). David LaFrance was sweet to call and ask if we were okay.
Maddy and Drew were stuck at the school and were apparently corralled into the cafeteria with everyone else from what I understood during our 30 second phone call. We lost signal on the local news which was updating us on the weather on a continuing basis. It was a bit squirrelly but things have settled down and moved away from us thankfully. Your parents have been kind enough to run 3 dozen lemon bars up to GHS for the concession stand during intermission tonight and we are currently awaiting a Papa John’s Pizza; a fact I’m not proud of since I know if you were here, we’d be getting Romas instead. Oh well.
Love you.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Hey Erik-
will you post some recommended readings- Lor says you are reading a lot. Have you read Dandelion Wine by Bradbury?