There were no barbeques. There was no baseball. But there was heat and American flags everywhere. It was Memorial Day 2006 in Baghdad. It will be one I will never forget. I was working the day shift in the ER. At noon we got a call of multiple US casualties secondary to a VBIED (vehicle borne improvised explosive devise [horizontal ellipsis] basically a car bomb). Within 5 minutes we had reports of multiple dead at the scene.

VBIED always translates into death or horrific injuries. The first three casualties were sent directly into the main trauma bay. Two went directly to the OR after they were intubated and stabilized. The "lucky one" with face and hand burns was admitted to the surgical ward. Five more were taken to the back rooms. All five required surgical interventions to stop hemorrhage. Everyone lived.

On this day when we celebrate memories of those who died serving our country, I celebrate those who lived [horizontal ellipsis] serving our country. Memorial Day will never be the same for me. It will forever be embedded with the memories of those who lived. Maybe next year I will celebrate with some barbeque and baseball. God bless our troops. God bless America.