Outpatients move into new digs at Landstuhl

[unhappycamper]

Spc. Shawn English, an Austin, Texas, native who was deployed to northern Iraq, surfs the net in his room in the new Medical Transient Detachment barracks at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.


Outpatients move into new digs at Landstuhl
By Steve Mraz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, October 24, 2007


LANDSTUHL, Germany — Spc. Shawn English saw his parents for the first time in nearly 10 months Monday night — all from the comfort of his room in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s new Medical Transient Detachment barracks.

English, whose right arm is in a sling after suffering an adverse reaction to an injection in northern Iraq, conducted a video chat over wireless Internet from his room’s computer.

“They saw me,” said the 22-year-old from Austin, Texas. “I saw them. I just nearly cried. It was awesome.”

English is one of several outpatients from Iraq and Afghanistan who, until Saturday, were housed in barracks nearly 20 miles away in Kaiserslautern. With the move, they are now just steps from their doctors, liaisons and case managers.

“That back-and-forth, back-and-forth is eliminated as far as appointments,” said Army Capt. Katrina Gawlik, detachment commander.

In addition to no longer having to endure a lengthy bus ride from Kaiserslautern to the hospital, the outpatients are living in newly refurbished quarters. The wounded troops enjoy free, fresh cups of coffee served from a sleek machine. Video game, TV and craft rooms offer places to hang out after their appointments. Phone rooms and Internet cafes allow free communication to loved ones.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49734



uhc comment: I wonder what that injection was.