Elsewhere in this web site I mentioned that dysentary was a persistent problem for the SF soldiers. Almost all A-Team members suffered from it. Sometimes... it hit you really hard!
At one point in my stay at Thuong Duc I became really sick. I tried 'toughing it out', but eventually realized that what I had was not an inconvenience... it was a real medical problem! I went to see Sgt Peters, the Medic. It did not take much explaining to describe the problem. Peters suffered through the dysentary along with the rest of us.
| Sgt Peters...
Medic at Special Forces camp A-109 Sorry the picture is not better. It is a clip from another Thuong Duc photo. I have great admiration for Sgt Peters and the other SF Medics. SF Medic training was an extremely tough, grueling process. These men put some doctors to shame. This was not the first time Sgt Peters would help me! Visit the '0 Legs, 1 Tail' page for another example of the expertise of the SF Medics.
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I explained that I thought I would feel better if I could 'throw up'. Although Peters had the medicine (in the medical supplies closet) at his disposal, he had nothing that would effectively treat the dysentary. Worse yet... he had nothing that would induce regurgitation. I thought I would never feel any better.
Then, in a sudden turn of his demeanor, he exclaimed "I have an idea." Peters instructed me to go to the Teamhouse and look for some mustard. "Mustard?", I asked. Yep... he said mustard. Peters explained that I was go get the mustard jar and a water glass. I was supposed to fill the water glass 3/4ths full of mustard. (Hmmmm... an eight-ounce water glass 3/4ths full would mean 6 ounces of mustard.)
Once I had the mustard in the glass, Peters instructed me to fill the remaining space in the glass with water. I was to mix the mustard and water thoroughly... making a semi-thick, puke-yellow mixture. I was then supposed to pour this over my head.
Did you REALLY think that would relieve dysentary symptoms?? No... I didn't think so. He told me to drink that mixture! Just the thought of drinking that thick mustard would have ordinarily envoked the gag reflex. But not now. I was SO sick that the thought of drinking the mustard didn't phase me. I was desparate!
Gulp.. gulp.. gulp! Down it went. Then I waited... and waited... and waited... Nothing! No stomach spasms... no body-wracking, heaving, wretching, fold-at-the-waist motions. In fact... I felt much better. Whatever germs cause dysentary must have fled my body in advance of the 'mustard tsunami'.
