Sam's Smile

While deployed to Tikrit, Iraq with the 47th Combat Support Hospital in 2009 and 2010 I had the opportunity to meet some great people. One of which is Captain Amy Brown. She is an Army Dietitian stationed in Texas. Amy and I became friends while we were travel buddies for a week from Tikrit to Al Asad and then on to Mosul before returning to Tikrit. That week is probably one of my favorite memories of deployment. While traveling together I got to meet (via Skype) her husband Sam. Sam is also an Army Captain. He is part of what I like to call "Big Army". He is an Infantry or Combat Arms kind of guy.

In September of 2008 Sam was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan when his unit received indirect fire. During the attack Sam was hit receiving third degree burns to over 30% of his body. He was quickly medically evacuated to Brooke Army Medical Center's Institute for Surgical Research and was admitted to the Burn Intensive Care Unit. Since then he has had numerous surgeries to repair some pretty extensive damage to his body.


Over the past year and a half I have been lucky enough that Amy and Sam have allowed to share in parts of their journey together. One of Sam's many surgeries was one I was even looking forward to. This surgery was to release approximately 4 cm around his lips allowing him to open his mouth far more than he had been able to for the last 2 1/2 years. One of his goals was to be able to eat a cheeseburger again.


I literally jumped for joy when I received this picture via text message on March 2:

A picture of Sam eating a cheeseburger!!! I can easily say that it is moments like this that make my job totally worth it!

One of the best looking smiles EVER!!! Congrats with this surgery Sam!

Thank you Amy and Sam for allowing me to be a part of your journey!

You can follow their journey via their blog. CLICK HERE

Thanks for letting me "acquire" some of your pics Amy!