Rescue Me, Nijmegen edition

Medics keep CF marchers on the road

By Lieutenant Karina Masse

Nijmegen, Netherlands; 23 July 2009—A military career has always included risk to life and limb, but you’d think sensible people would at least try to limit their liability. Marchers at Nijmegen clearly don’t — at the end of each day, they humbly bare their feet and offer them up to the medics, hoping to be cured of misery brought on by 40 km of trudging in combat boots. You have to wonder how they can believe this is fun.

The medical staff of 10 accompanying the Canadian Forces contingent at Nijmegen have the unglamorous, though by no means thankless, task of deciding how best to drain, seal and soothe the blisters, scrapes and heat rashes enough to let the marchers carry on with their adventure.

Although CF participants come to Nijmegen with hundreds of kilometres of marching behind them, the conditions here present challenges not faced while training at home. A big culprit is the pavement on the roads winding through the crowds of enthusiastic spectators.

“It’s the cobblestone streets that do them in,” explained Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Hunter, the contingent’s Physician Assistant. CPO2 Hunter knows what he’s talking about; he walked the walk himself twice, in 1977 and 1978. The result? “My feet were like hamburger,” he said.

Corporal Lisa Stewart came to Nijmegen prepared to treat her fair share of cringe-worthy cases, but she is surprised by the number of people suffering from dehydration, tricked by the wet climate into believing they are drinking enough.

Cpl Stewart also remarked on the close co-operation between the medics of the national contingents. “When we’re swamped, the Brits or Dutch will help us out and, when we have some spare time, we’ll treat whoever looks like they need a hand.” As well as patients, the medics share tips, tricks and supplies, ensuring that each health care team gets as much out of the experience as the marchers they support.

While the marchers soak their feet in kiddie pools and rate each other’s injuries, their minds must be hard at work forgetting the agony. Why else would they go to so much trouble to march at Nijmegen year after year? The medics are all impressed by how badly their patients want to be out there. Those with the nastiest wounds are happy when the medics come up with even a temporary solution to their ailments.

Cpl Stewart just shook her head. “You can’t even believe that these people want to keep going,” she said.