#89 - More range time, and sick call

Earlier today we returned to the rifle range. Even though I qualified yesterday, I had to fire again twice. The weather was dreary and rainy. One of my battle buddies had a bit of a breakdown while we were there. I think she's had her fill of being stuck at BCT.

I had to go to sick call this afternoon. From Monday's road march, I have some massive infected blisters on the footpads of my feet. I knew they were bad when the doctor at the hospital visibly winced during the examination. I had the pleasure of letting her pick the blisters off to break up the skin (oww). I am now armed with antibiotics, some kind of topical cream, a bedpan and medicine to soak my feet in, bandages, and some 800mg Ibuprofen. I also have a 3-day profile which prevents me from having to run, jump or march. Hopefully that will give my feet time enough to heal up. I know we have another long road march sometime next week. I'm not sure what else I should be doing to prevent these blisters, as my boots don't really have enough room for the optional insoles that are sold at the Shoppette.

At least this week is going by fairly quickly. God, I cannot wait to get BCT over with. Sometimes I find it easier to be here, but there are other days which really suck.

This morning I couldn't run on the track because of my blisters, and I ended up walking it with a girl from another platoon named Bolt. We had an interesting conversation. Apparently she is a Celtic pagan, and practices various forms of magic, including stuff from the Golden Dawn (Aleister Crowley) vein. While we were walking the track, she looked at my palm and told me that I was supposed to have three children in the future. We will see, I guess...

Sometimes I may need reminders to let me know how good I have things at home. While I was at sick call today, I had a conversation with a different girl from another platoon. I asked her why she enlisted in the Army. She told such a harrowing tale of poverty and abuse, the likes of which I haven't heard in a long time. For many of the folks here, the military was really their best option of getting out of bad situations at home. One of the girls in my bay told me that BCT was the first time she has been able to eat three good meals a day because she was so poor in the civilian world. Wow.