Portion of book proceeds to benefit Fisher Houses for families of hospitalized soldiers

Dr. Coppola’s letters home from Iraq were compiled into a book by his wife, Meredith L. Coppola. The book is called “Made a Difference for That One: A Surgeon’s Letters Home from Iraq.”
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“Dear Friends: I have been caring for a 2-year-old girl with burns named M. for the past month. In spite of heroic efforts from the team of doctors, nurses and techs taking care of her, she passed away tonight at 18:50. I knew her long enough to learn that her favorite stuffed animal was a pink bear, she loved chips and snacks, and her giggles brought joy to her mother and father.” – Maj. Christopher Coppola, M.D.

The above excerpt is from “Made a Difference for That One: A Surgeon’s Letters Home from Iraq,” compiled by Meredith L. Coppola, wife of the San Antonio surgeon who wrote the poignant letters. Dr. Christopher Coppola is a clinical assistant professor in the departments of surgery and pediatrics at the Health Science Center and a staff pediatric surgeon at Wilford Hall Medical Center.

“It is a compilation of the letters and photographs I sent from a hospital north of Baghdad during my deployment as a military surgeon,” Dr. Coppola said. “This book has been published to raise funds for the Fisher Houses, which are homes away from home for families of injured soldiers being treated at military hospitals.”

Fisher Houses are at installations nationwide. San Antonio is home to two Fisher Houses, one near Brooke Army Medical Center on Fort Sam Houston and the other near Wilford Hall Medical Center on Lackland Air Force Base. For more information, see www.fisherhouse.org.

Dr. Coppola spent four months in Iraq. His wife, educated at Brown University, edited his firsthand accounts into a book available from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble Booksellers and iUniverse Inc. Copies may be ordered at 1-800-AUTHORS or at www.iuniverse.com.

Chapter 14, “Sad News,” concludes in this manner:

“Nearly everyone in our hospital, from the ER, OR, ICU, wards, respiratory, pharmacy, nutrition, laboratory, chaplain and others, has had a hand in this sweet girl’s treatment. It is only though the hard work of those caring people that she was able to survive as long as she did. For the past four days, she has been critically ill on life support. Her young heart gave out after enduring much more than one with less will to live could. We cleaned her and wrapped her in pads and a blanket. Her parents were unable to visit today due to heightened security at the base. We contacted her father’s military unit, and our guards arranged for him to pass through security this evening. One of our ambulance medics picked him up at the gate along with M.’s older brother and her uncle. Our translator helped me speak to them, but there was little to say. I carried M. out to the ambulance. After the men in her family climbed in, I placed her in her uncle’s arms. I lost sight of them as the Humvee ambulance doors swung shut.

“If you pray, please remember M.’s family in your prayers. Thank you for all your prayers for M. and the toys and treats you sent. She is not the first child I have seen die, and I know I am not so fortunate that she will be the last. Tomorrow, I will go back to work and try to help the others who come my way. But tonight I am broken. I will write again soon. Chris.”