The battlefield could prove to be a place where valiant men prove their valor as well as bravery, but there are also moments where the loss of limb, and perhaps life, occurs. Defusing bombs can be one of the more heart stopping duties that one has to undertake when one joins a certain department in the military, although we might see minesweeper robots take over that role in the future to preserve human life. However, for those who have been wounded in the theater of war, Cmdr. Peter Shumaker, chief of dermatology at Naval Medical Center San Diego, has come up with using the ablative laser to erase scar tissue, now how about that? Normally used to smooth out wrinkled or acne-scarred skin, this ablative laser could also help wounded soldiers “heal” from the scars of yesteryear. This kind of laser treatment will also be able to remove sores, which means those wearing prosthetics ought to be able to wear one for a whole lot longer than normal.
The blood is not the most jarring part of the photograph taken shortly after the bomb blew off Marine Gunnery Sgt. Brian Meyer’s leg and hand. It’s his smile. The bomb technician had asked a team member to take the picture. He knew his defiance in the face of death would keep his comrades going and ease the torment caused by what they had witnessed. His attitude set the tone for the long journey the double amputee is taking along with nearly 2,000 troops who lost one or more limbs from combat injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s also pushing military medicine to find better ways to accommodate such a large population of young, severely disabled combat veterans who want to maintain an active lifestyle. Many wear out their prosthetic limbs in a matter of months doing everything from mountain climbing to running marathons. With survival rates reaching historic highs during the two wars, the Naval Health Research Center is launching a major, six-year study on wounded warriors to track their quality of life and better understand the road to recovery. So far, 1,500 people have signed up for the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project study. The Navy aims to recruit 10,000. About 50,000 military personnel have been injured in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, with 16,000 hurt so severely that they likely would not have survived previous conflicts.
