Startling--and also inspiring--photos of Wounded Warrior Robert Warren appearing in The Washington Post this morning. The photos accompany a long and detailed article by Christian Davenport, explaining the issue of traumatic brain injury. As the photo above makes clear, Robert Warren received horrible injuries from a rocket attack in Afghanistan, and his recovery will be long, difficult, and incomplete--not only was part of his skull and brain blown away in the explosion, but a piece of shrapnel remains embedded in his cranium.
It's fair to say that up until not long ago, a soldier with Warren's injuries would have died on the battlefield, or, if he had survived, would not be able to resume much of his previous life. Once again, the variable is Serious Medicine. But we shouldn't stop with what we have. We own it to Warren, and his family, to go further. If we really wanted to, we could be working to regenerate his brain tissue, and heal the rest of his numerous injuries. That would be a great and noble healthcare project.