Just when I start feeling pessimistic about humans' chances of a long and prosperous future on this planet, I encounter a story that perks up my bright side. For example, the inspiring tale of U.S. Marine corporal Jason Poole.
Jason was on patrol with his unit in Iraq in 2004 when an IED blew up nearby, killing his mates and severely wounding Jason. His injuries included massive head trauma that left him near death—disabled, disfigured and in a coma.
His situation has become an all-too-typical scenario for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just as the battlefield has changed—insurgent warfare often features booby traps and ambushes rather than armed engagement—so have the effects on the combatants. In previous wars bullets caused most wounds; many of the injuries sustained in the current conflicts result from detonated explosive devices. Despite improvements in body armor and other safeguards, these weapons devastate bodies.
This phenomenon has created enormous new challenges for medical personnel who care for veterans. Sandy Lai, '93, is on the front lines, so to speak. She directs the polytrauma rehabilitation center at the VA hospital in Palo Alto, where she oversees a diverse team of specialists. Joan Hamilton's story (page 44) about Lai's work, and the remarkable outcomes for patients like Jason, provide an interesting postscript to the wartime experiences of our fighting men and women.
Jason has undergone multiple surgeries and years of rehabilitation. If you had seen him in the days immediately after the bomb blew him to pieces, you would be hard pressed to imagine how such a recovery is possible. The fact that Jason is alive is the first marvel, a tribute to the extraordinary advancements in military field medicine. But he is more than a survivor; he is a walking, talking example of what is possible today through the combined efforts of a skilled medical team and a determined patient.
When we were deciding on a photograph for this issue's cover, we debated whether a portrait of Jason was the appropriate choice. He is not an alumnus and our readers are accustomed to seeing a Stanford connection up front. Also, Jason's injuries, while largely repaired, are still evident. Would this create consternation for readers? After discussion, we decided the courage and humanity that showed through Jason's picture overcame these other concerns. His eagerness to share his story as a means of building understanding for the challenges wounded veterans face—and to honor the work of the medical personnel at the VA—influenced our thinking as well. What better way to convey the value of Sandy Lai's work than through one of the veterans whose life has been reclaimed?
War has always produced moments of valor and expressions of the best in humanity, along with the worst. In a hospital down the road from the Stanford campus, those moments happen every day.
