I was patched up well enough after the last skirmish, but the physical trauma echoed throughout my body, every inch of my suffering chronicled on my flesh. Like a gardener examining a winter-worn plot, I inspected every injury. My old wounds had already been cleaned with saline to rinse and remove debris. I was re-doing the dressing. But before that, I underwent topical treatment as advised by the medic. Lathering my skin with antibiotics and healing salves, but all the ...