Blink of an Eye

#147 -  When Grief Gets Trapped in the Body with Dana Robinson, L. Ac.   Autumn is the season of grief. Grief also inhabits particular organs in the body. Healing invites us to move with and through our emotions and trust in their necessary processes, lest they become stuck within the body system. Learn with us as we explore some of the stunning millennia-old teachings of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as articulated by licensed acupuncturist Dana Robinson with Mend Acupuncture in Baltimore, Maryland. You will receive an illuminating teaching of how we can be in tune with the seasons of the calendar year, by paying attention to our emotions and which organs in the body correspond to which emotions and seasons, and how we can be in tune with the natural movement of the seasons and remove blockages in the body, particularly when certain emotions have not been fully processed, as many emotions are not in our fast paced world.     Blink of an Eye is created by Louise Phipps Senft and co-produced by Louise Phipps Senft and Zera Bloom. Theme music is by Victoria Vox.   Blink of an Eye Podcast is sponsored by the Blink of an Eye Non Profit: a non-profit created as a national resource to help change the Spinal Cord Injury experience for families and medical teams across the U.S. Blink of an Eye provides a national team of SCI specialized doctors for expert opinions in the Golden Hours of SCI injury, a Multidisciplinary Family Support & Navigation Team for SCI families lead by SCI families for the first 30 days of crisis, and a National Resource Library of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours and days after injury specialized for families, friends and SCI medical staff. Blink of an Eye also offers a Registry of Medically Unexpected SCI Recoveries. To find out more, visit www.blinkofaneye.org   Read Dana's guided practice on using the large intestine meridian to let go during Autumn at https://mendacupuncture.com/path-to-letting-go/   To find out more about Louise and this podcast, visit the websites www.blinkofaneyepodcast.com and www.BeingRelational.com.     To find out more about learning relational mediation skills for navigating hospital and medical conflict and trauma, and to sign up for trainings, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com.     Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @blinkofaneyepodcast. Our Twitter is @blinkofaneyepod. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can become a member of our Patreon community and see extra Blink of an Eye content and bonus episodes at: www.patreon.com/blinkofaneyepod.    To find out more about Archer and to see some of Archer’s artwork, check out www.slimeyard.com.    Find out more about the work of Dr. Apkarian and Dr. Farmer at http://apkarianlab.northwestern.edu/   #hopeforeverything   #obtaineverything  #lovehealstrauma  #beginagain   Music in this episode is: Angel Share by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3367-angel-share License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Calm Meditation by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7456-calm-meditation License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

#78 - Mounting Pressure   When our lives are incredibly busy or we experience a crisis, the pressure on our bodies and brains can show in a lot of ways: stomach aches, overwhelming emotions, and other physical and emotional symptoms. In Trauma Healing Learning: Mounting Pressure, Louise reveals a few key tips, tricks and methods to help provide some respite from the chaos inside and outside our bodies. Listen to this Trauma Healing Learning if you want a mini vacation from your busy life! Victoria Vox created the theme music. Music in this episode is: Deep Relaxation Preview by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5726-deep-relaxation-preview License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Relaxing Meditation by Liron Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7891-relaxing-meditation License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Calm Meditation by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7456-calm-meditation License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license To find out more about Archer, Louise, and this podcast, visit our website at blinkofaneyepodcast.com, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @blinkofaneyepodcast. Our Twitter is @blinkofaneyepod. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can become a member of our Patreon community and receive transcripts of the Trauma Healing Learnings, see extra Blink of an Eye content and bonus episodes at our Patreon page, www.patreon.com/blinkofaneyepod.  #hopeforeverything   #obtaineverything

Engineered Neuroplasticity and the Future of Spinal Cord Recovery with Dr. Chet Moritz Louise is joined by Dr. Chet Moritz, the Hwang Endowed Professor at the University of Washington and Director of the Restorative Technologies Laboratory. Dr. Moritz shares his unique journey from studying the biomechanics of insect flight to pioneering the field of engineered neuroplasticity. They discuss his lab's groundbreaking work in non-invasive spinal stimulation and the monumental FDA approval of the ONWARD ARC-EX device, a technology helping individuals with chronic paralysis regain hand and arm function. Dr. Moritz explains how transcutaneous electrical stimulation primes the spinal cord to listen to the brain again, unlocking voluntary movement without surgery. The conversation also explores the profound off-target benefits of this technology, such as autonomic nervous system regulation, and details his lab's moonshot goal to cure paralysis using optogenetics. Listeners will gain an inside look at the science of connection and the new era of engineered recovery. You can learn more about Dr. Moritz's work at the Restorative Technologies Laboratory here: http://depts.washinRestorative Technologies Laboratorygton.edu/moritlab/   #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything   Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org       Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com

Finding Your Tribe After Spinal Cord Injury and the Power of Disability Experience for All Louise sits down with Reveca Torres, an artist, filmmaker, and the executive director of Backbones, a nonprofit connecting people with spinal cord injuries to their communities. Reveca shares the story of her injury at age thirteen during a family car accident in Mexico and the unexpected isolation she felt despite having a large, supportive family. She opens up about the pressure to mask her negative emotions to protect her loved ones and the profound shift that occurred when she finally connected with peers who shared her lived experience. This realization led her to found Backbones, creating a vital network of peer support that she herself once needed. The conversation explores Reveca's groundbreaking work at the intersection of disability and art, including her journey to becoming the first wheelchair user to earn a fashion design degree at Harper College. She discusses her Tres Fridas project, which reimagines historical artists through a disability lens, and her upcoming film, While We Are Here. Through her art and advocacy, Reveca proves that disability is not a deficit but a vital part of the human experience with a benefit for our Oneness.     #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything     Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org       Resources Learn more about Reinventing the Wheel: http://vmuseum.com/rtw/ Backbones: https://www.backbonesonline.org/about-us   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com  

Crossing the Valley of Death in Medical Research through Sound at HEPIUS Innovation Labs Louise sits down with Dr. Amir Manbachi, an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University and the founder of HEPIUS Innovation Labs. Dr. Manbachi shares his unconventional path from a talented musician to a physicist and neurosurgery researcher, revealing how the physics of sound inspired a breakthrough in spinal cord visualization. He explains the development of the MUSIC device, a tiny implantable ultrasound tool designed to provide real-time data on the spinal cord immediately after injury. They discuss the critical black box problem in current surgery, where surgeons often lack visibility into the cord's status once the operation is finished. Dr. Manbachi highlights the challenges of bringing such life-changing technology from the lab to the patient, describing the financial gap known as the valley of death in medical research where funding often dries up. Reporting from Washington D.C., they explore the urgent need for federal support to bridge this gap and the potential for ultrasound to revolutionize the standard of care for spinal cord injuries.   #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything   Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org   Resources Learn more about Amir: https://www.bme.jhu.edu/people/faculty/amir-manbachi/   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com

Surviving the Crash: A 17-Year-Old’s Lifelong Journey from Stud to Survivor Louise talks with Rick Futia and his nephew, Jag Jefferson, about the 1982 accident that altered the course of Rick's life forever. At seventeen, Rick was an athletic powerhouse whose identity was entirely wrapped up in his physical strength and studious caution. He recounts the eerie premonitions he felt on the day of his injury, from a lingering look at his mother to a strange reflection in a store window, before a stunt involving a tractor tire at the lake went wrong. Rick opens up about the crushing depression that followed the loss of his physical abilities and the struggle to find worth when his body was no longer his calling card. He describes a pivotal moment in the hospital involving a roommate who could only communicate with her eyes, a realization that shifted his perspective on his own survival. Joined by Jag, the author of the new memoir Rickicello, they discuss how Rick refused to shrink away and instead reinvented himself into one of the Bay Area's most eligible bachelors, finding a new kind of strength and resilience.   #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything     Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources Rickicello: The Rockstar Life of a Paraplegic Paisan: https://www.amazon.com/Rickicello-Rockstar-Life-Paraplegic-Paisan-ebook/dp/B0G5Z4PZFZ   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com

Love, Prejudice, and the Search for Peace with Cole and Charisma Sidnor In this episode, we are invited into the vibrant and vulnerable world of Cole and Charisma Sidnor, the couple behind the popular YouTube channel Roll with Cole and Charisma. Their story begins with a pivot that changed everything, as Cole navigates the shift from a sixteen-year-old athlete with dreams of college sports to a young man learning to live with quadriplegia. We explore how a chance meeting at a rehabilitation center sparked a romance that would eventually challenge societal norms and open a window for millions to witness the reality of an inter-abled, interracial relationship. Our conversation goes far beyond the surface of their online persona, diving deep into the complexities of facing public scrutiny. Cole and Charisma open up about the harsh intersection of ableism and racism they encounter, the assumptions strangers make about their love, and the conscious choice to protect their peace amidst the noise. We discuss the unseen emotional labor of caregiving, the pain of their recent infertility journey, and the profound strength found in vulnerability. This is a dialogue about the resilience required to hold onto joy, the evolution of faith after trauma, and the beautiful, sometimes difficult, responsibility of being a mirror for others who yearn to see themselves represented in the world. #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything     Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA5Zfb-OOm7eDHHa8iu9izQ   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

The Architecture of Neural Repair with Dr. Pengzhe Lu ​​For decades, the diagnosis of a complete spinal cord injury came with a period at the end of the sentence: no regeneration possible. But Dr. Pengzhe Lu has spent his career challenging that finality. In this episode, we travel into the microscopic world of the Center for Neural Repair at UCSD, where Dr. Lu is engineering neural stem cell grafts to act as biological bridges across the lesion site. We explore the incredible complexity of convincing axons to grow through a hostile environment and the emerging role of 3D scaffolds in rebuilding the body’s architecture. This is a conversation about the persistence of science, the definition of the miracle year when viewed through a cellular lens, and the tangible steps being taken to translate laboratory breakthroughs into restored function for SCI families, including complete injuries, waiting for a cure. #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything     Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources https://neurosciences.ucsd.edu/centers-programs/neural-repair/scientists-team/paul-lu.html   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com    

A Raw Look at Redefining Possibility  How do you rewrite your life's story when the plot twists become unbearable? Louise joins author Rebecca Faye Smith Galli to navigate the intersection of profound grief and the sudden onset of Transverse Myelitis. Unlike acute traumatic injury, this rare inflammatory condition presents a unique medical puzzle, attacking the spinal cord from within. Becky shares how she processed the paralysis that followed, a diagnosis that arrived amidst the heartbreaking loss of her brother and son. They explore the biology of resilience, the difference between surviving and healing, and how writing became a tool to document the intrigue of a body and life transformed. This conversation challenges the pressure to be positive, offering instead a raw look at redefining possibility when the unexpected happens. #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything     Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources Rebecca Faye Smith Galli: rebeccafayesmithgalli.com   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

Macrophages and the Battle for SCI Repair with Dr. John Gensel What happens when the cells sent to heal the body after a bodily trauma decide to stick around, becoming a permanent roadblock to recovery, as they do in acute SCI?  Is it possible to reprogram the immune system to stop standing guard over the damage and instead open the pathway for repair? Louise sits down with Dr. John Gensel, a neuroscientist and the Director of the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center at the University of Kentucky. John has dedicated his career to the microscopic world of macrophages—the body's internal healing cells—and the mystery of why they behave so differently in the spinal cord than anywhere else in the human body. He shares how his lab is working to flip the switch on chronic inflammation, looking for ways to turn a person's own biology from a roadblock back into a healing and repair agent, and an ally to recent NVG-291 breakthroughs. Stay tuned as they explore the cellular frontier of SCI science and what it means for the future of personalized recovery. #BeginAgain #HopeforEverything     Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources John Gensel: https://medicine.uky.edu/users/jcge224   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

The Crash That Saved My Life with Jesi Stracham Can a tragedy actually save your life? It is a paradoxical question, but for Jesi Stracham, the moment that broke her body was the catalyst that fixed her life. In 2015, a motorcycle accident resulted in a T4 complete spinal cord injury, stripping away her physical mobility but granting her a sudden, terrifying clarity. Jesi transitioned from a reckless lifestyle to facing the raw, unglamorous reality of paralysis, a shift that forced her to take extreme ownership of a future she hadn't planned for. Louise and Jesi discuss the disorienting first 30 days following a spinal cord injury, exploring what happens inside the body and how the understanding of such a permanent change evolves in real time. They talk about the ripple effects of trauma on family and relationships, and the pivotal moment when survival mode must transform into active rebuilding. Jesi opens up about how she channeled her innate competitiveness into becoming the first paraplegic to complete the World’s Toughest Mudder 24-hour obstacle course and how that drive led her to found the Wheel With Me Foundation. Now an author, Jesi details her journey in her new book, The Power of the Roll & Throttle, sharing the mindset required to reclaim agency and the unexpected motivation discovered through injury.   Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources Jesi Stracham's new Book: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Roll-Throttle-Spinal-Injury/dp/1476698511   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

Inside Stem Cell Research for Spinal Cord Injury With Dr. Mark Tuszynski What can stem cells actually repair after a spinal cord injury, and where are the boundaries? What learnings might be drawn from ALS, MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s for SCI research? How should patients and families interpret early clinical SCI trial results? And what does a therapy like NervGen mean for the broader research landscape? In this episode, Louise sits down with neurologist and researcher Dr. Mark Tuszynski of the University of California, San Diego, to examine the realities of stem cell research for spinal cord injury. They explore the biological barriers to regeneration, why recovery is rarely driven by a single intervention, and how clinical trials are designed, paced, and evaluated. The episode offers a clear, honest, science-first perspective on progress, patience, and what meaningful advancement in spinal cord injury research really looks like today and what we can expect.    Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources Mark Tuszynski: https://neurosciences.ucsd.edu/centers-programs/neural-repair/projects/index.html   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com    

#293 Revisiting Blink: A Holiday Special, He Talked with God In this holiday revisit, Blink of an Eye returns to He Talked With God, a moving episode from Season 1 that explores the intersection of catastrophic injury, faith, and human resilience. Spinal cord injuries often occur suddenly, frequently while people are away from home, often on vacation, and unprepared for how quickly life can change, leaving families to navigate life changing injuries and complex medical trauma in unfamiliar circumstances. Revisiting this early conversation during Season 6 offers a moment of reflection on how deeply personal journeys of injury, belief, and survival continue to shape lives over time. This episode invites listeners to consider the enduring questions of meaning, connection, faith in purpose and what is possible that arise in the aftermath of spinal cord injury—and why these stories remain essential to tell.   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding! Www.BLINKofanEye.org   BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and medical, rehab and life tips resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 365 days of renormalizing. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory, self-awareness methods, relational advocacy, mediation interventions, and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

The Future of SCI Neural Repair With Dr. Andrew Stewart What does it mean to rethink spinal cord injury recovery when the world has told you that healing has a limit? How do you hold on to hope when science, for decades, insisted that the chronic stage of SCI was a closed door? And what happens when new research begins to challenge those long-held assumptions, inviting us into a different kind of possibility? In this episode, Louise talks with neuroscientist Andrew Stewart, whose work sits at the forefront of emerging SCI science. Andrew brings us into the biology of the injured spinal cord and the breakthroughs that are beginning to reshape what we understand about repair, recovery, and the potential for regeneration. Together, they explore the momentum building around therapies like NervGen, the questions researchers are finally able to ask, and why the nervous system may be more adaptable than anyone believed even a decade ago. This conversation blends scientific clarity with grounded hope, offering a window into the persistence, curiosity, and careful optimism driving today’s most promising advances in SCI healing. Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org Resources Andrew Stewart: https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/scobirc/users/anst265   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com

Shot, Survived, and Still Rising: The Life of Damon Walker What happens when everything changes in a single moment—not just from SCI but from an unexpected kind act of a stranger? Damon Walker was living fast, avoiding reflection, and giving little thought to tomorrow—until the gunshot. The sudden spinal cord injury that followed didn’t just take away physical mobility; it demanded emotional honesty, a different kind of strength, and a complete rethinking of self. In this conversation, Damon opens up about the pressure to remain tough, the guilt he carried, what he wishes he had known before rehab, and the hardest parts no one warns you about—social isolation, identity loss, and the quiet mental battles that don’t show on the outside. We talk about faith, masculinity, fear, moments of grace, and his process of learning to slow down and listen to life instead of outrunning it. Damon also shares his thoughts on today’s generation of newly injured spinal cord survivors, what inspires him about the future of SCI medicine and mobility research, and why hope shouldn’t be seen as naïve… but as fuel. At the end of our talk, he tells the full story of the night it all changed—the gunshot, the Good Samaritan who picked him out of the gutter, the rush to the hospital, and the moment he realized nothing would ever be the same.     Sending love  Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

Today, Louise shares a personal, heartfelt reflection on gratitude—what it really feels like and why it matters   Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com

#289 Can Strength Grow Through Adaptation? Mason Says Yes Today, Louise sits down with 22-year-old adaptive athlete and social media standout Mason Branstrator. You may know him from Instagram — modeling brands like Spoonie Threads and showing off wheelchair attachments like Firefly and Freedomtrax — but today we get to know the person behind the posts. Mason takes us back to the skiing accident at 17 that broke his T12 vertebra and changed everything. We talk about his time at Craig Hospital, what it felt like to hear he might never walk again, and how determination, family support, and mindset shaped his recovery. He shares the mental and emotional work of healing after SCI: meditation, self-care, and finding balance while living publicly online. We discuss the turning point when his wheelchair and adaptive tools became symbols of freedom, not limitation, and what keeps him training even when progress feels slow. Mason also opens up about life off-camera — his hobbies, his community, and how purpose and spirituality guide him every day. This is a candid look at resilience, adaptation, and the young man building his future with heart.   Sending love    Resources Mason Branstrator Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

#288 SCI in Sci-Fi for Young Adults with Kimber St. Lawrence In this season 6 premiere of Blink of an Eye, Louise sits down with Emmy-winning producer and debut novelist Kimber St. Lawrence. Kimber’s novel, Thirsty Ground, is a young adult sci-fi story that begins with a life-altering accident—one that challenges her protagonist to find meaning, identity, and hope in a transformed world. Through this imagined setting, Kimber opens a window into the real-world experience of living with and adapting to spinal cord injury. Drawing from her own life alongside her husband Ryan, a para-athlete and SCI survivor, Kimber shares how fiction can mirror reality in a hero’s journey through trauma to resilience in deeply human ways. She and Louise explore how storytelling and hope sustain creative and personal renewal, and how imagination itself is a way healing. This Season, Louise focuses on SCI through various forms of expression inspiring conversation about the intersection of art and adaptation—and how a story, set on another planet can illuminate the societal views and courage it takes to rebuild one’s world right here on Earth. Sending love  Resources https://www.kimberstlawrence.com/ Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com      

#276 Understanding the chemistry of NVG-291’s efficacy for Rewiring SCI Recovery with Inventor Dr. Brad Lang Brad Lang, PhD, is the neuroscientist and biotech inventor of the ISP drug, the basis of the NVG-291 trials which recently showed efficacy. His work has helped pave the way for one of the most promising new treatments for spinal cord injury in decades. Brad shares the story of how his early research led to the discovery of the intracellular sigma peptide (ISP), a molecule with the potential to unlock axon regeneration and repair damaged neural pathways. We explore the science behind ISP, the challenges of moving from lab discovery to human trials, and the role of persistence at big ideas (a mission imprinted on him by the late Dr. Jerry Silver) when the odds—and the nervous system—seem stacked against recovery.  Along the way, Brad reflects on the emotional journey of being a scientist chasing a breakthrough, the worldwide attention on NervGen’s NVG-291, and the hope these advances bring not only to the SCI community but to the future of treatments for conditions once thought untreatable, and the potential reshaping of lives for those living years with SCI. Resources https://nervgen.com/

Revisiting: Inside the NervGen NVG-291 Trial: Part I Today we’re joined by Larry Williams, a participant in the NervGen Phase 1b/2a clinical trial for NVG‑291, an experimental therapy designed to promote nerve regeneration and restore function in people with spinal cord injuries. Larry takes us through his personal story—from the mountain biking accident that changed his life to the unexpected path that led him into one of the most closely watched clinical trials in the SCI community. Larry opens up about the emotional and physical journey of recovery, the realities of rehabilitation, and what it meant to participate in a groundbreaking study. We talk about the power of scientific hope, the early but promising results from the chronic cohort of the NVG‑291 trial, and the value of being part of something bigger than oneself. Larry’s reflections offer a rare and candid window into life on the frontier of spinal cord injury research—and the enduring strength of the human spirit.   Resources https://nervgen.com/     Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!    BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit: A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel.  Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org. Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation: To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment. To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com