These are the words (as precisely as I can remember) that I said silently as I lay on the side of the road after my accident, my eyes to the sky, not knowing when I’d be found or if I’d even live. It’s interesting, isn’t it, that in those times when we are brought to our brink – physically or emotionally – that our instinct is to call out to something greater than ourselves, however defined for us?

Since my spinal cord injury accident I have had the time and opportunity, but most of all the desire, to examine who it is I am, and where I want to go in my life. I have, as part of this journey, found myself more receptive to the exploration of deeper parts of myself, those that make me who I most essentially am. In my quest to seek the highest understanding I can, I have taken time to study, to think, to look at my own experience and to talk with friends, family, co-workers, as well as counselors.

My process of learning has led me back to an image from my youth, to the Greenville, South Carolina YMCA where I began swimming. On the front wall of the Y was a large emblem, a triangle representing three distinct parts of the Self: Mind, Body and Spirit. Honest reflection reveals that my life prior to the spinal cord injury accident focused on two of these three parts: the Body and Mind.

I’ve spoken about my youth as a swimmer, the time and energy I devoted to training and competition. I have always felt grateful for the genes, circumstances and people that allowed for my successes in the pool. Since those years I have been diligent in trying to maintain the highest level of fitness possible. Body is a component of the Self that has played an unquestionably large role in my life.

On the other hand, the majority of my adulthood has been spent focused on the Mind, first through academics and then through the pursuit of my career, which demands ongoing learning and mental exercise. Medicine mandates a great sense of acuity, focus and attention to detail. My chosen profession has made me a man of science, one who appreciates the scientific method and believes in the importance of inquiry, innovation and scientific progress. It has forced me, on a regular basis, to stretch my thinking, to wonder at complexities and possibilities and to seek out answers. I have ultimately grown and benefited from the work I do, and I am grateful for it beyond measure.

During my self-exploration, I have come to realize that the part of me that received the least attention and care through the years, was my spiritual nature. I am not speaking here of religion. I have been a Christian my whole life and I believe in many of the tenets of my faith, but I realize too that a large part of my religious background is cultural, and if my culture had been different, so may have my religion. With this in mind I separate the religious from the spiritual, defining the spiritual as my uniquely personal relationship to the greater whole, to God, to that which permeates and transcends. During my recovery I came not only to understand this force with my head, but to feel it with my whole being, as energy passing through me, in the midst of prayer and during my craniosacral sessions with Debbie Tindle.

I have come to understand this force as and originating with God. I absolutely believe that after my accident and throughout my recovery God was there looking out for me, and is always there. And for some unknown reason this benevolent and intelligent force has seen fit to allow me to get to points further in life than I would have ever dreamed possible. It is my fervent belief that I am not special in any way in this…God, this force and energy, is with and within us all.
I’m still in the middle of my learning, as I believe we all always are, but when I imagine once again that triangle hanging on the wall in the YMCA, I feel that I am moving toward greater wholeness, simply by opening myself to all aspects of my being, giving time and attention to each. I know I would not be where I am today – including having the ability to walk and perform surgery – if it were not for that mysterious, indelible power which guided me academically, introducing me to the marvels and potentials of science, and athletically, building in me a reservoir of strength, self-discipline and focus. All of it – mind, body and spirit – are intertwined, working together with exquisite precision and balance.

For me, not only has the physical recovery that I have gained since my accident been extremely enjoyed and appreciated but the personal growth that has occurred has increased my overall wholeness and fullness of being. My quest now is to encourage, allow and improve integration of all components of my Self, especially the spiritual. This journey of growth has been for me a part of the “miraculous” aspect of the entire experience.

I encourage you to imagine that triangle for a moment and ask: Which aspect of my being do I give the most attention? Which the least? Then come up with one way you can give more attention and time to that which requires it for your overall balance.

Live well,
Scott

Navy Seals Hardcore Moment with 2008 Olympican Scott Spann

Since my accident I have done much thinking about how to create a life well-lived…to make it a work of art as Czikszentmihalyi says. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but one thing I have come to believe fervently is that life is meant to be LIVED. What does that mean? I would say it means to live at the edge of our potential, constantly learning and growing so we may push those boundaries farther, wider and deeper.

Fear is a one of the greatest limiters to the human experience. One of the hardest and yet most valuable tasks we can ever take on is facing the boogeyman within, to tease out the fears that keep us from living. It’s not easy…I know. But without asking the question, “What am I afraid of?” and then taking the steps – one at at time in the smallest of increments even – to face and overcome those fears, we never know the truth about how far we can go, how happy we can be, or how much we can do to be of service to others.

In taking on this project of writing a book, of blogging, of putting myself out there, I have had to face my own fears – fears of appearing self-aggrandizing or of simply being fully seen and known – and it hasn’t been easy. Along with the inner fears I’ve had to face my own limitations of skill. But what I’ve held to is that we each have a story to tell and to share; we all have a purpose in being here, on this planet, at this time. Life has given me both many gifts and many challenges. All are a part of my story. And if I am to take what I can from them and help others I must be willing to face my own fears. To utilize resources of support and to be willing to learn what I need to in order to be the best I can be and do fully what I desire to do…live with a capital L.

So I encourage you, the next time you are faced with a difficult task, or with anything in life that feels challenging, ask yourself – what am I afraid of? And be honest. Then ask: what one small step can I take today to move toward overcoming this fear? If you need help or support, ask for it. Then do it.

I support you. And wish you well in all your endeavors.

In one event, I remember, I stood on the block, ready to hit the water, when the starter asked us to all step down. After we did he came straight over to me and said, “Son, are you alright?” I’m not sure what it looked like to him, but I was more than alright – I was in that zone…ready.

It wasn’t until recently, when I began studying the work of Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi, that I came to understand what I was doing. Dr. Czikszentmihalyi calls this state “Flow” and defines it as an experience of intense absorption in the moment, perfect focus on a particular activity. It’s in this state that we are most productive and creative.

Have you ever been so involved in something that you lost track of time? That you felt no  anxiety or apathy, but rather a sense of perfect balance between your own capabilities and the challenges of the task at hand? If so, then you’ve been in the Flow…

If you’d like to learn more about Czikszentmihalyi’s work, watch this video on Ted.com.

When we believe in possibility, when we stretch the boundaries of our minds and allow for inspiration, imagination and hope to blend with the very best of science and technology…there are no limits to what we can innovate, create and become. Enjoy!

Eythor Bender Demos Human Exoskeletons on Ted.com

Rowdy is not only an amazing athlete, but an incredible human being. If you’re not already aware of the good work he does, check out Rowdy’s Kidz!

Stem Cells. Just say the words and debate follows. I realize that the use of “stem cells” is a hot topic in the news and in politics; what I find deeply disturbing is that basic facts seem to get lost in the rhetoric. People have strong opinions – believe me, I understand that – but when it comes to stem cells it’s absolutely vital to know that there isn’t just one blanket thing called “stem cells,” but rather, there are two very distinct types. Being familiar with each and really understanding the differences between them is crucial before rendering judgments that might, in the long run, cause serious detriment to someone’s health or recovery, or, I dare say, to the entire future of medicine.

I make such a drastic remark because I mean it. The unmitigated truth is that stem cell therapy will reshape medicine and health as we know it. Within it lives the potential for redefining the way we treat disease and injury. I cannot state strongly enough that the next step in the evolution of health care will be – or at least should be –the utilization of one particular type of stem cell.

In this two part blog I want to first explain the two different kinds of stem cells that are currently being researched by medical scientists and then explain why we need to focus our resources on progressing our knowledge and clinical capabilities of autologous stem cells, specifically.

So, the first question: what exactly are stem cells?

During prenatal development most cells differentiate and specialize, becoming a particular type of cell, such as a muscle cell, skin cell, nerve cell, etc. Once such a cell takes on a specific job, they can’t just quit and become something else, meaning a muscle cell can’t become a brain cell or vice versa. Stem cells, however, are “blank slate” cells, without a specialized function of their own but with the ability to continually replicate or to become any one of the over 200 cell types in the human body.

Before going into the amazing potential that this “blank slate” status provides for medicine, I want to clarify the difference between the two types of stem cells:

Embryonic
Stem cell controversy most often targets embryonic stem cells. These are derived, as you can guess, from embryos, usually developed from in vitro, fertilized eggs that have been donated to labs for research. I am against embryonic stem cell research and utilization because it is a costly science that has yielded no real therapeutic benefits or advantages. It is also unnecessary and has served mainly to divide people and push back the real matter at hand: creating effective therapies that can change the face of medicine.

Autologous
Autologous stem cells, also called adult stem cells, are found in various parts of every human body, including the blood, bone marrow, liver, GI tract, pancreas, eye, teeth, skin and adipose (fat) tissue. When these stem cells are used medically they are extracted directly from the person on whom they will be used. Because using these stem cells involves no one but the patient at hand I cannot find any reason to debate their use. Plus, the majority of research that has garnered positive and promising results has been done with autologous stem cells.

As you can begin to see from this very brief overview, the stem cell debate is nothing but an unfortunate roadblock to real medical progress. What matters is directing attention toward real scientific results and understanding that we have the gift of our healing hidden deep within our own blood and bone.

In my next posting I will discuss just how adult stem cells are being used to treat, heal and cure.

Thank you for being here.

One part of the Statesman article I want to comment briefly on is the part where I admit to being less tolerant of patients unwilling to work for their recovery. When I went from spinal surgeon to spinal cord injury patient it was like living one of those movie moments where two characters change places, providing the chance to see life through the other’s eyes – greater clarity and understanding ultimately ensuing. In my case I swapped roles with so many of my patients, and in so doing learned first-hand what it feels like- physically, mentally and emotionally – to lose the unconscious competence of movement that is so easily taken for granted. I understood what it was to question the validity of your life, to fight the outer and inner battles of “disability.” When I returned to work I did so with the compassion that can only come from truly living in another’s skin. I knew the pain was real. I understood what couldn’t be articulated. My heart opened in ways it had not, could not, before.

And yet…I also knew first-hand what is possible. As a physician I knew the technology and the medicine, what is opening up in the field of rehabilitation and what is becoming possible through the clinical use of autologous stem cells. But I also knew – and know – the power of sheer will, of hard work and determination, of integrating conventional and complementary modalities, of surrendering to powers beyond the tangible or explainable. When I say I was less tolerant it means that I held the highest idea of what is possible for patients and I did not (do not) want to allow them the ease of settling for less. There are multiple resources to be called upon when seeking recovery – some are medical, some physical, others mental and still others that are purely spiritual. Recovery from spinal cord injury, or any condition, is not a one-dimensional process. It is multifaceted and only through the willingness to step into every dimension of that process can your potential – whatever it is, for it is different for each of us – be discovered and fulfilled.

I invite you read the article in The Statesman and to share your comments, here on the blog or through the paper.

The Statesman Article: Surgeon Scott Spann faced a long road to recovery following cycling accident

Thank you for sharing your time.