Surgery Finished & back home

This board is for adults and teens to discuss issues relating to BPI since birth (OBPI).
PuppetPeople
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:35 pm

Surgery Finished & back home

Post by PuppetPeople »

Hello to all,
I don't post here often, but thought I would let you know about my surgery. It was on May 16 and I am just getting back on the computer for short times.

I was suppose to have a ball and socket replacement in my "Erbs" arm. Well, I ended up with only the ball joint being put in. We knew before hand that I had no shoulder socket in my right arm, but during surgery they found that I also did not have a rotator cuff. So I guess there was no place to attach a socket to.

I go back to Mayo on June 4 and they will take out the stitches and X-ray it. Dr. says if the ball is still dislocating he will go back in and remove the replacement. And then nothing else can be done. Dr. has also told us that mine is one of the most severe/complex cases there has been. I am the 6th one of it's kind. I never knew how severe my arm actually was all these years, so I am still in shock about it!

I am wearing a type of brace that holds my arm to the side of my body and it has a block type thing between the arm and my chest. Very hard on my neck and left side. Says it will be like this for the whole 3 months.

Guess that's it for today, tired out now.
Take care everyone.
Karen
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by Carolyn J »

Dear Karen,
Thanks alot for your Update,'cause I've thought about you and wondered how Mayo went for you. No matter how long it takes for us adults with OBPI to get the correct and full "picture" of our injuries, it IS so helpful for us. I know, that was my experience last year, at 67+,when I got the true "Picture" of my injuries.

I am glad you have had a good surgery and hope your recovery is not too painful for you.

Please keep us updated on the healing and the benefits gained after your recovery period. Take it easy on the computer for a while 'til your strength is back, ok?
[Yes, this is your mother speaking...LOL...;)]

HUGS,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/68+...yikes!


Message was edited by: Carolyn J
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
Kath
Posts: 3242
Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
Location: New York

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by Kath »

Dear Karen
Thanks for making the time to let us know how you are doing.
I am sure it was rough to find out that you have no rotator cuff.
I hope you heal well and get some results and new function from this surgery.

It's amazing how many of us though that our injury was not bad!
Once we meet expert in the field of BPI we find out it is so much worse than we thought.
Hey maybe that is why we accomplish so much because we don't consider our selves helpless.

take care and feel good... stay off the computer it is hard on your neck and back.
Kath robpi/adult
Kath robpi/adult

Kathleen Mallozzi
User avatar
hope16_05
Posts: 1670
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:33 am
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 28 years old with a right obstetrical brachial plexus injury. 5 surgeries to date with pretty decent results. Last surgery resolved years of pain in my right arm however, I am beginning my journey with overuse in my left arm
Location: Minnesota
Contact:

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by hope16_05 »

Karen, wow that sounds like it was a pretty big surgery. I hope you get good news on the 4th!!! I am headed down on Tuesday for my surgery on Wednesday. I might still be there on the 4th.

Thanks for the update and I hope that youre recovery goes by quickly for you!!!
Big Hugs,
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN
Amy 28 years old ROBPI from MN
Joanie
Posts: 499
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:03 am

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by Joanie »

Karen,

I hope everything works out well for you on June 4.

Joanie
rachelcasa
Posts: 729
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2003 11:45 pm

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by rachelcasa »

I'm glad you made it out of your surgery and all is well. Sounds like a long recovery. Get lots of rest and thank you for keeping us updated.

Rachel from MT
PuppetPeople
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:35 pm

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by PuppetPeople »

Hello to all,

Thought I would let you know how things are going a month after surgery.

I am still in some pain and take Tylenol for it. Helps a little bit only. I continue to ice the shoulder with 3 small ice packs in different areas of the shoulder. The scar is very clean cut and is about 12 inches on the front of my shoulder. Lots of bruising around the arm pit area. I am still in a "DONJOY" pillow sling. I can not remove it at all. I cut some older tank tops and am able to get them on from feet first and pulled up under the sling straps. Also found some terry cloth tops at Walmart that tie at the shoulder and can be put on feet first.

When I went back to Mayo for the 2 week check up, I asked more questions about what was actually done. (I was very medicated when he told me in the Hospital) Anyhow, he said that my rotator cuff was very malformed from either birth or from a previous surgery I had as a teenager or from the way my shoulder dislocated out backwards. Also that there was no socket to attach an artifical socket to. So that is why I have only the "ball" joint placed in there. I go back to the "casting room", as they call it, on July 19th again. At that time if the ball is dislocating they will go back in and remove it all together and I have no idea what happens after that. We did go into this knowing that my arm was very complex and success was not for sure. I am only the 6th one of this type of surgery. I guess I had a birth defect and a birth injury. How special! : )

The family is great in helping with everything. I am basically dependant on them, and not liking it, I am a VERY independant person. Depression hit me this past week and I am working through it. I just cry when I need to and then try to watch a funny movie. I also have a very good friend from my school years that I email often and she lifts my spirits when I am down too.

I received a full discription letter from Dr. Sperling the other day. Wow! I can't beleive how very discripitive it is! Tells everything they did during the surgery. Almost makes you feel like you can see it as you read it. Don't know if I could watch it as a video though.

Guess that is it for now. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Karen
User avatar
hope16_05
Posts: 1670
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:33 am
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 28 years old with a right obstetrical brachial plexus injury. 5 surgeries to date with pretty decent results. Last surgery resolved years of pain in my right arm however, I am beginning my journey with overuse in my left arm
Location: Minnesota
Contact:

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by hope16_05 »

Thanks for the update! I hope that your pain goes away! And that every thing seems to work outt in the next month so that you dont have to have another surgery to remove the ball. Keep us posted!
Hugs,
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN
Amy 28 years old ROBPI from MN
PuppetPeople
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:35 pm

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by PuppetPeople »

Hi Amy,
I just read your update on your site. Glad to hear things went well for you. Are you able to take care of your nephew as you had hoped to?

As for myself I ended up being admitted back into Rochester Methodist Hospital on Tue. June 19th.
I had noticed a small yellowish pimple on my scar on the 18th and made a Dr. appointment with my home town Dr. for the 19th. (We live 2 1/2 hours from Rochester, in WI ) So over night this pimple opened up and drained all over my night shirt. Anyway, I seen my home town Dr. and she called my Mayo Clinic Dr. and he told me to get right up there to be admitted. So I had to track down my hubby and kids to be able to get there.

I was admitted at 5 PM and the Dr. seen me within 30 minutes. Nothing was done that night. The next morning they took me to have fluid aspirated from my shoulder. From that they hoped to figure out what was going on inside there. Of course it takes 5-7 days for cultures to grow and they didn't want to wait to get it looked at inside. So they operated on me the afternoon of the 21st to clean out the infection and also took 5 tissue samples to get a better idea what it was. Surgery went well and I felt better then after the first one.

I was seen by the Infectious Disease Doctor and told they still didn't know what it was. But they had me on two antibiotics to fight most infections. So I was listed as in isolation from the 21st until I left on the 25th.

So now I am home with a PICC line in my good arm to be given antibiotics once a day for 6 weeks by my husband or teenage daughters. I guess I just wasn't planning all these complications that I have had with this surgery. Do you know what a PICC line is? If not I can tell you all about it now that I have it in me! :)

Thanks for letting me share my experiences with everyone on these boards.

Take Care! Blessings to all!
Karen
Chippewa Falls, WI
User avatar
marieke
Posts: 1627
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:00 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
no external rotation against gravity, can only go to 90 degree fwd flexion, no hand-to-mouth
1 surgery at age 14 (latissimus dorsi transfer). In 2004, at age 28 I was struck with Transverse Myelitis which paralyzed me from the chest down. I recovered movement to my right leg, but need a KAFO to walk on my left leg. I became an RN in 2008.
Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
Contact:

Re: Surgery Finished & back home

Post by marieke »

Hey Karen,
Sorry to hear about the infection, that is a bummer! Aren't PICC lines fun? (sarcastic), I had one for other reasons, not infection and I was so fed up of having to shower with a garbage bag taped up covering my arm! My mom had one too, for antibiotics at home last fall too.

Hope all goes well,keep us posted!

Marieke (31, LOBPI)
Marieke Dufresne RN
34, LOBPI
http://nurse-to-be08.blogspot.com
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