TBPI 10Yrs on

Treatments, Rehabilitation, and Recovery
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Mitch
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 2:55 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Left TBPI 03/06/01. Motorcycle accident

TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by Mitch »

Hi guys, as in the subject I'm coming on for 10yrs with this injury, total loss of the left arm, and sadly the pain is as bad as it was from the start. Im taking Oxycontin for the pain, about 5 20mg tablets per day. Ive still got the arm, not brave enough for the chop just yet, but keep thinking about it. Sadly no recovery in my case.
Anyway, heres some of my biking pics from recent events, I hold my ACU race licence, started in 2008 and have completed 2 part seasons, many ups and downs including the odd broken bone or two, but the ups far outway the downs!!

Image
Image
Image

The last pic is my new bike for the 2011 season, its based on a Suzuki SV650, They call them a supertwin, Ive only had one test session but the early signs are good!

Any questions please feel free to ask.
All or Nothing!!
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MW
Posts: 81
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:13 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LTBPI, Feb 2009, hit by truck while on a run. Free muscle transfer at Mayo Clinic 6 months later.
Location: Chicago, IL

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by MW »

Hi Mitch,

Nice pics and bike! Question for you - how do you keep your bad arm secured to your body? Do you have a special jacket or suit that does it?

Thanks,
MW
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Mitch
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 2:55 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Left TBPI 03/06/01. Motorcycle accident

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by Mitch »

Hi MW

I have a strap (seat belt material) attached to the chest pocket area of my leathers that go's around the wrist of the bpi arm, and underneath the elbow area of the bpi arm there is velcro holding the arm close to the body. It works a treat.

Hope this helps.

Mitch
All or Nothing!!
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djk
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 9:35 am
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: extensive right side brachial plexus injury as a result of a motorcycle accident on 8/25/10.

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by djk »

hi mitch. i'm coming up on the 3 month mark. dirt bike/me meets tree, tree wins. no use of right arm presently. great pictures. very tempting. in fact i just got done doing a google on "left hand throttle motorcycle" and yes; it has been done by some brave/crazy riders. i wanted to mention in case you had not tried it that tramadol helps me with a specific part of my pain, its like a throbbing pulsating burning clamping. hydro and/or oxy don't do much for it. dr says my right scapula (shoulder blade) 'exploded' and the pieces that remain cause problems sometimes, the opiates handle those. anyway, i'm 59 and do not even want to think about 10 years after, but congratulations on making the mark. it takes a bunch of courage and work, and i respect anyone without knowing anything else about them for being able to carry on, not to mention riding damn well again.
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bill de brooklyn
Posts: 86
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:49 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: BP injury July 20, 1968 the result of an auto accident(c5). No surgery.

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by bill de brooklyn »

Mitch,

I had my injury while training on the road. I wanted to be an Olympic cyclist but one summer night in July 1968, I was hit by a car while riding home from a day of training. I have never had any pain medicine. No operations except to reduce the compound fractures of my leg and for arm.

In my opinion the best thing you can do is continue to live your life. yes I still have the "phantom pain" in my left arm but I learned to XC ski, swim and fly fish after my bpi. I got married and raised 3 children; went to college got a degree. As a disable athlete, I have competed in 5 Paralympic trials and been a member of 3 Paralympic teams( twice as a skier, once as a cyclist).

Image

Me riding the 4000 meter pursuit at the Major Taylor Velodrome 1995
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shaunnb

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by shaunnb »

Mitch, that is amazing!
how do you clutch?
do you run a steering damper?
must be hell on your right arm after a few laps?
every day im resembling hell boy a little more.

shaun ;)
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hilltopfwb
Posts: 82
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:50 am
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: May 24, 2008 an 88 year old lady did not see me and pulled out while I was riding my 06 HD Street Glide. The accident resulted in 9 broken bones and brain hemorrhaging. The accident's most serious results was two avulsions confirmed in my C6 & C7 vertebrae. In Oct of 08 Dr. Li of Wake Forest University performed nerve transfer lasting around 8 hours in surgery. I have limited use now of my left arm. It took until July of 09 before it moved at all, and now is moving limited. I experience burning pain in my left hand, staying busy helps keep the mind off of burning. I visited the Mayo Clinic May, 2010 and consulted with their brachial plexus team. May 1, 2012, I underwent a muscle transfer at Wake Forest University. This surgery was deemed a success and I have more movement in my arm.
Location: Fuquay Varina NC 27526
Contact:
Contact hilltopfwb

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by hilltopfwb »

Mitch,

The pics are nothing less than awesome. I'm glad to see you going on with your life despite difficulties and pain. You keep on keeping on Bro!
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Mitch
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 2:55 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Left TBPI 03/06/01. Motorcycle accident

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by Mitch »

Thanks for the support guys. Bob respect to you for gaining your medals while living with this injury!
Shaunn, I have adapted my bike by moving the clutch accross from the left hand side to the right, two levers on the right hand side works a treat! Yes I run a steering damper on both my road bike and my race bike, defianately a must have addition for a bpi rider. After a days racing Im exhausted, and pay the price for the next few days afterwards, obviously Im pretty strong in my good arm anyway from working it all the time, but its still hard work, but without doubt worth every single bit of it!

Cheers
All or Nothing!!
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AimeeMorera
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 4:43 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Husband has Brachial Plexus injury as a result of the a motorcycle accident on September 30, 2009.

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by AimeeMorera »

My husband would like to know how you switch gears?
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User avatar
Mitch
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 2:55 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Left TBPI 03/06/01. Motorcycle accident

Re: TBPI 10Yrs on

Post by Mitch »

Hi Aimee

I have moved the clutch from the usual position on the left to the right hand side, all other controls are normal.
Heres a link with a bit more explanation and some photo's of the adaption on my race bike, this site is well worth a look called the NABD, National Association for Bikers with a Dissability.

http://forum.disabledbiker.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5227

Please feel free to ask away any questions. :)
All or Nothing!!
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