Hope for those suffering brain injuries

Treatments, Rehabilitation, and Recovery
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Christopher
Posts: 845
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02

Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed

BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.

Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt
Location: Los Angeles, California USA

Hope for those suffering brain injuries

Post by Christopher »

My short term memory has been a real issue since my crash, so I'm always looking for strategies to make it stronger. It's promising to know the brain responds like a muscle. Make it stronger by using it more.

Very interesting program, deals with stroke victims using singing to get their speech back.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/12 ... c=fb&cc=fp

Anyone else have short term memory problems since your accident?

I know the pain can seriously effect this as well.

Chris
Fred4545
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:00 am
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 48 yr male with BPI from auto accident on 8/07/11. Suspected C5-T1 avulsion from early EMG but recently have flexed bicep. Had many serious and life-threatening injuries to deal with first, but am now doing much better. Just had nerve transfer surgery at Mayo by Dr. Skinner to reinnervate deltoid and tricep. Once this is working, we will move on to nerve/muscle transfer for dealing with my hand.
Location: Ohio

Re: Hope for those suffering brain injuries

Post by Fred4545 »

Thanks for the info Chris.

I am having short-term memory issues as well. I had a fairly bad head injury as well but they cleared me of all issues several weeks post-accident. However, my wife and family have noticed my memory and word selection showing signs of ongoing issue. My doctor says that my meds (Lyrica) can cause this so I'm not sure if it's the meds, or me, or both. Sometimes when I'm talking, I come to a word that I just cannot get out so I ask for help or move on. Im not sure if this gets worse during my bouts with severe pain or not.

Anyway, just another thing to deal with and work on.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Be Safe.

Jeff
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