Husband w/BP Injury

[Jess & Kyle]

My husband's injury occured on Nov 1st. He was injured while riding our 4-wheeler (went off road, into a culvert). He also fractured his back and some bones in his face. His back is healed now, but his arm is still bad. He's had 2 EMG tests, and both showed function in all his nerves so they told us that means none of them are torn from the spinal cord, they are just stretched. He's had much improvement in his hand and wrist; he can moved his wrist up and down and side to side, can move all his fingers and make a fist. He also has about 15 pounds of strength in his hand. He has a little movement in his shoulder, but not much. What we are worried mostly about is his bicep muslce which has not had much improvement at all ~ he has no movement in his elbow, if his arm is out of his sling it just hangs down. He has been going to occupational therapy since the middle of Nov and his therapist is wonderful. We live in an area (MT) where none of the drs know much about his injury, and they admit it. He has found a doctor in Houston, Dr Nath, who has been very helpful. We are in the process of getting him the EMG test results and a report from his therapist. The drs here tell him to give it 18-24 months to come back, but Dr Nath says if you need surgery (which he thinks Kyle might be a candidate for) you need to have it done within the 1st year after the injury, so waiting 2 years seems stupid. Sorry for rambling, I guess I just want to hear from people who are going through the same thing since we know no on who is. Also, has anyone worked with Dr Nath? Thanks!

[John K]

Hey Jess & Kyle

I am sorry to hear about your husbands injuries. Dont think because you live in MT the drs dont know much about brachail plexus injuries. I live in FLA and even went to the Miami Project for Paralysis they sent me to a BPI expert. There are a few out there. Most are listed in the resources section of this website. I think there is a good BPI dr at Mayo clininc which might be closer to you. I went to Dr Teil. I also consulted Dr Nath.

The hard fact about BPI is if surgery is right it is better if it is done soon. But Ive seen guys with no surgeries in stretch injuries that have had more recovery than some of us who had operations. Your job is to gather all the facts to make that decision. Most BPI drs. will look at your records and recommend action or no action without traveling to them. If they think they can help you they will set up an appt. Dr Teil did this for me and I know Dr Nath does this as well. I know its scary but sometimes no action is the right thing. Do your homework knowledge is you best action.

Check out the trama bpi site too there is lots of knowledge there.

http://tbpiukgroup.homestead.com/index_1.html

god bless John K