Hello,
I've just discovered this web site today and have sat here open-mouthed reading the discussions. I have never been in contact with anyone that has the same injury as me before.
I have had a BPI (never even seen that acronym before!) since the age of 16 when I was involved in a road accident (I was riding a small moped and a car on the wrong side of the road hit me). I am now 34. After the accident I just got on with life as best I could because I thought that's what I should do. I finished my studies, got a career etc. I rarely thought about my arm. However, having reached the age of 34 I now have a strong desire to find out more - ask all of those questions I didn't ask when I was 16. Reading your stories and thoughts about life with one arm have made me smile in recognition but have also brought tears to my eyes. All of those small trials (the tying of shoe laces, fittng light bulbs, driving a car etc) that I went through alone. It would have been so good to have met others with the same condition and were having the same experiences.
Writing this has been a catharsis for me. It would be great to hear if anyone can relate to what I've said.
Thanks
Pete
Manchester (UK)
Jaw Dropping
Re: Jaw Dropping
Jeff,
Hello and welcome to our "community," I am so glad that you found us. I am sure that you will find lots of support and shared experiences here.
I think all of us can relate to your message!
Welcome,
Bridget McGinn
UBPN Vice President
Hello and welcome to our "community," I am so glad that you found us. I am sure that you will find lots of support and shared experiences here.
I think all of us can relate to your message!
Welcome,
Bridget McGinn
UBPN Vice President
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jennyb
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 5:24 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: January 1980 Yamaha RD200 vs 16 wheeler truck, result, 1 totally paralysed right arm. I was 21, now 54. I had no surgery, I don't regret this. Decided to totally ignore limitations (easily done aged 21) adapted very quickly to one handed life, got married, had 3 kids, worked- the effect of the injury on my life (once the pain stopped being constant) was minimal and now, aged 54, I very rarely even think of it, unless I bash it or it gets cold, then I wish I'd had it amputated :) Except for a steering knob on my car, I have no adaptations to help with life, mainly because I honestly don't think of myself as disabled and the only thing I can't do is peel potatoes, which is definitely a good thing.
Re: Jaw Dropping
Hi Pete....your post sounds EXACTLY like my first one...even the circumstances of your injury are similar, a lorry came onto the wrong side of the road and hit me, I was on an RD200 and I was 21, that was 1980. Like you I just 'got on with it' and honestly hardly thought about my arm, it just wasn't an issue for years, then we got a computer and I decided to try and find out more about my injury...and found this site! Welcome aboard, mate, there are a lot of us out here! I'm emailing you......Jenny NZ
Re: Jaw Dropping
Hi Pete
I understand just what you are saying. I am so happy for you that you found this community.
I was birth injured and thought I was the only one with this injury until 2 years ago. I am 62 so it was a long search.
It is amazing when we realize how many others have had the same experiences just moving on with our lives as best as we can and learning to compensate and then to discover we want some answers... and finding them along with the support that comes from the UBPN community.
Welcome
Kath
I understand just what you are saying. I am so happy for you that you found this community.
I was birth injured and thought I was the only one with this injury until 2 years ago. I am 62 so it was a long search.
It is amazing when we realize how many others have had the same experiences just moving on with our lives as best as we can and learning to compensate and then to discover we want some answers... and finding them along with the support that comes from the UBPN community.
Welcome
Kath
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George
Re: Jaw Dropping
Hi Pete.........I'm a 41 year old youngun from U.S. bpi back in Oct. 99 thanks to a big dead tree. They call them "widowmakers".....for good reason. Yep....my jaw dropped too when I found this site. There are a lot of really great people who post here......the best, in my book. Glad you found us, and welcome to the funny farm !!
George
George
Re: Jaw Dropping
Welcome, welcome, welcome! There are lots of new acronyms for you to learn...TBPI=Tramua brachial plexus injury; OBPI=Obstetric(birth) brachial plexus injury. Then you add a L or R for left or right and we can't forget the bi-bpi's...actually I am not sure what the acronym is for them!?!
Anyway, I am LTBPI from a car accident in 1991. I am 37 and as good as I am going to get as far as the injury is concerned. I have had three seperate surgeries to regain some use. The pain is still my worst obstacle... that and spelling... I have had to look up three different words writing this post!! LOL
Glad you found us. Any questions just ask, we are a pretty open bunch.
Joy
Anyway, I am LTBPI from a car accident in 1991. I am 37 and as good as I am going to get as far as the injury is concerned. I have had three seperate surgeries to regain some use. The pain is still my worst obstacle... that and spelling... I have had to look up three different words writing this post!! LOL
Glad you found us. Any questions just ask, we are a pretty open bunch.
Joy
Joy in FL is now living in Georgia!
Left TBI on October 31, 1991
Left TBI on October 31, 1991
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admin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 19873
- Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:59 pm
Re: Jaw Dropping
Hi
Pete here, I originally posted this message. Never used a message board before so bear with me. Use a PC everyday at work but still an IT numbskull...
Thank you to you all for your replies. I do feel welcome. Can anyone tell me how many people use this site? Just curious. I'll check the board regularly and contribute. I feel really good about this.
Oh, I have another question. Has anyone worked out how to carry two pints of beer (or more!) from a bar? Any tips would be appreciated. It's a real pain in the ar*e in a crowded pub (can I use words like ar*e on here - don't want to get into trouble at this early stage!)
Pete
Pete here, I originally posted this message. Never used a message board before so bear with me. Use a PC everyday at work but still an IT numbskull...
Thank you to you all for your replies. I do feel welcome. Can anyone tell me how many people use this site? Just curious. I'll check the board regularly and contribute. I feel really good about this.
Oh, I have another question. Has anyone worked out how to carry two pints of beer (or more!) from a bar? Any tips would be appreciated. It's a real pain in the ar*e in a crowded pub (can I use words like ar*e on here - don't want to get into trouble at this early stage!)
Pete
Re: Jaw Dropping
Hi Pete, welcome aboard, as everyone else has said before me this is a good site & you will get a lot of support here, I would'nt have thought you would need support after all the time you've had your injury. What's it been like for you all those years? I've had mine since Feb99 & I thought that was long, looks like you've just got on with your life, & that was a good thing.
all the best
bigsel
Scottish tbpi
all the best
bigsel
Scottish tbpi
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admin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 19873
- Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:59 pm
Re: Jaw Dropping
Hi Bigsel,
To be honest I'm not sure if I need support or not! As I said earlier, I got on with my life and rarely thought about it. It's only in the last year or so that I've felt a need/desire to know more about my tbpi. I can't explain why. What I will say though is that when I read the contributions on here it produced a strong reaction in me. Perhaps that is an indication?
What's it been like? Well, thinking back, for me the biggest obstacles weren't the physical ones but the social ones. I was quite shy when I was younger and didn't like being confronted with awkward situations and questions. I often thought that life would have been much easier if it had happened to my left arm and not my right - purely for the act of shaking hands.
Physically the tbpi has not really held me back. There's very little I've not been able to do that I would have liked to. Having said that swimming is one - again though, that the embarassment rather than physical limitation.
Taker care
Pete
To be honest I'm not sure if I need support or not! As I said earlier, I got on with my life and rarely thought about it. It's only in the last year or so that I've felt a need/desire to know more about my tbpi. I can't explain why. What I will say though is that when I read the contributions on here it produced a strong reaction in me. Perhaps that is an indication?
What's it been like? Well, thinking back, for me the biggest obstacles weren't the physical ones but the social ones. I was quite shy when I was younger and didn't like being confronted with awkward situations and questions. I often thought that life would have been much easier if it had happened to my left arm and not my right - purely for the act of shaking hands.
Physically the tbpi has not really held me back. There's very little I've not been able to do that I would have liked to. Having said that swimming is one - again though, that the embarassment rather than physical limitation.
Taker care
Pete
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jennyb
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 5:24 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: January 1980 Yamaha RD200 vs 16 wheeler truck, result, 1 totally paralysed right arm. I was 21, now 54. I had no surgery, I don't regret this. Decided to totally ignore limitations (easily done aged 21) adapted very quickly to one handed life, got married, had 3 kids, worked- the effect of the injury on my life (once the pain stopped being constant) was minimal and now, aged 54, I very rarely even think of it, unless I bash it or it gets cold, then I wish I'd had it amputated :) Except for a steering knob on my car, I have no adaptations to help with life, mainly because I honestly don't think of myself as disabled and the only thing I can't do is peel potatoes, which is definitely a good thing.
Re: Jaw Dropping
wow Pete you really have dealt with yr bpi the same way i dealt with mine, it was not a conscious effort to ignore the arm all those years, i think its just the most natural and effective way of dealing with it. Other long termers i know did the same thing, it just wasn't a big issue at all. I sometimes wonder if i'd found this message board in the early days....might i have focussed on the arm too much? and worried about irrelevant stuff (irrelevant to me!) like recovery? As it is, like you i can't say the bpi has stopped me doing anything i wanted to....swimming....the first time i went swimming post trauma was with a bunch of workmates, i jumped in and they all stood at the side watching me....i said 'What are you doing? Come on in!' they said.....'We wanted to see if you went round in circles!' I nearly drowned laughing...Having peeps take the mickey out of it was and still is a very healthy therapy and has stopped me getting whingey, i am Jen the Crip to all who know me in both hemispheres! btw, i also taught both my oldest kids to swim and dive, (had to keep reminding them to use both arms tho) go on Pete get in there the waters luvly :0)