United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Thank you for all your encouragement ....it's an awesome feeling for sure!!

Yeah, Cassidy!

Joanie

You have brought tears to my eyes and great joy to my heart! I am absolutely thrilled for you and your sweet little one! Thank you for sharing and for spreading belief and hope. We are going to Philly for botox for Cole July 24th. I am looking forward to sharing joy as well! Nicole

I just wanted to add here....Juliana had primary surgery at 4.5 months old. She had no function from the shoulder to the finger tips.

I continue to see improvement and she is 8+ years old. The last thing to show anything was her hand. She has poor strength, but has function. So, she can do things, but what she can do is only for a short time. But I am thrilled! Her sister taught her some simple songs on the piano and she practices like crazy. She has no true biceps to speak of, but she does everything using surrounding muscles.

Juliana is now in sleepaway camp for the second summer. She is having a blast! She does everything every other kid does. They clean their own bunks, they make their own beds, they bus their own tables (all of my kids come home from camp and for the first few weeks they stack the plates and put the silverware in the cups!!). She just asked me to pick up a lightweight lacrosse stick for her because "I'm really good but their sticks get heavy for lefty."

I found ways to do everything in life to make that left arm involved. Juliana has poor sensation, so her natural inclination is to just let her left arm hang. From games we played to putting plastic cups away to helping in the supermarket...we did it all for that left arm.

She passed the deep water test on the first day of camp! There are 10 and 11 year olds who can't do that.

The body is an amazing thing.

claudia

Claudia that is so encouraging and now you brought tears to my eyes!! I look forward to watching Cass get stronger and stronger as she grows!

best of luck with the botox....I have found it to be awesome! Cass just had her second round of it in May!

Claudia,

May Juliana go from strength to strength. She's awesome!

Joanie

This is the first time we are moving forward with Cole's medical treatment plan...we are nervous and excited...and because of these wonderful stories...also very hopeful! Thanks for your best wishes...same to you ! Nicole