United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

thanks armstrong. i know you understand about this injury, but some of the other problems i have you would not understand. which makes this injury a lot harder to go through. i have no support system for anything and that is what is the hardest.

this injury was a result of a botched surgery and i am going to have to have another surgery to repair the nerve that was damaged. doesn't sound too good to me. i have an appointment with the surgeon in less than 2 weeks to find out when she wants to do the surgery. i am not too happy to have this messed with again. it scares the crap out of me.

Ok, I started with a little finger movement and wrist movement. I cant turn my hand over this is how I was as a baby with Erbs. In the way back treatment was squeezing a small ball to build stretch on it . It did work over time for sure to , I end up with a good grasp in a life time to drive a semi. Never give up a fight is a good way to be- if you fail so what it all about trying If you cant find a way to get a treatment for pain , Work in finding a pain doctor that will help your need. Keep fighting to do this, If there is a will, you find the way You can try things more by not being in pain its better on your head or its just happen to me? Does this help you?? I will tell you that at birth the doctor broke my scapula and my elbow , If your born into pain do you gain a greater tolerance to pain- for me it did, Please get your pain under control so you can be with people wilh out taking a time out- Something got to help stay on it OK I speak with out treatment. Put I have had pain treatment over time it needed to happen and did .

Tom

JMAR I HOPE IT GOES WELL THIS TIME AROUND,I'VE OFTEN WONDERED IS THIS INJURY HARDER ON SOMEONE WHO HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AS OPPOSED TO SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF WHO WAS INJURED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF MY OWN NEGLEGENCE? THERE WERE OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT WAS MY FAULT AND FOR ME THAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST THING TO DEAL WITH MENTALLY.I GUESS THE END RESULT IN EITHER CASE IS F'D UP,LIFE JUST ISN'T FAIR,YOU TRY TO LIVE RIGHT TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT AND GET SCREWED OR YOU'RE A TOTAL A-HOLE AND HIT THE LOTTERY!ANYWAY I WON'T BABBLE ON TOO MUCH THIS JUST ALL AROUND SUCKS I GUESS ALL WE CAN DO IS TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME AND TRY TO MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION,MAY GOD BLESS US ALL AND SEND SOME GOODNESS YOUR WAY,STAY STRONG AND KEEP US POSTED.

ARMSTRONG,
I've had the same battle, it wrecked me for years. Do your best to drop it, it just deepens the black hole that this injury can create. It's all about perspective. I used to wonder "what would I feel like if my injury was a badge of honor, like receiving while saving another's life", invariably I'd feel a shit load better, as would just about anybody. But when we drag around a bag of shame around our necks because we didn't "earn" our injury through valor or blameless accident, then all we are doing is stopping our healing, our growth, and opportunity to make the world a better place. It wasn't until a woman I was dating a few years post injury (which is how long it took me to get out and date again after feeling like most of my good was gone) told me how 'heroic' she thought I was for dealing with what we all deal with on a day to day, minute to minute basis. That is when I really deciced to stop the BS and change my perspective on how I saw myself. Problem was, the shamed I'd brought on and in was imbedded so deeply, that even now 8 years post injury, I'm still trying to drop it.

It's a tough one. I think it's natural, but not really too healthy. Truth be told, I don't really know what caused my wreck, I can't remember the seconds before it happened, but my whole life I've been told why anyone shouldn't ride motorcycles, and that was enough for me to feel like I got what I deserved.

armstrong, even if this accident was your fault, you probably did not wake up one morning and say " hey i feel like crashing my bike today so i can be injured" that would be crazy on your part. and you probably did not intentionally crash your bike either. you seem to be a fairly sensable person to me. unless you did intentionally crash, it was AN ACCIDENT that could not have been avoided. i know your injury is fairly new, even newer than mine. but try not to blame yourself. it makes the pain worse to worry about things that are not necessarily true.

i have a really hard time dealing with my injury. i am so angry at the surgeon that did this to me. i have learned that if i think about him, it makes my arm hurt a lot more from the stress of being angry. i have put my anger aside for now till i get some relief from this pain and numbness. i am seeing a different dr now and she is doing something to help me.

CHRISTOPHER I NEVER KNEW THAT YOUR INJURY WAS A RESULT OF A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT,IT'S NOT MENTIONED IN YOUR PROFILE.I REALLY TAKE MY HAT OFF TO YOU GUYS,TWO ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM, THE WAY YOU HANDLE YOUR SITUATIONS SHOULD BE AN INSPIRATION TO ANYONE NO MATTER HOW THEIR INJURY CAME ABOUT.CHRISTOPHER WITH 8 YEARS AND YOU HAVE FOUND A WAY TO GO ON AND GROW FROM THIS WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE! INCREDIBLE! IT'S HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE THE NEXT 8 MONTHS WITHOUT LOSING IT!..JMAR I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU DEAL WITH YOUR SITUATION BUT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH IT IS A SUCCESS WITH IN ITSELF TO ME,AGAIN,INCREDIBLE! ONE THING I DISAGREE WITH CHRISTOPHER,YOU DIDN'T DESERVE THIS ANYMORE THAN CHRISTOPHER REEVE DESERVE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM FOR RIDING A HORSE.YOU WERE DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVED,THAT BROUGHT YOU JOY AND HAPPINESS..YOU WEREN'T TRYING TO HURT ANYONE..I GUESS IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYBODY,YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO AN ACCIDENT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.LIKE I SAID BEFORE I THANK YOU GUYS FOR CORRESPONDING WITH ME AND GIVING ME YOUR POSITIVE FEED BACK,THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE I CAN REALLY EXPRESS MYSELF,THIS IS WHERE I COME FOR THERAPY AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW I'M TRYING TO COPE,ONE DAY AT A TIME.THANKS.

it has been one year and 2 days since my surgery. it just really makes me angry that i was told i would get full function back in a week or so maybe even a month...yeah right!!! but i have learned to accept it and go on as best as i can. i know i did not have an accident, but even if i did, i would accept it just the same. nothing i, or you can do about it, so why make it worse by worrying about if it is your fault or not. you will get ulcers if you let it worry you so much.

Im working on it...

keep up the good work. you are doing an excellent job!

Here is the place to BE,, to lend a helping Hand for persons who GET it and need it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr Positive FOREVER, you will get better treatments in your life time ( do not worry<) Nothing is better than you will be just writing here, you get some fact and option Here to I learn to drive a motorcycle with erbs was I CRAZY , You bet, I am like Evil -Kunevil life, Try try again, dam the broken bones .etc- full speed a head ! Forget your limitations and find JOY in what makes you happy and things you adapt to. DO NOT focus on your failures in life in TRYING. You will adapt over time and the next future treatment might ROCK _YOUR -WORLD
Tom