United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Adrian,

I would love it if you would read my article I wrote about you on draft night when my Bucs selected you in the first round. I'll provide a link below. As for my question, did you hide your injury from others initially in your football career? When I played football in high school -- I also had Erb's Palsy in my right arm/shoulder, and also played DE -- I hid it from my teammates and coaches for fear of ridicule, since that is unfortunately the first reaction to something people don't understand, and for fear that I wouldn't be taken seriously by my coaches in my pursuit of a starting spot. After overcoming my struggle and winning the starting spot, I felt more comfortable speaking openly about BPI and trying to spread a little awareness. What was your experience with dealing teammates and coaches before your injury was out in the open?

Thanks for the time,

Kevin Harvey (Landlubber)

My article about you and BPI if you have the time: http://www.bucsnation.com/2011/4/29/214 ... w-sufferer

My son is 14 and playing freshmen football this year. We only let him start playing last year in middle school because we were worried about him with his injury. He has a severe right brachial plexus injury from birth. He is playing offensive left guard and is Awesome! He is a big boy and is tremendously strong on his left side because of always compensating the way he does things. I would love to know your workouts you did younger to compensate for not being as strong on the one side. Also, did you ever wear any kind of shoulder protection or elbow protection while playing in high school. I read your story a while back and showed in to Peyton(my son) and he looked up film on you and was very inspired! Thank you for taking the time to answer anxious parents questions!
Thanks again!
Rhonda Tillman

Hi Adrian,

My daughter is still very young yet (15 months), but I was wondering what your greatest challenge was as a child with your arm and if you could go back, what is one thing you wish you knew about your injury growing up? Thank you so much for doing this!

Thank you,
Amber and Chris

I just want to say THANK YOU Adrian. This Topic thread for you makes me very weepy...but then I am an "Oldie" who came thru the dark ages of knowing nothing about my injuries until age 66 and basically alone and hiding my left side all of my before 66 life. I am sooo very proud of JOJO/Javier,Landlubber and our Irish Dancer.
I believe every entry should win the tickets and have a great gathering together with you spreading Awareness, but that just me.

Also, answering questions here is priceless. Thank you for this opportunity.

HUgs all around.
Carolyn J
LOBPI/75

hi adrian...thank you so much for doing this. my son is four with robpi..i worry about the pain he will experience when he hits growth spurts as well as daily pain. how do you deal with daily pain. what advice can you give our kids in regards to bullies. i first found out you had this injury a few years back and thank you for taking your time to help us with our kids. take care and we wish you all the best. thanks for being an inspiration.

Hi Adrian! Even though I'm a huge Texans fan, I am so inspired by your story and always root for you! I'm 21 with a left BPI. I was wondering what kind of attention you received when drafted to Tampa in regards to your injury? Were people skeptical of your abilities despite what you showed in college?

Also who's your favorite quarterbackto sack?

Thanks for taking the time to do this!
Brittney

PS Thanks for the Twitter follow!!!

Adrian,
First I want to thank you for taking the time to do this Q&A. Ever since we learned of your story it has brought my daughter and ourselves hope. I am so proud of my daughter in all she has accomplished and what her future holds.
Lauren is 13,she loves to play soccer and we have noticed since she was small her balance is quite off. Her arm droops when she runs and I think it causes her to fall more often than her peers. Her arm is not immobile enough for a sling but I wondered how you managed your arm and run.

Everyday is a challenge for brachial plexus kids so I just wondered was there something special you did or read to motivate yourself when you knew a hard day was coming?

Thanks again and if you ever are near the Nebraska Cornbuskers we would love to send a shout out to you! We missed you when you played for Iowa, didn't realize your story till after you were done there.

Sarah mom to Lauren ROBPI

Maybe you could come to UBPN camp for a visit.

Thanks for all your questions! Here are a few answers. Ill answer some of the others by video this next week.

At first my mom worried and wouldn’t let me play little league football. When I got to middle school, my mom relaxed a bit and had me try other sports first to prove I could handle the contact. That led to football. Now she is okay with it.

I started playing football when I was 12.

I really only wanted to play football and didn't think of another job. I'm lucky to live my dream.

What did kids say about my arm: Was mostly teased about it but I didn’t know what it was so I never really had an answer. I dealt with it internally and put energy into sports. As I became more educated in high school about what the injury was I was able to better explain it to others. It helps to have your parent tell it to you at an early age in simple terms. It also helps to find something you love and put your energy there. That was football and basketball for me.

I never played a musical instrument.

I went to rehab religiously and did band work. The rehab people helped me to focus on not compensating, even though I wanted to☺ I never wore any kind of extra shoulder pad or protective gear.

I am fortunate to not have pain, other than the pain from a football game on Sundays. I'm sorry to hear that your son has pain. I hope it gets better.

Motivation: I have had coaches throughout my life that have helped in motivation but I have also helped myself. I was motivated through watching college and NFL growing up, players like Ray Lewis.

Kevin - I read your article about draft night! Thanks for writing it and it was cool to help explain more about what brachial plexus/Erb's Palsy is.

~Adrian

Thank You Adrian! God Bless you. Good Luck on Sunday.
I look forward to Tampa Bay playing our Seattle Seahawks! Please consider continuing this Question and Answer Thread on behalf of ALL parents and teens.
<HUGS))))) from an ole' lady,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/75

Adrain Clayborn Video for awareness week!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyRnjB1N ... e=youtu.be[/youtube]