Elbow Contractures?

Forum for parents of injured who are seeking information from other parents or people living with the injury. All welcome
Mare
Posts: 708
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 5:30 pm

Re: Elbow Contractures?

Post by Mare »

I truly believe that keeping the arm straight is a way of preventing elbow dislocation due to muscle imbalance but when frankie was little they kept telling me the contractures weren't that bad.When he was about 9yr old Dr's started saying his injury was to bad to fix and I should just let him alone. At 14yr old after 2 weeks of serial casting they felt something weird in the elbow so we went to see Dr Kozin he said it was dislocated from a muscle imbalance the muscle pulls it out of joint then it can't be put back in. Dr kozin said even with surgery it would be pulled back out. So maybe if he was splinted as a young child at least at night he would have gotten used to it and it wouldn't have gotten so bad or be such an issue. I always say you can't teach an old dog new tricks and you can teach a teenager even less I just don't want him to hold it against me when he's older for not nagging and pushing him. He tells me he's under enough pressure with just starting high school (he took all the really hard courses criminal and business law, geometry, ect) and is so far pulling all A's how much more can I push him? I worry that to much pressure will lead to drinking, drugs or god knows what. Thanks Everyone for listening it really helps alot Mare
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: Elbow Contractures?

Post by Carolyn J »

Mare,
The very heathiest thing you can do is to support Frankie's choices and decisions of what he wants now that he is of an age to get information, explore/discuss/and argue his choices. That IS a good thing.

Many of us adults never had choices and options or discusions of any kind as it all was "the elephant in the room" that nobody, including Doctors talked about. What a different, informed, productive life Frankie will have!! :) You GO FRANKIE!! and MOM too! for saving you energy for your own needs( which I just know you are taking care of, right?!!)

Did anybody see Dr. Christine Northrup on the Oprah show, yesterday??? " What Women Should Know About wWhat Their Bodies Are Telling Them".
Take care , Mare.

HUGS all around, :)
Carolyn J
LOBPI/69


Message was edited by: Carolyn J
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
User avatar
Brenda333
Posts: 217
Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 6:59 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Daughter has global palsy (c5-T1 injury) 5 surgeries at Texas Children's by Dr
Laurent, Shenaq, and Nath. 1st Surel graft 2nd Intercostal transfer 3rd Latisimus Dorsi transfer with subscapular release 4th Pec release 5th Bicep lenghtening, (which weakened her bicep, and contracture returned.) Has went through serial casting with fair results. Her arm is about a hand shorter then the other. She has limited hand function. (able to grasp) Arm stays pronated. Unable to get to neutral. Now dealing with sternoclavicular subluxation. All that being said....She is very functional. She is a very determined, strong, tenacious young woman. Now 15. She plays the trumpet, french horn, drums, guitar, and now learning piano. Has always played on a softball, and basketball team. Until recently, for fear of further injury due to the sternoclavicular subluxation. (separation of colarbone from sternum) Not sure if all this is spelled right.
--
Location: Wisconsin
Contact:

Re: Elbow Contractures?

Post by Brenda333 »

Thanks so much for all of your help and suggestions. Michaela has agreed to see Dr. Matloub in Milwaukee, as well as Dr. Nath in Chicago. She said she will decide then what she wants to do.

Thanks again everyone.
Brenda
Brenda
BPI Connection
http://www.freewebs.com/wbpic
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: Elbow Contractures?

Post by Carolyn J »

Brenda,

It is the greatest gift to allow Micheala to become your Partner now in her Medical/Surgical Decisions especially when at 18 she'll be well prepared for the process of seeking consults, information, 2nd, 3rd opinions, discussion of her options, risks etc. that is a lifelong process for living with these BPI Injuries.Being an informed decision maker is empowerment to living our lives to our fullest potential.We BPI-ers are capable of doing anything we put our minds to.

ok,off the soap box..LOL

HUGS all around,
Carolyn J
adult LOBPI/69
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
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