United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

To m& m mom: I feel for you. Two children with obpi,
must be really trying on a person, much less one is.
Did you have a c-section with matthew? Since your first two had the same problem? Just was wondering.
Take care.
Debbie

To m& m mom: Sorry, but I meant not 'first two., but first one." Oops, Please forgive.
Thanks,
Debbie

Hi Kathleen,
I know of a woman who is in her late 50's now. When Elyssa was born, she told her mother, who was then in her 80's, about Elyssa's birth story and tragedy. Her mom turned to her and said, "Oh my goodness. The same thing happened to you when you were born." Well, needless to say, our friend was in shock!

Her mom then went on to tell her that that's why whenever she needed to have a shot, she told the nurse to do it in daughter's "bpi" (she didn't call it that back then...)arm, since she thought she might not be able to feel it. In fact, my friend indicated that she never had a problem getting shots and couldn't understand why kids were so fearful!

Indeed, she has some residual numbness in her forearm and until that moment, had no explanation as to why! I avoid shots in Elyssa's bpi arm at all costs, but I'm sure they didn't know about this back when our friend was a little girl!

Don't know if this helps, but interesting how a 50+ year old woman didn't know why her forearm was always a bit numb until she was in her 50's! Numbness was/is her only complaint..Now, is that 100% recovery? I don't know... Cathy

Cathy

That is funny... I never realized why I made the baby's bottels to hot!!! so had to taste them... I had to check the bath water with both arms.. it confused me but never thought of lacking feelings in the arm. I wanted my husband to call the plumber for this house when we first built it... I insisted that something was wrong with the upstairs shower.. "I always burn my self"...LOL... but the downstairs one never!!! Now I know why... I always had homes before that you stepped into the shower from the left side... But in this house in the shower upstairs from the right...and I don't feel the hot water till it hits the left side...LOL..
I also always burn my hands in public rest rooms because I turn on the hot water first... I forget to use my right arm unless I remind myself..

BUT The docotor told my Mother never, never a needle or blood test or blood pressure in the "bad arm" I was treated in New York Hospital 1940... and they told that to my mother then... and my GP all my life told me I had wear lungs never to smoke and never to allow and shots or blood pressure on the right side... did not explain why... I realize now after the all these years - why my lungs were weak and why no shots... I have a terrible time with unaffected now because all the veins have scare tissue from years of testing... But last neurologist said that the veins that nourish the muscles are small and we don't want to blow one!!!

Until I went back to PT and found UBPN I never realize all of the different areas of my body that are effected by OBPI...
Never too old to learn.... LOL... and all the Mom's on the board are teachers..

Kath

Kath,
That is really interesting. So, you've had that experience as well! HM....I agree with you with respect to the needles and blood pressure taking in the affected limb. It's just not a good idea. Well, you've raised such an interesting question. I guess we're all able to come to our own conclusions on this, but from what I'm reading, recovery isn't ever guaranteed, even if someone experiences "spontaneous" recovery! Cathy

Debbie,
It's tough having two with bpi in the respect that I feel I should have done more. Then with Matthew the plan was not to let him get big and have me induced. I did not have a c-section. I wasn't given a choice. I was even sent to a high risk ob and he said everything would be fine - this sort of thing doesn't happen twice.

Debbie

What more could you have done???
You went to OB who is high risk and he should have done more to protect your baby!!!
You did exactly what you were suppose to do...put yourself in the hands of an expert... It was his job to deliver the baby safely...

My mom went to what was supposed to be a specialist because she lost two children before me due to execessive force during delivery (they used forceps)
She thought she was safe... and he never told her he injured me and then when confronted told her how lucky she was I was alive... of course after loosing two she believe him... and the information was there and the red flags were there and They knew them even when I was born..... so no guilt for you....
I never, never, never once thought this was my Moms fault not even before I had all of the information I found at UBPN two years ago and I know the other OBPI/adults never blamed their Mom's..... so you are not allowed to feel guilty....
You did everthing you could!
Have a good day
Kath

m&mmom:
I too went to a high risk doctor, they too, would not do a c-section. They didn't think the baby was big.
It was not your fault or mine. We trusted the doctors
to do their best for us. I just wish they would listen to us for once.
Take care,
God bless,
Debbie

Kath & m&mmom:
I can remeber the many times I went in to the doctor in labor, but couldn't efface, or dilate. My first one had to be induced also, and I was in labor for 18 hours before I dilated, for the baby to come out. They used the vacuum on her to get her out, and it didn't work, then they used the forceps. It was the most horrible feeling ever. Worse then labor. She was 8#. She had a tight shoulder also, she is doing fine now, so far. With my second, I asked for a c-section, and they said he wouldn't be bigger then 8#, I don't think she even looked at my past pregnancy record. They induced him also, and I was in labor for 14 hours with him. After his birth, she came up and said 'this was unfortuate'. She was even high risk!
After this I transfered my care to a different hospital almost 2 hours away. I had two more children after this. They were by a high risk doctor also, but he at least took them c-section.(Thank God!) The doctor I had my first two, came into my room after the birth of the second baby, and said that if I had future babies there, they would MAYBE consider c-section, it would depend on if they thought the baby would be bigger then 8#! The audacity (sp?) of her, since it wasn't her baby in neonatal intensive care!
But it was NOT our fault. We trusted them. Sorry this was so long. I figured I would explain my story.
Take care,
Thanks for listening
Debbie