United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I have Erbs in the left arm. What I have noticed throughout my life is that those with disabilities are compensated with other gifts: compassion, intelligence, and great senses of humor. My left arm being nearly 3 inches shorter than the right one is a bit of a blow to the self esteem, but I just tell people that the extra three inches had to go somewhere, and then I fiendishly look downwards.

Growing up, like most everyone else with the condition, I never let it get in the way of anything I did. As a result, soccer is my favorite sport, but I still played baseball up until highschool... as a pitcher. That meant holding the mit in my left arm, throwing the ball with my right, and quickly putting the mit on to be able to catch. Jim Abbott is to thank for the idea for that technique. However, it still attracted tons of odd looks, and plenty of strange chants from the opposing team's dugout. "Pitcher's got a..." "crooked arm" instead of "big butt." Kid's are cruel, and ignorant, but that's why I've worked twice as hard in life so as to disprove non-believers, and hopefully that extra work will lead me to success throughout my life. Hopefully whatever extra work you all have to do in order to compensate for your disabilities will lead you to a successful life as well.

Sharon,
What part of Michigan do you live in???? Maybe we can get together. I was approved for SSI--although I went beck to work a couple of years ago. The key is X-rays of the good hand. If you have arthritis in your good hand, yoou meet the criteria under SSA listing of impirments--problems in both extremities. Don't know if you do, but that's how I won mine. Pat

Andrew,
You are a very wise guy! I am glad to hear some one else say that we are compensated in other ways, as I feel that way my self. I hope that your hard work leads you very far, I am hopeing that my hard work does the same. It is neat to hear that you were a pitcher, I live for softball but I am too afraid to be the pitcher. So instead I stay in the outfeild. I am the master of pop flies. lol.
If you dont mind, how old are you? and where are you from? (I am almost 18 and from MN)
Feel free to email me some time at hope16_05@hotmail.com

Amy

haha. About the same as you, Amy, I'm 18. Thanks for the "wise" comment... I try.
I'll email you soon,
andrew

I just wanted to add that I do believe that Brittney's injury has made her so much stronger than the other kids her age. She has more confidence, and knows she has to work harder at some things and that gives her the pride to show them all that she can do it - even better than the rest of us without an injury. Having an injury surely makes you stronger. And Venencia, thanks for your input. My daughter is 13 and I love to hear from strong adults dealing with what my daughter does. I'm hoping that she will become a VET - or pediatrician - (she is surely smart enough) and I do believe that you never know what you are capable of until you try.
Christy

Well, here is my 2 cents on this:
I am age 67 and NEVER had a name other than "congental birth injury", until 2002 and heard the term ERBS PALSY. Back in the 30's on up NObody talked to me or addressed the issue. My sibs were told not to play ruff with me and so they never played with me;they treated me like I was retarded: I am NOW convinced that my mom heard "Erbs palsy" and filtered it out to be "cerebral palsy" & that's what she told everybody[my oldest sister just recently,confirmed this to me]. I was kept at home much of my childhood and was expected never to learn much and to be the go-fer and caretaker of my parents. My mother talking to teachers and my classmates about me made everything worse. My mom would never allow me to cry so I learned at an early age to stuff and it wasn't until DVR paid my college tuition & books that I was able to be on my own and determined to be invisible with my disability AND prove I was as good as everyone else and consequently overcompensated 150%.
Every job I've ever had I was always the most productive worker and so it did make me a stronger person. But, I've always had low self esteem and it did have a great effect on all of my life choices.It also made me a fighter so low self esteem is a mixed bag.It is also very individual to family support and open communication, in my experience and opinion.
Thanks for "listening",
Carolyn J
LOBPI,age 67

Hi All,
I have Erb's Palsy of the left arm and it has definately negatively affected my self-esteem. Much of my child hood I felt different. The kids at my public school had some rude things to say when I was younger and my parents kept me pretty sheltered. To be quite honest, it did not mesh well with my personality. I always wanted to do things for myself but was always told it was not possible. In my early teen years I had severe doubts of depression and I still have a pretty distorted self-image. I am currently seeking counseling both physically and mentally, and I attribute at least a few of my problems to my Erb's Palsy. I could be wrong....But it had a really huge impact on the way I saw myself...But now that I am older it is slowly but surely getting better....

Whitney...
Your "story" is mine too and only after doing "a whole life review" in counseling could I see the pattern of "put downs" and "you can't" and see
how my overcompensation and denial of physical pain issues set me up to hit a wall and "allowed" me to retire at age 64. Stuffing is a direct symtom of serious depression which is dangerous to ignore.After finding UBPN I read somewhere in the Medical Information for Adults link on the homepage that persons with OBPI frequently are more disabled by depression and financial struggles than by their injuries. This certainly answered alot of questions for me......
Keep comming here to share,I learn so much from everyone .
Hugs,
Carolyn J

Hey .. new to this forum but I figured i'd start posting in this thread...

Im 16 and I must say that Erbs palsy has affected my self-esteem to a certain extent. I believe I am also an introvert partially due to this ( I am the talkative sort when I am comfortable with the person im talking to but am sometimes very shy with new people probably because i feel that i'm inferior to them ).

On the other hand, It has helped me mature and see the beauty of life and how I'm better of than some other people who face problems worse than mine. I believe in God and religion has also helped me cope with this injury. Finally, my family has been very supportive throughout and so that has minimized the impact of my injury on my self-esteem,etc.

Wow.. that was a long rant.

Welcome to the forum! Glad to have you among us, I am 30 yrs old with LOBPI (Erb's) and I too had some self-esteem problems as a teen (13-14-15), a little too when I was around 10-11. But now at 30, it doesn't bother me. I did what I wanted too, ballet, figure skating (yes I competed and managed to "hide" the way my arm was for certain moves. It actually made the moves I did in skating better, as in I got more points for them as the way I had to do them made it harder. I had friends who would try spirals my way and had a heck of a time doing them b/c of balance issues, LOL.
I was a teacher, taught high school for a yr and yes a few students noticed but they were ok, grant you I have no clue what they said behind my back! LOL, then I taught pre-k, loved it. Now I am in Nursing school and managing just fine.
Take care,
Marieke