United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

THIS IS THE SAME POST AS ON GENERAL JST THOT ID POST HERE 2 FOR PPL WHO DNT REGULARLY CHECK GENERAL POSTS!..

hi to all!!! a lot of you aint gna no me cos i aint been on for so long and this forum accumulates ppl so quickly!

can u believe its been 3 years since iv found you guys?! 19 now! n so much has happened to me!

on the educational front...jst finished my 1st year of speech therapy and im absolutely loving it! its been a great ... really fast ... year! all good tho. Also been out to connecticut to the Options Institute to train in working wit Autistic kids! wot a fantastic week i had there! im still workin with autistic kids when im not at uni....

and this is where my exciting news comes it...iv been signed with a modeling agency! HOW DAMN COOL IS THAT!!!! they really arent phased by my arm at all jst take most pix from my left side and it is perfectly ok! im really luvin it. u can see my pix at www.photage.co.uk and click on Shelby outdoors. iv been in a few magazines n catalogues n the only thing i cant do is catwalks bcos of my arm but thats fine wit me!

Iv also been drivin for 2 years in July im shocked. it feels like jst yesterday i was on here givin uz all a giggle wit my drivin escapades! trees... bushes... forgoten handbrake etc. well 2years late im still doin ok!

as for the arm its still securely attached to my body in the condition its always been! no better, still bent and i still love it for wot it is! althought the pain is worse now i cnt even passively move it to my left shoulder(from right obviously) without really bad pain. this is quite crap wen im out n tryin to adjust bra straps...i hav to take a glamourous assistand wit me! iv kinda accepted it for wot it is and dnt think il go down the surgery route unless its for the pain but i dnt think they do surgery for pain!!? any info on this?!?! but as for makin it look better i wnt b makin any alterations to that.

well hope every1 is doin fine and all the arms in the group are doin well too!

Michelle x
19 ROBPI, Scotland

Michelle

I am new to the site(just a few days now).32yrs robpi
I can sooo relate to the bra strap issue.
The pain has got so bad the past few months thatI have to get up on the morning before my husband goes to work
so he can put my bra on for me. He really has got quite good at it now.

Best of luck to you with the modeling!!!!

Tracy from Tennessee

Hi and Welcome to the site! ul find lots of people willing to help and share their stories! its a real great place for comfort and support!

The bra strap thing...dont u think some1 should invent a wee hook thing that we can use to hook the wee pull up bit to tighten it?!! like a crochet hook but wit a bigger hook! that wud go down well in the bpi community eh?! i never used to hav pain like that, inface i barely had pain only the burning in my shoulder after walkin far...eek maybe im gettin old!!!!

wen did they pain with that movement start?! do u hav any PT for it or that?! in my area no 1 nos wot the hell my arm is i need to travel to the city n waiting lists are MASSIVE there. but the PT in my town is really rubbish and isnt much of a help. There are really good sports therapists...any1 think they wud b any good at helpin out?!!

Michelle x

Michelle

great idea--better get a patent on that. Maybe we should all get together and invent things that would help us in everyday tasks? Anyway, the pain started about 6 months ago, I was putting away stock at work--when I bent over I guess I twisted the wrong way--felt a pinch with a burning sensation--thought I just pulled back muscle--a couple weeks later had a knot form in right lower back--went GP-meds./work restrictions he referred me to chiro-e-stim/adjustments(got major headaches)told GP he then referred me to neuro.-meds./work restrictions-says chronic pain rest of life. Going back July 6th--going to demand PT and have lots of questions for him after finding this site.
The pain is getting worse in affected side(arm,neck,shoulder seems to be drawing up--shooting pain in heel up leg to mid thigh--hip/lower back has burning sensation).
I think my body is just tired and saying "whoa-slow down".I'm sure getting older has lots to do with it,too--years of overcompensating(have done physical labor last 16 years---I guess it is time to start using brains rather than body. I never knew about the whole compensation thing until recently---no doctor ever mentioned it.

I am hoping PT will help with ROM-have not had PT since I was 2. I'd say i'm a little over due.

It could be worse I suppose--could be alone dealing with it---but have support from my WONDERFUL family.

Take care..
Tracy in Tennessee

sorry-forgot to log-in!!

Hi Michelle,

You look really great in your modelling pics. Can hardly tell that you have a BP injury. I always wonder how my daughter will look as she gets older.
Anyways, take care and good luck with your modelling!!
Roza