Post Utah Surgery
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 12:18 pm
Last March my wife was involved in a One-car rollover. Whe sustained a brachial plexus injury. Two nerves severed, two avulsed. In addition to the the nerve damage, she required orthopedic surgeries to repair the multiple fractures. She also required surgery to transplant a vein from her leg to repair an artery in her shoulder.
After four surgeries, staph infection, and blood clots to both lungs, she is back to work.
It has been a long haul for her, and she still continues to have stuggles.
The last surgery (and all of them) were performed at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City. During the last surgery, Dr. Wang (pronounced Wong) performed the cable graft surgery to repair the severed arteries. The nerves required for the transplant were harvested from the backs of both lower legs.
Two days after the last surgery, I brought her home to Idaho only to have to take her to the emergency room in our home town for chest pain. She spent a week in ICU for blood clots.
My wife has regained some movement in her shoulder, and can now flex her elbow. Those are huge steps, we remember not having any movement. She also has some movement in her wrist, and can move her little finger and ring finger. The others remain paralyzed.
She goes to a hand therapist every week, which has been very helpful.
My wife is a dental hygienist, and has returned to work part time. She requires requires some help from assistants, but is managing. Most of her patients, Many who are elderly, were so happy to see her return to work. A couple of people have asked to be treated by someone else, but most have been very supportive of her efforts to return to work.
It is not easy for her, she comes home from work feeling like she has a bowling ball tied to the end of her arm, and some days the pain is tough to take.
I am so proud of her efforts and spirit. She has had ups and downs, and we have shed many tears together, but she keeps going.
We realize that we are very fortunate, and that not everyone will have the same results. I post this only to encourage others with TBPI to not give up hope and prayers. May your new year be one of peace and happiness.
DW
After four surgeries, staph infection, and blood clots to both lungs, she is back to work.
It has been a long haul for her, and she still continues to have stuggles.
The last surgery (and all of them) were performed at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City. During the last surgery, Dr. Wang (pronounced Wong) performed the cable graft surgery to repair the severed arteries. The nerves required for the transplant were harvested from the backs of both lower legs.
Two days after the last surgery, I brought her home to Idaho only to have to take her to the emergency room in our home town for chest pain. She spent a week in ICU for blood clots.
My wife has regained some movement in her shoulder, and can now flex her elbow. Those are huge steps, we remember not having any movement. She also has some movement in her wrist, and can move her little finger and ring finger. The others remain paralyzed.
She goes to a hand therapist every week, which has been very helpful.
My wife is a dental hygienist, and has returned to work part time. She requires requires some help from assistants, but is managing. Most of her patients, Many who are elderly, were so happy to see her return to work. A couple of people have asked to be treated by someone else, but most have been very supportive of her efforts to return to work.
It is not easy for her, she comes home from work feeling like she has a bowling ball tied to the end of her arm, and some days the pain is tough to take.
I am so proud of her efforts and spirit. She has had ups and downs, and we have shed many tears together, but she keeps going.
We realize that we are very fortunate, and that not everyone will have the same results. I post this only to encourage others with TBPI to not give up hope and prayers. May your new year be one of peace and happiness.
DW