United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I THOUGHT I WAS JUST HAVEING THE WORSE THING HERE EVER...BUT YOU PEOPLE ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION...AND I HUMBLY FEEL NOT SO SEVERE...

yes this has been a terrible year for family, friends, work and life...i feel blessed to still be here...

I was hit in the head by a racecar that crashed over a wall and through the fence...

i was injured in may 06 hit by a racecar...neck, head, and shoulder but no torn nerves....just swollen and entrapped nerves..my arm stays full of fluid and i ve lost 50% of bicep/tricep/top of shoulder...

arm does not work...fingers are almost back...feeling of 50% of my arm,,,shoulder works again...just no bicep, tricep, and cant pull my wrist up....

pain? omg i have these terrible cramps and spasms in my hand...and sleeping is real tough...my thumb hurts me the most...

just wondering how long it took for you to get better...

THANK GOD IM NOT ON ANY PAIN KILLERS...JUST CELEBREX AND BABY ASPIRIN


THANKS FOR YOUR TIME...

Sorry to hear about your accident. Dustin's car was hit by 2 semi trucks on 11/2/05. He had no bicept, very little tricept and his shoulder finally sublexed about 2 fingers as it was also very weak. He had no pain and full hand function although also very weak. His first exercise was just to shrug and the ot wouldn't ever say they felt anything in the bicept. I think it was about 4 mos post accident when we finally got a flicker there. His hand is now useful but not the arm. It continues to get stronger and he has therapy still. We also do water therapy where he is able to do the most. The thing with this injury is that nerves heal very slowly I think it was about an inch per week. He just went from about 12 oz weight with his arm to 8 lbs about 2 months ago when laying on his side to get it out of gravity. But still unable to move it when standing. Unfortunatly each one is different. So it is hard to say how long it could take. Keep working and hopefully things will improve and you will get back some function. Dustin also had no nerves avulsed and the Drs. from Mayo told us that is the best senario for a recovery although it still would probably not be a full use functional arm it would to the best healing on it's own. His shoulder is no longer sublexed and the ot says we need to work on the other muscles there as she thinks that it is so weak and that is why he is not getting movement in gravity. He does the exercises she gives him and we have invented some of our own and some of our own equipment to help.
Sue

thanks sue...and good luck dustin...

i started water therapy 2 weeks ago and love it. about an hour a day in the pool and another 1 to 1 1/2 of PT.

my therapist has me 4 days a week and we started the 6 day after the accident. the neurologist worried me by thinking i would have been much better at this point and a little dissappointed that bicep was not working.

i have alot of swelling still in arm and inside my shoulder...appearance wise its hard to tell im injured.

did dustin battle the swelling daily?

i keep arm taped from fingers to shoulder..

did your doctors say there is no reason for a 90 to 95 percent recovery within 2 years?

just wondering...have a great weekend!

Sorry didn't realize my last post was guest.
I think your neoro is a bit optomistic. I think you should expect slow recovery. Not what I want to tell you but maybe you won't feel as disappointed. If you haven't you may want to see a BP specialist. I think there are some around Texas. Although a neuro has some idea the BP specialist can tell you much more accurately. They did say that Dustin may not be able to reach over his head. But if he could just lift it or bend the elbow while standing I think that would give him some useful function. He did have some swelling early on and they thought that was from hanging limp as the blood would not be effectly pumped back towards the heart. They also said to watch for what I think they called shoulder wrist disease. Where the arms swells and becomes red or purplish. Think that was also from circulation. He did hand squeeze exercises and that seemed to bring the color to normal and got rid of the swelling. He had no muscles early, but has had some strengthening mostly in the last 2 months. So I think with 50% strength you are in good shape. I know it is hard as we would all like to see more improvement faster. But, keep working on it and try to maintain what you have and it will come.
Sue

thanks sue,

i asked him what made him feel so "optomistic" and he said the only damage was "swelling" in my shoulder.

they think that when it finally goes down things should be alot better. he also said he really didnt feel thst i need a BP specialist...since there is no major nerve damage.

swelling..well it really just swells in my hand and wrist, now i keep my arm "taped" for compression all day.
in my shoulder and upper arm is alot of fluid.

im in therapy 3 days a week starting 5 days next week.

where can i find out more about the elbow/wrist disease?

thanks for our response

jason


Message was edited by: racinjason75

Sorry, I think there was another name for the disease but I don't remember it. Dustin had so many injuries that when that one didn't last long I guess I just forgot. I am not sure where to find more info. Did they do an EMG for you? Good luck with your recovery. He also does exercise every day. Today I was so excited as he could bend the elbow up from standing with only 12 oz of weight to counter. So I think he is getting closer. Two weeks ago he really had to struggle with 16 oz of weight countering it.
Sue

yes we did emg 4 weeks ago...everything was "firing" he could make bicep move...

i wish you and dustin the best..ill add to my prayers...

where do yall live?

jason

We are in Wisconsin. Glad to hear your EMG showed all firing. Dustin's first one was so bad that they weren't sure and all was called abnormal. We keep seeing improvements but it is a very long slow process. We are coming up to 1 yr post accident soon. He has a follow up appointment at Mayo later this month. We will also keep you in our prayers.
Sue/Dustin

thank you sue....

if yall ever make it to texas...give me a hollar

jason

jeez louise. sounds wicked. i was bit by a 'widow and fell tearing my bp. been 4 months plus and hundreds of gabapentins. pain is untolerabale and carrying this waight is a pain. r u ok now racinjasin? sew3fan.