United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

ok "dude"[i'm from calif]high school SUCKS but you have to go on and do your absolute best... whatever that is. i found wrestling as a sport i could do and photography as an artistic way to express myself but you have to take responsibility for your own arms as it applies to you. which is the key to longevity. this is no short endeavor. i found this as a long trail but eventually i hope a happy one. as a normal person this is a hard task. we as the people we are, must at all times take into account our own limitations, which in itself is a very hard thing. especially when you feel society's pressures to be the all"american"BOY
you need to find the place you feel comfortable...
i know "ha ha ha"but this is important, a person your age can almost understand. even being bi-lateral erbs i was always... that close to being normal, and that is what kills huh this close... and yet so far, stay strong and stay yourself. this is what the people that LOVE you will hopefully judge you by. finding your spot is the human thing to do and it can seem hard but it is possible and it is the human response to all of the "normal" people and the REST of us. look at what makes you happy and go from there.

sorry, i have issues
thank you,
chris

Hi Chris,
I like your post to "null."
You say you have issues...that usually suggests something negative...but you make some very excellent points here.
I am 51 and female...but the same things can apply to all of us and the way this injury can make you feel about yourself if you let it, don't you think?

Take care...keep posting.
-Stephanie

Null:
I hated High School and now as my reunion approaches... I am not going... I am mature enough to know I did not like those people when in school would not choose them for friends and don't want to see them.... LOL...

I went to my 25th got an apology from a tormentor who said she was haunted by the unkind things she said and did when we were in school... funny after HS I did not even give her a thought... Yet some how I haunted her! It was so easy to say it was OK and one of the things she asked me was to forgive her... that was easy for me... and she felt better once she said she was sorry. She also said that because of her actions towards me she was a better mother and taught her children MUCH better. After that reunion I never went to another one... I have better things to do with my time and energy... I have lifelong friends who hardly ever noticed my arm unless I spoke about it and I rarely did until now. I was quiet about it for 60 years and now I talk about it share it and use it to keep others from having this birth injury.

So I guess HS sucks is right but LIFE does not...
I learned to be strong and creative because I am obpi..

Chris we all have issues and this is the place to air them and be free of them...
Until I posted a few times I was sure I never had an issue... LOL...
My biggest issue was not having anyone to talk to about some things with pepole who understood...
The greatest thing about this board is lots of folks understand where we are coming from and what it was like and share so many common experiences.

It also give us all an opportunity to help with the younger kids (if we choose to only) and make things easier for them by sharing our common experiences....

Glad you still post once in awhile Chris and nice post to Null....



Kath

Hey Chris. I think i am the Null you are talkin about (lol i 4got to put my name on the name space-woops). Thanks 4 the advice it was great. can i ask what age you are? I get picked on at school but i jst try to ignore the people who stoop so low to laff at me because i have 7 GREAT friends who accept me 4 who i am. i hav many more friends in my year group who accept me 2 and then i have the group of people who are lackin lives and have time to call me at night to laff at me or to make fun of me at school and these are the type of people that i would love to run over again and again when im aged to drive just to let my anger out but in reality-i just ignore them completely and that has made them kinda lay off a little bcos i used to cry, skip school, get my parents to school and this just gave them more energy to pick on me but now that i do not have the time of day 4 them is a bit of a let down so they hav started to quieten down. thankfully. so i hope you all keep postin messages bcos i love hearing from people who are in the same situation as me bcos that got me down alot(not having anyone to share my views with - well people who DO understand and not just say "oh i understand" when they clearly do now!) talk to y'all soon.
Michelle

Hi Michelle...I remember having a few tormentors in high school (I'm now 25, right OBPI). I remember this one guy picking on me and I said, "If you don't knock it off, I swear to God I'll punch you!" He said, "What arm are you going to punch me with??!!" And he was all laughing and crap, so I replied, "With this ONE!!" And I slugged him across the face with my good arm!! It felt great! I don't condone physically hurting anyone (but hey...it was a guy!)...but sometimes that frustration builds up to the point where you don't even want to go on anymore. I've been there.

That's when you need to remember that you DO have people who care about you and you DO have fun in life. Life is too short to be so depressed. Believe me, those kids that tormented me, are now working crappy jobs, living in the same crummy town, and have about 4 kids each! Me?? I am a college graduate and am a Communications Specialist and Web Administrator. I have a kick-butt apartment in Toledo, OH and live with my hot boyfriend!! Go out and show those LOSER HIGH SCHOOL BRATS what you're made of! You know what they say....living well is the best revenge!!

Take care and e-mail me anytime,

Erica