United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

It has been a while since I posted. I am now 8 weeks post for my second tendon transfer. I have movement in my fingers, although it feels like a mechanical hand. Nothing moves smoothly (not that I am complaining). I still cannot extend my fingers all the way, but it is not a claw hand anymore. My strength is up to 17 (left) and 60 (right). I still have a ways to go there. The doctor says I may need 1 more surgery. My thumb does not rotate so I can touch the end of my fingers. The one thing that just bugs the snot out of me is the numbness. I can't stand it. I constantly rub my hand and arm to see if I can feel. Has anyone found anything that will help with that. By the way, it will be 18 months tomorrow. The date my neurologist said it would take to be at the end. In a way it has gone fast, but I am not where I thought I would be. Oh well, it is better than not being here at all.

Take care everyone.
Kathy

nice to hear it's going well, kathy, I can't imagine not having a claw hand now! Wow that 18 months has flown by...:0)

kathy - what you wrote about it feeling like a mechnical hand struck a cord with me. Many of the children are told to do TES e-stim following a surgery. This is an e-stim machine that is worn and on all night long. It direct low level stimulation which does not cause muscle contraction but sends increased circulation and hormones to the area where the electrodes are placed. I know they have hand placements. I wonder if something like this might be helpeful. The first thing that I noticed about Maia after 6 weeks of use was fluidity of motion - her arm used to move mechanically and that all changed after 6 short weeks - many other parents report the exact same thing.

Anyway - I have a whole bunch of stuff written up about this e-stim...
http://www.injurdnewborn.com/maia/estim.html

www.tascnetwork.net is the site of Dr. Karen Pape who is the inventor of this type of stimulation...

wishing you the best in your recovery,
-francine

Thank you Francine. We have tried e-stim. There is no response whatsoever in my arm. When they try it on my non-bpi arm it works great. We have tried all kinds of placement of the electrodes and nothing. But thanks anyway.

Kathy

Katy its all very intresting. Paul