United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

any stories to share of nerve repair after time without surgery? - this would encourage me to be hopeful about my own recent injury

Athany is 3 1/2 and has a ROBPI. He didn't have movement in the affected arm until he was 3 months old. At 7 weeks we began therapy both PT & OT twice weekly and have continued till now. Fortunately he didn't have to have any surgery on his nerve. But what we didn't know was because of the damage to his nerve early on and the lack of usage to his affected arm as a infant he now has completely dislocated and he has severe muscle damage. We now have to have surgery to repair both. I know my sons case is slightly different from yours but I hope this helps. Please if you can do anything for yourself do your research! I wish I would have known early on everything I do now! Look into all of your options and see what works for you. In our case it was therapy!!! It gets better! Many prayers! Daisy

I would suggest you post on the TBPI board as well. There you may get more answers as it is more specific for people who were injured later in life by trauma.

Good luck!

Marieke 33, LOBPI

Hello Kathryn. I usually reply to the traumatic forum, but saw your post here. I was injured almost six months ago. I have gone from having a mostly paralyzed arm (excluding the hand) to regaining quite a bit of function back. I went to the Mayo just recently and was told to wait longer, as I seemed to be healing nicely. If you would like to talk more please email me. JJ

I was born with BP from a 24 hour delivery (during the national blackout of 1965). I had surgery when I was in the 7th grade, I'm 43 now. I had an excellent Dr. He was the Red Sox physician at the time. He did surgery to my right shoulder to strengthen the nerves and muscles. I had to wear a 90lb statue of liberty brace.....what a disaster that thing was. People would approch me and ask me all kinds of silly questions, most thought I was involved in a skiing accident. After the surgery I did go for PT. My arm did get stronger than before the surgery and I can lift it a bit higher. The best therapy was bowling with my bad arm using 9-10 pound bowling balls.

Kathryn,
Recovery with our without surgery would depend on the amount of damage to the nerves. Dustin has a severe stretch. The only surgery he had was to remove scar tissue. He has some limited use of his arm now. Actually with a little manuvering he was able to use his affected arm to get a plate off the second shelf of the cupboard this week. His injury is over 3 yrs old. I don't know if you have any movement in the injured arm or have had an EMG. I would strongly suggest seeing a BPI specialist so that you would know the full extent of the damage and whether or not surgery may help. With Dustin they kept seeing improvement so we played the "wait" game. He continues to see improvement at this late date.
Sue

> any stories to share of nerve repair after time
> without surgery? - this would encourage me to be
> hopeful about my own recent injury

My original injury impacted the index finger and thumb of my right hand. The surgeons said I would never regain any use without surgery, but there was no guarantee it would work even then. I worked on it dally for a number of years, and eventually, my index finger returned on its own. My thumb came back - almost, but not good enough to really be much use. I can move it, but I have no strength in it. SO, it can work-. But this was only two fingers I was worried about at the time. Not my entire arm- as it is now with the later loss of my long thoracic nerve.