United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I just had the priviledge of joining this site. I am like a wild animal that has arrived. I know how raw pain we share...we all are different in how we handle it. I want to respect this knowledge. So, I will be myself and help with my 22 years of TBPI experience as the Grandmother on here, not unless another woman has had one longer. I would love to chat with her. I am a walking textbook on the subject of TBPI...always here to answer a question or chat sometime...I will caution you all...I am very positive and optomistic almost always...So I will write you these Inspirations...sharing parts of myself and my journey and together hopefully days for many will become brighter and contain a better quality of life in the mind, body, spirit... So here is the #1-Gratitude

How often do you sit and ponder what you have in your life? The good things? What you give energy to is what follows you...Taking stock of all the positive and even negative things can be blessing in disguise.
Your parents, friends, spouses, children,pastor,neigbour extended family, your transportation co ordinator, your doctor, physio, Let's not leave out Jesus or God, Bhuda, or Mohamid...it matters not who it is that you wish to praise...but most important that you do.

On a daily basis 100's of people prepare to do little and big things for us personally in our lives.
It is so important to acknowledge them.

Be grateful for the flower that blooms on the street corner, the sun upon your face and that you have the priviledge of living one more day

With Peace, Love & Light
Mardelle

Thank you for sharing your writing. I too am a Grandmother, but have been dealing with TBPI just a little over 14 months,not 22 yrs. Today was an especially awful day pain wise, so I just wanted to say thank you for sharing with us-me-on the boards. To me, it matters whom I praise, and whom I give feedback to...Today, I am pleased to give it to you dear lady cuz today I wanted to acknowledge you! Thank you again!

Greetings, Mardelle and Jannie,
All of my "grands" are all of UBPN's OBPI children and Siblings too as I have none of my own,but I am often a "bossy Gramma" to all the Mom's too on all of the message boards to take of themselves too. Do I have you beat on age, Mardelle?
HUgs all around to one and all,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/71

Hi Sweet Ladies...
It is like smelling a morning rose just after the sun has washed it's light's morning sun, to communicate and share all of my experiences. For the last 22 years...I have journeyed alone, with the complexities of this injury and all that must be managed. I had two ladies through a medical data base that the hospital located for me shortly after my accident. One lady did not want to communicate at all, the other lady we spoke for about 10 years. Then one day I called her and her mom said she went into a long term care facility. It broke my heart. After that time...I immersed myself in raising my three children and growing all the talents I had been given and maybe never used. The pain was accepted as something to endure. It is not who I am. But it is the fuel that drives all of my passions and productivity. Not exactly sure when it really happened. I have been busy...I have 100's of things that bring me joy. Just to mention a few. The morning sunrise, hummingbirds, birds singing, trees swaying,water trickling,children laughing, sun shining through the clouds, classical music, philosophy,research on various cultures and healing techniques. Laughter for myself. Pray. Powerful positive, productive thinking. Helping other, my favorite healing scents. Lavender, magnolia, lilles, roses, fressia, etc...My dog, my kids, my family, friends....Deep breathing, teaching myself how to knitt with one hand...I am doing it...love to give a lesson if anyone is interested I Thank God many times a day...I show Gratitude often to others.
Loving myself for who I am, and who I am not. Loving everyone the same as myself.
This is how I recycle my pain everyday. I do not dwell upon it. I do not speak about it. For my theroy is if you speak about anything, you give it greater power and life. My pain is concealed. People see me wince in pain with the shock waves, or a rub my arm...to make it stop...I refuse to isolate myself in society. I speak and walk, live with ability. Many cannot see my arm...for I am bigger that it's lifeless/waxy appearance.
If there is someone who is uncomfortable with my arm, I smile and keep communicating. It is there issue, not mine. I refuse to change who I am, for those that believe, those that are not of perfect form are different or not worthy or able.

It is impossible to completely control the pain ..but I am close. I have learned to stop taking all strong pain med's in 2002. I have managed by the grace of God to train my own brain to release endorphines to help control or ease it. Dr's are amazed. This is done through quick meditations, visualizations and very deep cleansing breathes all at the same time. My own little geni in a bottle
Write more ladies...I am so happy to meet you all...

With Peace, Love & Light
Big Hugs
Mardelle

Hi Carolyn...
I am not a Grandmother in the traditional sense with children, I had meant the age of my TBPI. How long have you had you TBPI?

Now, now Mardelle you know better than to ask a
lady her age?
Grandma Carolyn J(LOBPI/71) is the Grandma of
all HUGS and we all count on her for support and
positive reinforcement every time, all the time.
My only hope is that she receives it back ten fold.
Now then as for you...I just had the privilege of
joining this site. ???
Although this site has been a Godsend to so
many I'm not so sure it's a privilege? It's a club
nobody wants to join yet, we're so thankful we are
here and that it is here to catch us, lift us up and
carry us along.
You come in here like a breath of fresh air adding
winds to our sails as we journey together through
this imperfect storm.
Thank you and welcome.

Scott

Hi Scott,

I was going to stay out of this thread, but I just had to respond to your comment on Mardelle's saying it is a privilege to join this site. I am sure she will give some commentary of her own, but I have similar thoughts as she does about being part of the group. For me it has to do with how long I have been injured and how I view participating in the conversations.

As you know, I am over 23 years and have dealt with just about everything there is to with my arm and my main reason for being here is to help others move forward in a positive way by offering some insight and maybe a different outlook. So for that ability to offer insight others might appreciate and for them to listen to it and allow themselves to be open to it, I feel privileged to be part of that.

I hope this gives you some insight as to how one member of this club feels and is glad to be part of it.

Dan

By the way, when are we going to make your denim sling so you can get active?

Hi All!
The priveledge is all mine! Greetings and terms must not get broken down or feelings or emotions or joy of others be examined. My words are from my mind/heart/spirit...it is not up for debate, it's simply how it is. I do feel privleged to know you as people. If you only see yourselves as TBPI victims or injured, then I have a hell of a lot of work to do here on this site
So, I truly mean it...I am privleged to find all of you on my journey, for it has been a long and dark, and very lonely time. Where the internet did not exist and everyone had forgotten the hand I had been dealt. You can run from the TBPI...but you cannot hide...
So, to meet so many that share an additional common thread of this incredible reality is surreal to me. So yes, it is my privilege on this day and everyday...to walk with all of you...
The Website is nothing...with out your presence, patience,courage,need and desires, concerns and questions...we are always learning from one another on this unknown frontier of TBPI

With Peace, Light & Love
Mardelle

Thank you so much for that post. As I was having a bad day today. Sometimes I lose sight of my positive outlook, with God's help I always find it again. We are all here for a reason. You are an angel. It is so comforting to know that there are people out there that are the same as you. Thanks again!

God Bless You All!
Leah

Hi Dan...

Another Warrior of the passage of time with a TBPI...
It's nice to read your words on this day and I look forward to swapping notes along the way...
What do we do with all of this information? Hmmm any ideas out there?

With Peace, Light & Love
Mardelle