United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My daughter Marissa received a brachial plexus injury during birth because my doctor pulled on her entirely too hard. This happened on 1-21-05. She has been going to Nemour's ever since she was about 2 weeks old. He said he thought he broke her collar bone. However he offered no compensation or anything. Marissa did not know that she had a left arm for the longest. God is good because she does not let anything stop her. Dr. Murray said that her nerve is stretched but not broken. We now go once a year and he was very pleased with her progress. Marissa goes to gymnastics twice a week and is now on the training team. I pray by fall she will be able to compete. If it wasn't for that weak arm she would be a powerhouse. There are days that i just cry and cry. She has come so far. I am grateful that she has not had to have surgery. I am glad that I finally found chat where i can talk about this. My husband is supportive but he acts as if it doesn't bother him anymore. As a mother I will never be over this and I have not had anymore children because of this. I will be praying for everyone.
Sherilonda

Hi and Welcome!

Hi, it is a truly terrifying thing we had to go through to give birth to our beautiful children. And of course something you would hope no other woman will have to go through. But we all survived it and I therefore hope that it would not put you off having more, 'what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger'. You are now armed with knowledge and can prevent it from happening again. I like many other people had never heard of this and was very unprepared. It is tragedy that this injury occurs today, and it astonishes me just how little awareness there is. And how could mother nature allow your body to create a baby that simply does not fit???

I to have my down days, but on the whole I have remained very positive about Jacob's recovery, and it sounds to me like your daughter is doing wonderfully, a girl you are undoubtedly very proud of and I have read many similar stories on this forum....this injury does not slow anybody down and that gives me great comfort.

This is a great place to come for advice, to have a rant and of course brag!!