United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I only recently discovered UBPN.org and I really hope that I can find some answers or help here because I'm finding myself lost.

First a little about me:
I have left arm BPI from birth as well as damage to my left wrist due to an amniotic band. I have had surgery on my shoulder but I'm not sure what it was called, I was 8 at the time. And my amniotic band was removed in two surgeries at 2 and 3 years old. All my medical records from 15yrs and younger have been lost/destroyed.

Now I am 23- almost 24years old and am experiencing horrible pain in my left arm in various places, an intense falling sensation like my arm is being ripped from my body. And what is worse is my right (unaffected) arm is beginning to feel strained and I've developed carpal tunnel in my right wrist/hand.

I recently had a baby and I don't think I've ever been so depressed about my BPI as when I go to walk her around holding her to my chest and can't because it hurts my arm so much to do so.

I tried applying for SSD recently and I have been denied.

I haven't been seen or treated in concern with my BPI since I was 8 years old. My mother was young and ignorant in terms of how to go about my medical needs so I simply was raised without much treatment. (Aside from the shoulder surgery at 8 on some tendons I have not been treated for my bpi at all.) I saw a doctor recently who told me I should have had it repaired at 6months old and there's nothing he can help me with.

Right now I am feeling very low and down. I feel like I don't matter, and a bad mother because I didn't realize before I had my daughter that my injury will effect her life as well, and any other children I may have in the future. And soon I will not have any medical insurance to cover any treatment.

I'm not sure where to go from here. Can anyone give me advice? Any affordable lawyers in Oklahoma (currently I am in Pennsylvania but will be moving soon.) that can help me handle SSD? And does anyone know of any baby carriers or slings that are easier to use with BPI?

Thank you.

First of all you are NOT a bad mother or person because you need to do things differently. if you didn't matter, what would your child do without you?

have you tried water exercises? that is the only thing that helped my pain. and it is a proven fact that water exercise does decrease pain. don't have access to a pool? use the bathtub. don't have access to a bathtub? fill the kitchen sink. you can always find water to exercise in.

how did your medical records get destroyed? I thought medical records were duplicated or backed up somewhere.

hope you are feeling better soon.

Ouch
Time to punt ,
Going for SSD is tough , When I applyied, Having my birth erb record from the 50s , I could never get when I applyied . So I just used a doctore who stated it was erbs. I had no record other than 2 doctor sighting my birth erbs.
SSD lawyers are need in a appeal, and are not payied up front, only if you win they get a set amount base on SSD guide lines. hope this help?????
Tom

Thank you both for replying.

@Jmar The hospital I was born in burned down and what records were left were transferred to a different hospital, that hospital destroys records after 21years, or so I have been told by them. My mother lost what records she had. I have not tried water exercises so thank you for mentioning it I am looking forward to trying it.

@Tom thanks, yes you did help. I appreciate it.

As an update, I just started on flexeril, a muscle relaxer, to help me sleep and Celexa to help with anxiety and depression. I'm still in a lot of pain but I'm feeling much more optimistic. I'm going to look for a lawyer today. Wish me luck!

Oh Hugs,
I truly do not no which is worse the limitation we try to adapt to , are way or the emotional harm doing so trying
I have had two, Discrimination cases in my life time and a Wc case that left me Rip up in my only good arm driving a semi injury after 25 years doing so with birth erbs and ending up PTD by WC
I hope this may help you and other facing Social Security disability when you find yourself with limitation in both arms No matter how this happen
A case to claim when you end up with limitation in both arms
I filed my case on line with SSD , what I state to them the limitation Of both arms by medical record and current doctors finding. The current doctors finding count more than very limited past record. It end up, I did it on line to apply for and face to face with a SSD rep.
I won without a lawyer or having a appeal :shock
Record did speak louder than my grammar issues
In are life tenacity to try , well it way better than despair
There is us with compassion to post to support others here and trying to give other a possible direction to try base on are life trying our way And there there is camp which I hope you do in the future There post and there is help in person at camp I am still trying to figure out going to camp 2015??? To
You are doing Great, !!! Despair ends when trying begins remembering what you did find your way in adapting , counts!!!
Did this help??? Fact is a lot of people are denied base on limitation in one arm by post, When there is record of issues in limitation in both arms and current record, Than being mess up count more in filing a SSD case when both arms have issues
What I did learn in life and emotional harm, I never could be in despair when I tried to adapt in life, The value in trying is when I Did not care about outcome in doing so?? strange?? Emotional trying is better than self doubt in trying and the despair of not trying At 62 , really it more about trying than not in life, we Never ever lose by trying
It is far better to try than give up. The regret and despair really comes from lack of direction I was always am less depress in trying , If you can get past outcome in try??????
I hope this help and made sense???
Tenacity is us trying-!!
No Kidding, It tough being us! Hugs
Tom