United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

This is my first post to the United Brachial Plexus Network so bear with me a little bit. A little background I was hurt in a skiing accident on January 11th 2011. I was hit from behind by a snow boarder who was screwing around. They tell me that people who saw the accident had to dig me out of the snow so I would not suffocate. The next thing I could remember was waking up in the hospital four days later. I had no idea what happened or why I couldn’t move my arm. The neurosurgeons in my area are the worst. I learned that I had a traumatic brachial plexus injury. Knowing that explained why my left arm and hand were paralyzed. I was immediately taken out of Scranton to Philadelphia where I would retrieve multiple treatments from the best that University of Pennsylvania could offer. The final hope I had was a muscle transplant that would maybe give some kind of elbow function.
After two more years of painstaking therapy I returned to the University of Pennsylvania to see what the surgeon had to offer. Dr. Levin was the head of orthopedics at Penn, he had just completed the first bi-lateral hand transplant. The skilled surgeon sat in front of me humbled. There was no hope of motion return to either the hand or arm. The hand I knew because the nerve root was pulled from the spine, but I always sometimes secretly held out hope that one day I’d be able to hug my mom with both arms again.
I had a life-changing decision to make at age 24. I chose to undergo surgery to have my arm amputated. I am now just over two months out of surgery and feeling better than I have since before the initial accident. People question the about the phantom limb pain. I tell them it feels no different than when I had the limb hanging from my body. Now I have more freedom and mobility. There is now many thing I can do and many I cannot. I’m not saying my choice is for everyone, but I am doing everything I can to help others going through similar situations.
I by no means gave up on the situation. I did what I could with the cards dealt to me. Just because the arm is gone I still frequent physical therapy and soon occupational therapy in hopes to learn to operate a prosthetic arm. My life after the injury is just beginning and I will not take life for grant it now knowing how fragile life really is.

I’m open to questions and sharing anything to anyone who wants to talk.
Thanks for reading,
Ryan Y.

I suggest that you look up Tim Farmer. He lives in Frankfort, KY. If you google him you will find his story. He was the former host of Kentucky Afield. His right arm and hand were paralyzed after a motorcycle accident. He hunts, fishes, and anything else he wants to do one handed.

Hi Ryan,
Did you choose amputation due to pain or issues w/ function? My bpi involves mult. avulsions & I have an ongoing problem w/ the pain even after 3 yrs. attempted spinal cord stimulator, DREZ Lesioning, meds, etc. I thought about amputation but the doctors are telling me it may not relieve the pain & prosthetics are difficult to fit when the amp is that high- at the shoulder. I would love to hear how you came to the decision to amputate. Thanks for your post.