United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

wow. You just blew me away sweetie. I can only hope Katie can do as well as you and Carrie and all the other kids. And I pray that since we found out and researched early that she won't quite feel like the only one in the world. That's what picnics are for guys--not just evaluations. Best of luck with that appointment. Now I gotta go cry for a few minutes.

Michele, great essay, you give a great insight into how you feel to be the one with the injury! Thank you I appreciate your perspective.

Good luck to you with your appointment in the future.

Great work,
lenni

Thanks so much for sharing your writing with us!! You sound like you've grown so much and become the kind of person who has been polished as a beautiful stone.
Keep up the writing maybe someday there will be a book in this!

T.

Michelle, wow...what an essay....I am so glad that you have found places that may be able to help you more...You are a remarkable young lady and seem like you have a lot you want to accomplish....that is great. My daughter is 3 years old. Thankyou for th insight. Good luck to you and let us know what happens with your appointment.

Love,
Tami Schenck

Michelle

You just tugged on every string in my heart... you said all the things I would love to have been able to share at your age...

Everything you said is so true and all the mixture of emotions are the same I had all those years ago...

I am so happy and think you are so together to share your feelings this way with your bpi community.
This essay show what life is like today for obpi teen and it was the same for many of the "older" adults as they went through school...

I have always said that OBPI made me strong and more creative and more caring and that was the gift of Erb's...
Now let me go get my tissues because you just touched my heart...
Kath

Wow Michelle! This is a wonderful piece. I'm at a loss for words right now... just read it. I am awestruck!

big hugs,
francine

Michelle,
What a beautiful essay!!!I'm so happy for you that you found a "second family" here.You must be thrilled about your upcoming appt.!!!Keep us posted and good luck!!
Felicia

"It just goes to show, childhood memories are they ones that stick for a lifetime".

"I was endlessly questioned about why my arm was shorted or why I couldn’t do what everyone else could do".

"therefore I spent more time looking in the mirror and more and more time looking at my arm".

"why it happened to me?"

"The fun drained right out of that holiday even more with every time I looked at a new picture. It hurt so much to look so different".


"I feel proud of myself though because I manage every day things that everyone else does with their two perfect arms and I have one and a half and I manage just as well".


"I would like my arm to be fixed but after meeting so many people with it and learning more about it, I am not sure if I would like to go through lengthy operations that would leave me with a straight arm and a lot of scars or forget the operation and keep my arm just the way it is".

"I feel it’s a part of me and if I didn’t see myself with my “bent” arm I wouldn’t be myself. It has been that way since I was born..."


These things you said are also absolutely and deeply mine. Thank you!

Michele,

Thank you for sharing this with us. I am sure your presentation will go very well! There is something that is very freeing about opening yourself up in this way. In many ways, I think it has a lot to do with how we accept ourselves. An affirmation of self, so to speak.
Let us know how it goes, ok?

Nancy