BPI recovery
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 11:52 am
This site is wonderful!! I wanted to post my story to give encouragement to all of you. So here is my story.
A little over 3 years ago while horsebackriding I baled off of the horse catching my arm in a 4" gap in the wall of the arena. My humerous broke in half to release my arm from the wall. My arm was very distorted but I had no pain initially for about 3 hours. I went through 3 orthopedic surgeons before someone would fix my fractured arm. At that time I didn't know I had a BPI, just thought my arm didn't work because it was broke in half. After 4 days final had surgery where they put an rod down my humerous and screws on each end. I could move my fingers a little but nothing with my arm, shoulder or scapula. The pain was terrible. I was a nurse in intensive care and I was electively terminated because I failed to return to work. You can't work as a nurse with 1 arm! EMG showed BPI close to the spine but it was not a complete tear. I was told I would not get the complete function of my arm back and may need surgery. After 4 months with muscle atrophy in my arm, shoulder and scapula I went to an chiropractor basically for pain relief. He did acupuncture (about 15 to 20 needles) and electrical stimulation to work the muscles past the injury site. It was amazing, I could actually see and feel my arm muscles moving, expecially my fingers, they would jump. The electrical stimulation would cause nerve stimulation past my injury site plus aid in stimulating my nerve to regenerate properly. The pain relief was great!
So I would go to physical therapy after that for range of motion, which I could not do. I did this about 3 or 4 times a week. The progress was slow but I have a extremely good recovery. I have full range of motion with good strength. I still have numbness in my forearm from a radial nerve injury at the fracture site. My fracture took over a year before it started to heal. I used a bone stimulator to increase blood flow to the area of the fracture. My heart goes out to all of you with BPI and I wish everyone would have the recovery that I have had. Please do not give up. After over 3 years I am returning to work as a nurse in open heart intensive care. I start in February and I am so excited. Also, I did get social security disablity and I did not use a lawyer!
If I can help in any way please let me know!
Also, prayer helped greatly, without God nothing is possible. I will pray for all of you.
Gena
A little over 3 years ago while horsebackriding I baled off of the horse catching my arm in a 4" gap in the wall of the arena. My humerous broke in half to release my arm from the wall. My arm was very distorted but I had no pain initially for about 3 hours. I went through 3 orthopedic surgeons before someone would fix my fractured arm. At that time I didn't know I had a BPI, just thought my arm didn't work because it was broke in half. After 4 days final had surgery where they put an rod down my humerous and screws on each end. I could move my fingers a little but nothing with my arm, shoulder or scapula. The pain was terrible. I was a nurse in intensive care and I was electively terminated because I failed to return to work. You can't work as a nurse with 1 arm! EMG showed BPI close to the spine but it was not a complete tear. I was told I would not get the complete function of my arm back and may need surgery. After 4 months with muscle atrophy in my arm, shoulder and scapula I went to an chiropractor basically for pain relief. He did acupuncture (about 15 to 20 needles) and electrical stimulation to work the muscles past the injury site. It was amazing, I could actually see and feel my arm muscles moving, expecially my fingers, they would jump. The electrical stimulation would cause nerve stimulation past my injury site plus aid in stimulating my nerve to regenerate properly. The pain relief was great!
So I would go to physical therapy after that for range of motion, which I could not do. I did this about 3 or 4 times a week. The progress was slow but I have a extremely good recovery. I have full range of motion with good strength. I still have numbness in my forearm from a radial nerve injury at the fracture site. My fracture took over a year before it started to heal. I used a bone stimulator to increase blood flow to the area of the fracture. My heart goes out to all of you with BPI and I wish everyone would have the recovery that I have had. Please do not give up. After over 3 years I am returning to work as a nurse in open heart intensive care. I start in February and I am so excited. Also, I did get social security disablity and I did not use a lawyer!
If I can help in any way please let me know!
Also, prayer helped greatly, without God nothing is possible. I will pray for all of you.
Gena