United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I'M A 58 YO NURSE WHO UNDERWENT A TRANSAXILLARY RIB RESECTION 2/03 AND ENDED UP WITH A USELESS DOMINANT RIGHT HAND. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I CANNOT PRACTICE NURSING ANY LONGER AND AM ON DISABILITY. I HAVE BEEN TO MAYO CLINIC, THEY CONFIRM TOTAL NEURO LOSS IN HAND AND PARTIAL ULNAR TRACT IN ARM. THEY WANT TO DO TENDON TRANSFERS TO RESTORE SOME FUNCTION, BUT STATE FLATELY I WILL NEVER HAVE FINE MOTOR SKILLS AND MUST LEARN TO BE A LEFTY. HAS ANYONE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH TENDON TRANSFERS. AT MY AGE TWO OR THREE YEARS OF REHAB AND RESTRICTION SOUNDS AWFUL. I HAVE ADAPTED FAIRLY WELL AT THIS POINT, THOUGH DEPRESSION IS SEVERE...ANY COMMENTS?

Hi! I will say that one thing you have to remember is that what works good for me might not be best for you or visa versa. I had a nerve graph 9 months after my accident and just two weeks ago had a nerve transfer done. I am 23 and my accident was 2.5 years a go. I know that my hand/ arm will never be 100% and I know that, but I will do ANYTHING for a chance at getting it even functional. I have been in a sling all this time and have addapted well myself but I want to use my arm! I have hand function, weak but it is there, but I want more! I know in my head that it will never be "normal" but I want out of this sling and fuctional use back too! I think that surgery is a personal decision that only you can make for yourself. Allison d who posts here is not having surgery for her own reasons, which are very good! Jen or Liz, sry guy cant remember who, has not had surgery and they are good with that too. It really is a personal choice. Talk with you doctor and see what the outcome will be. Good luck and keep us posted.
Courtney

Crystal,
Would you pay $5,000 to have partial use of your hand back? If you could use it for another 20 or 30 years? This is one fools opinion, but I think the question is "what is it worth to you?" To get some function of your hand back. I don't feel that your age should influence your decision. And I also feel that three years are going to pass, therapy or not. You sound like a person who has a lot to offer still, but who is frozen by the fear that has hit each one of us at some point. I hope you find your answers here on the message board. And depression sucks, do what ever it takes to get past it. Good luck, and keep fighting the good fight. Chow, Karl.

Courtney's quite right, some people would literally give anything for more function, some adapt quickly to one handed life and don't want to chase a cure, some regard the no surgery (or no more surgery in some cases) option as 'giving up', some reagard it as 'acceptance'. It's whatever YOUR gut feeling is. At least be grateful that your doctors are being up front about the likely end result, some doctors tell patients what new movement they might gain, without mentioning that it's not likely to be functional.

I chose no surgery, I was in the UK so it would not have cost anything, it was purely my choice based on the possible risks and my feelings at the time. I've never regretted it and consider myself totally recovered, my flail right arm is useless but it does not affect any aspect of my daily life very much, although I am now planning amputation which may help with neck problems. I have never pursued any secondary surgery for the reasons you give-I am not prepared to undergo the procedure and possible immobility etc to gain something I have lived without perfectly happily for 23 years. Wearing glasses is a bigger disability to me, especially when I lose them :0)
I'm sorry to hear about the depression, I think we all go there to a greater or lesser extent. It might be a good idea to ask your doctor about this, there is no need to suffer needlessly. Take care and all the best with your decision, do what you feel will help YOU in your life. Jen NZ

IN MY CASE IT IS NOT A FINANCIAL MATTER, MY DEDUCTIBLE IS ONLY $250, IT IS THEE PAIN AND REHAB TAKING UP WHAT MIGHT BE THE BEST OF MY LAST YEARS. ALSO SOME FEAR, I ENDED UP WITH A DEAD HAND THANKS TO A COCKY SURGEON, I GUESS I AM AFFRAID, AND NO AMOUNT OF LEGAL SETTLEMENT WILL GIVE ME BACK MY DOMINANT HAND. THE POST OP PAIN WAS WORSE THAN A MONTH IN HELL AS I CAN IMAGINE IT. NOW THAT IT IS FAIRLY CONTROLLED THE DOUBTS KEEP PLAGUEING ME...CRYSTALMAC

Hi,

My dad just had a 18cm nerve graph. He is in great pain for the first few days, hallucination and vomitting after the operation. The doc say it is the side effect of pain relief. Now they lesson the pain relief and give him anti-vomitting medicine, he manage to eat some food and also no more hallucination but the pain is still there... The one that he has been feeling before the operation is back but instead of the whole hand to the finger tip, it started from approx. 5cm from the wrist. Consultants say it will always be there but medical officer say it will goes off.

I'm in so much doudt... if the pain is permanently there, why the affected area shorten?

I'm wondering anyone here who did a nerve graph and also feel the pain before the operation and still do after the operation or totally not pain anymore.

Also, has anyone who does a nerve graph successfully and don't feel the pain after.

My dad had an accident (C6 & C7)

Please advise. I'm so worry coz my dad is very depress too.

Hwee,

My son had the same symptoms as your dad after surgery (hallocinations & nausea), & we discovered that he doesn't tolerate the "codone" medicines well - in this case, it was oxycodone. Ultram worked very well instead, so your father might want to try that for pain.

We're six months after the nerve graft surgery, and the pain levels have definitely gone down. John was able to cut out completely the amitriptyline, and is on half the original amount of neurontin. He's still taking the original dosage of topomax (200 mg/day). He thinks the pain has gone down due to the nerve growth from surgery (he had all five nerves avulsed, but now can move his arm & just barely wiggle his fingers) - but thinks the diminished pain is also due to having developed better coping skills. His accident was in Nov '02.

Good luck with your father. It will get better.

Ellen

Hi Ellen,

Thanks for the advise. I will check with the doc.

May I know how long is the nerve graft your son had? The doc told me that my dad won't be able to restore back his fingers functions but if there is hope out there, I would still want to give whatever theraphy that can help him preserve the fingers till the nerve growth.

Your message gave me hope and I really hope that my father's whole hand plus function can be restore.


Regards,
Hwee Yong