United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Aloha Everybody- Oh Holy Coconuts I wish it was like gnarly hot temps outside. Dude - man, to be basking in the sun on the beach, freshly "leied" off the plane with the smell of pineapple mixed with cocobutter in the air and some frozen concoction crowned with colorful paper umbrella in hand, when Tattoo yells "De plane, de plane Boss" and smiling hula girls point me towards the tiki huts - SUSAN WAKE UP! 1 2 3 NOW OPEN YOUR EYES. THE MORPHINE IS WEaring off. You're operation is over.

Okay everyone-
I'm fresh out of the operation room. Now home with staples, stitches, body glue and more pain meds. I need help from all post ops out there with helpful suggestions for post op condition, i.e personal hygiene, itchyness, arm confindment. If any of you have good tips you found out by trail and error, I would love to benefit from you're professional experience. Any advice wll be appreciated.
THANX LOVE SUSAN

Hey Susan

I can't help you there but I love your sense of humour. How do you do it? Pass it onto me will you? Welcome back!
Love, Karen

Susan,
I know that I am behind here, but what did you have done? Thanks!
Courtney

O.K. I read old posts and have found out whats going on here, sorry! Susan I had a nerve graph done as well about 2 years ago. I have a "L" scar on my neck and a 3inch line on my ankle. I had no stitches on the outside of my body, only the inside.

As for your questions...showing was BAD at first for me as I could get NOTHING wet for 2 weeks! I had my little bro put braids in my hair and then put them in a ponytail that I wore for the two weeks so that the grease wasnt so noticable! hahaha Baby wipes are a god sent! Theycan wash your face, remove makeup if you wear it, as well as your personal areas! Itchiness....my incision started to itch about a week after surgery, just lightly tap on it. That really worked for me and it did not irritate the skin or the incision. The little thing on my ankle never really bothered me at all. At this time I was still wearing a sling so the arm confindment wasnt any different for me. Wear the sling! I Did wear it at night for a few weeks! Pillows under the arm to keep it level with your body helps alot! I ha ve a keyloid on the scar on my neck from trying to be to active to early! Dont turn your head to much to soon, you want the incison to remain closed!!

What did hte doctors find in there? How long did the surgery end up taking? How are your incisions and where are the stapples, glue, stitches?

Good luck for a speedy recovery and I Hope this has helped! ANy questions, ask away! (courtney@ubpn.org)

Courtney xoxo

Hey Courtney
I'll try to answer some of your questions. The operation took 9 1/2 hrs. They found that I avulsed C5-C8. They wouldn't touch T1 because I don't have Horner's and they didn't want to knock some thread loose and cause the paralysis of my face/eye lid. Dr. Belzburg then took three intercostal nerves (from between my left ribs) and ran them up thru my armpit and attached them to the nerves of my left arm and shoulder muscles. The incisions starts under my left breast directly under the nipple line then runs around my breast on the outside then up across my pec to my clavicle stopping there between my shoulder and neck. This incision is stapled and along with my dyed pumpkin orange hair (which I cut real short), were my only Halloween costume. I Also have an incision which goes across the top of my shoulder basically running above my clavicle. This incision is glued. I have one more incision underneath my arm that runs basically from the elbow to the armpit. This one is stitched up and I think they also took a nerve from there also. Dr.B has me in this sling that ties my arm across my body to prevent movement at the shoulder or elbow. It's really important that my armpit stay closed seeing as this is where the graft nerves from my ribs run thru. They also used my Phernic nerve which controls my diaphram, so besides being sore as hell, I also can't breath that well and my voice volume has decreased by a lot. I'm right out of surgery, so i still have a lot of healing to do. At some point soon, I have to get the staples taken out which I'm not looking forward to. I'm not sure how many there are, but will be interested to find out. I'm also a little worried that I will lose sensation in my left breast which the doc said is possible, I truly hope not. I'm only 29 and my boyfriend has always said I have the nicest breasts he's ever seen. It just makes me cry to think too much about it. There's a lot of grieving in this adventure of BPI life. I'm supposed to keep the sling on for 6 weeks to three months I think. At least my next appointment with Belzberg is in three months and after that intensive physical therapy. Thus, this leads to my inquery about post-op selfcare tips. I cut all my hair off on purpose, hopefully I can find a way to wash it soon without getting the incisions wet or hurting myself or the grafts by getting in the wrong body position. As for the rest of my, I'm just going to have to forget I have a left arm for a while and do the best i can with the rest. I wish it was warm out and I could just be hosed off. I'll just see what happens, and if I stink, oh well, at least I'm a nice person. I'ld rather stink on the outside then inside. This accident didn't steal my soul altho it has broken my heart. Things should mend in time.
Thank everyone for caring so much and I sending their positive vibes my way. I hope I answered your questions Courtney!
THANX LOVE SUSAN

Susan~
I cried reading you note to us. You are so strong. I had my explor. surgery to find c5,6 and 7 out. I have the beautifil "L" scare on my left side of my neck. And the scare on my right ankle from the nerve transplant, which didn't work. I remember on the plane ride home that my ankle felt like it was bleeding but it wasn't. As for the lovely smell your going to have in a few days, I found that baby wash was gentle on my skin and it smells good. I use a sponge and just wiped REALLY gentle to try to clean the lovely yellow/orange color off my neck and out of my ears. As far as the under the arm thing, good luck and use body spray! (hee) I had to leave my arm to my side for awhile to let the nerve transplant heel. I sat in the bath tub with water up to my waist and hung my right leg out, my mom had to wash me. I remember sitting on the toliet crying as she dried me, but its the worst in the beginning. It can only get better. Give me your address I want to send you some "Bath and Body" stuff, smelling good makes you feel alittle better. The tiching is the worst. It itches but you can't stratch it. And even when I could it felt like it was inside and itching didn't help. I would just rub (not scratch) when it was more heeled. I slept on the couch because I could prop myself up, notice how it kills to sit up from laying down position? And the side of the couch kept my arm in place while I slept and I never could roll over. Gosh, its all coming back. Please give me your address, letters and gifts makes things just alittle bit better. I'll be thinking of you....
Kath

Kath
Hey just e-mail me or give me your e-mail address and
I'll send you my home address. When I went to your profile, there was no e-mail address. It is such a hard and sad time.
THANX LOVE SUSAN

Hey Susan!!
Listen to you--in a few weeks you have become an expert in BPI--you are even speaking "medicalese"--I am VERY impressed, not only with your knowledge, but moreso with your spirit--the very depressed "Punchy Sue" has given way to a very wise, funny, spiritual Susan--good for you!! We are all soooo proud of you!! Now to your bathing queries--I know David had his arm plastered to his side for six weeks about 8 years ago for rotator cuff surgery---he kinda hung that side out of the bath to not get it we while the stapels were in---by the way, they don't hurt coming out--the staples--I have had 2 c-sections and exploratory abdominal surgery--the staple removal was the EASY part!! So don't fret over that----shower-wise--probably fitting your shower/bath with a hand held shower head is the best thing to do--then you can direct the water where you need it!! maybe get a shower chair too--Walmart, medical supply stores have them--or you could just use opne of those plastic lawn chairsin the tub--seriously!!!!! Hair washing----we use a rinseless shampoo on our bedbound hospice patients that works really good--no drips!! email me your address, I will confiscate a bottle and send it to you!!! Don't attempt a shower alone until you get over the anesthesia(may take a week!), are stronger, and more balanced with your arm in the sling contraption, ok?? even if someone is just there in the room while you shower yourself, just in case....ok???(now the Mom and Nurse is coming out in me!) Alright Kiddo--will go for now--email me at ds33@intergate.com when you have time with your address!!! MUCH hugs and love~~~Suzie~~~~

Hey Kath-
I was rereading this post and realized I gave you the wrong e-mail address for me. It is:
Sorry about that, I've been a little low on brain juice after this surgery. It takes a lot out of you!
Suzie, I hope you recieved my e-mail about my mistake. Take care.
LOVE SUSAN