United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

was in a rather nasty car accident about six months ago where I managed to completely remove the entire brachial plexus nerve roots from the spinal cord. i am currently trying to decide whether or not I should have my left arm amputated because mall of the doctors i have talked to said there is no hope of my arm ever working again. I am trying to gain as much information about the subject before I come to a complete decision. I am at the point where i have little hope that function will return, but I am only 23 years old. So I do not know if medical technology will be able to repair the damage at some point before I die. I think that removing my arm would increase the quality of my life, but I want to make an informed decision. If you know of anyone who has gone through a similar experience, I would like to get in touch with them to ask his/her opinion. Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear back from you soon.

Details of what happened are given below

I was driving my Dodge Ram SRT-10 and was at 155mph when the back end slipped out and I went careening through a ditch. I struck a tree somewhere b/w 90-120mph. I never lost conciousness, so I remember instantly not being able to move my arm. The seat belt had ripped me up, I sustainted a broken collar bone(crushed enough to pinch off the sbuclavean artery which had ruptured). When they repaired the artery, they called "the guy" in South Carolina to look at my nerves. The roots C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1 were completely removed from the spinal cord. The doctors noticed this while I was under during open heart surgery. About three weeks later when I went to the Charleston Hand Clinic to see the doctor, he informed me that there is no current way to reattach nerve roots to the spinal cord. So he said I will never use my arm again.

I havent seen any other doctors because the Navy will not refer me, so my insurance will nor pay for it.

My life situation is that I graduated from NCState with a chemical engineering degree in 2004, and then joined the Navy. I was in nuclear power school for the navy when the accident occurred. I am about 2-4 months from discharge, and I know that they will most likely pick up the tab for surgery.

The way I feel about my arm is that it is a pain in the butt. It just flops around and i feel like i cant do things as well since its in the way. I was a very active indidual, lifted weights daily, ran 4 miles, played every sport imaginable. I usually keep my dead arm in a sling, but the weight of it pulling down when i try to run or do other activities hurts. If I were to chop it off, it might make life easier and cause less shoulder strain.

I am also concerned about the well being of my dead arm. I hAave burned it, cut it, and probably done other things to it, bu i never notice until i see it. i try to be careful, but it still happens. I know this is a common thing for people with this type of injury, but it frightens me that something could go get infected or worse and I'd never know it.

I have adjusted really well to living with only one arm, the only thing i canot do is tie my shoes. Tyimg a tie is a pain, but I got it down. Things take a little longer, but thats life now.

The biggest fear I have at the moment is trying to find a job in the civilian world. All I have known is military life for 2 years, and I don't knkow what jobs are available for a one armed man. I guess i am going to try engineering, but if I get disability from the military, I may teach high school.

I'm just living right now waiting to move on with my life. I'm inCharleston, SC, but hope to move back home to Raleigh, NC in a few months.

I'd like to hear what people have to say about amputation and if its a good idea. I'm all about it, but I want to get as much information before I decide completely.

Hi Mike,
Sorry to hear about your terrible - you're right this injury does suck, but you appear to have a great attitude - good for you. My son Chase (age 7,LTBI), was injured in March 05 and had surgery in June and we are waiting to see what, if anything, comes back. I do know there are others on this forum who have completely avulsed all 5 nerves (and then some), and have had double muscle xfers to restore some function and sensation in the upper arm and some grasp reflex...Ellen? I do hope you get your questions answered and am thankful for you that you have a supportive mother - these s/injuries are very hard on us too!
Take care,
Lourdes

umm ok here's my take. take responsibilty for your actions (not saying you haven't) although i was unable to for a while(till recently). i am 21. i crashed on my 03 yamaha yzf r6 in oct of 03 going 80mph. i was wearing a sweater pair of pants and skate shoes. luckily i had bought a $500 helmet 4 days prior to my accident. i had/have always ridden motorcycles. i used all sorts of drugs to just not remember what happened to me. i lost a $4,000 a month business last year i built it from age 15. i got in debt $150,000.00 .you have been changed into a new person wether you accept it or not. there is nothing you can do about your arm not working right (i am in that same boat)? dude, it takes a lot of time to find new things that will drive you to live. yes, there may be a future surgery to have done. don't do it. be as natural as possible. if you would like to talk with me email me for my phone number. ryan

E-mail me Mike my name is Brandon Hubbard and I went through NNPS in 1995 I have a TRBPI 6 months old and am having surgery in 13 days I have 3of 5 nerves avulsed. I would like to hear from you. It is way t early to think about amputation.
Talk to soon
Brandon 31

Hi Mike

I read your answer to a post before and seams to me that you are a pretty smart guy and I think you have the attitud need it to re-adjust and have a shot at a quality life. It will take a little time but you will do it no dout and it will not be that different from the one you had before. Yes you might not be able to do, I am trying to think of something, but genaral speeking you will be able to do must of all the things you had done up to date but some of them probably different.

I had my accident 3 years (oct 26 2002) LBPI with avulsion of 4 roots and damage badly T1 when I was at your point I tought the same about amp and you are right the arm gets on the way but even with avulse nerves there are things that can be done and you still in good time to do them. Only with surgury you can tell if the nerves are avulse or not and in that process they can find other nerves as donors or you can even can get a muscle transfer to do some missing functions on your arm.

I did not do the amp and I got surgury, everthing was very mest up with my BP so they only had a chance to do basic repear but it is working. Every body is different and in some cases there is a lot more that could be done. Personaly I think before amp it will be important to try to get some funcions back and hope to get a good out come and then if it is not good enough then think about amp. I know "money is a big issue on this" but if you could find the way to get it cover (the navy should refer you because there are things that can be done) it will be worth it.

We will keep in touch
Fernando
I will send you some pics to try to help you see the thinks you can still do

Mike,

Tread lightly and take your time. I've heard of amputations that still leave you in ALOT of pain: Phanton limb pain. In many regions, like the Mayo clinic in MN, they replace nerves almost everyday. Really take the time to consider your options, and search them out.
From experience, try to get all you can have done while still in the service, if there is a quality hospital. MAKE SURE you get the service connection, you'll need the money. Then, although the VA will completely pay for your meds, they offer NO comprhensive medical treatment. Most VA hospitals are staffed with horrible doctors, so get the quality care for free if you can. Take care.

Hi Mike
6 months is a bit early to be talking amputation, the recovery period can be 2 years or more.
I do know what you mean tho, and after years of putting up with my flail arm I am now on the waiting list for amputation. I'm a very active person and do frequently cut, burn or just plain hurt the arm, I have no sensation in it at all and I think it's dangerous. I'd have done it years ago if I'd realised how much that dead weight hanging off my neck would cause trouble when I got older. But like I say-give your arm a bit longer, my bicep fired up again all by itself more than 2 years post accident, and despite the doctors saying no part of my arm would recover. The downside is that bicep on its own is as much good as a chocolate teapot......:0) For the record, not one person I know who amputated regretted it. The nerve pain will probably still continue but at least the dead weight's gone.
Try and see a bpi doctor if you can, there might be some options for you. Meanwhile good on you for adapting to one armed life, there really aren't many things you can't do as you are finding. Shoelaces are no exception, here are a couple of options http://www.tbpiukgroup.homestead.com/fi ... Handed.htm
http://www.geocities.com/paulo_go/pics.html
but I do mine a completely different way than either of these guys.
Take care, let us know how you're going:0)
Jen NZ

My son just had surgery 10/28.05. The Dr is expecting a full recovery and use of the arm again. Unlike most my son has suffered no pain He had his surgery in Houston with Dr. Nath. A expert in this field, of nerve tranfers. Please check his site out, and e-mail him and see what he has to say. You can see my son's story and a picture of the surgery at Dr Naths site click onto his web logs and look for 10 28,05 Good luck

Mike,
I am posting anonomously because I am the mother of a seven year old with a Right Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Injury due to the military at BIRTH !!!! The NAVY must refer you......even if the accident was your fault.....they must make sure you leave the military in the same condtion that you arrived. Or at least try to do so. I know that they want you to go military because they want to save money....they need to CHAMPUS YOU OUT there are no MILITARY Doctors that can help you....GUARANTEED they will tell you differently. Do not let the military touch you and do not let them amputate.....they tried to get me and my husband to have my son's arm amputated when he was 6 weeks old. I snapped. (MY HUSBAND WAS ACTIVE DUTY) They tried to get us to go military and I told them no way, they were the ones who hurt him. If the military cannot provide you with the medical they must champus you out. Call the Medical Liason in Washington D.C. if you feel uncomfortable, have a spouse or a family member, maybe mom or dad call. They must fix you. If you have any other questions, please feel free to post hear and I will respond. I cannot sign my name because I just don't feel comfortable at this point.

Mom of a Military Medical Mistake but love him none the less.
Where are you located ?

I just spoke to my husband and he suggested that someone in your family(SPOUSE, Mom, Dad) get ahold of the surgeon general in Wachington DC and the CNO(CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS) He said that is is true that they must make an attempt to restore you to full-pre-NAVY condition before discharge. You need to speak to a Chaplain O-5 or above because these are the one's that know the way around the system and would know the higher ups in the Medical Field. If they cannot help you at the military facility they MUST pay for you to go civilian to try and restore function. Also, he said that you should be able to get 80-100% disability for your injury and that would include insurance. It does not matter if the accident was your fault, you are government property and the government must fix you up before they can discharge you. Any other question, feel free to post here. My husband said too that if they have to send you civilian -out-of-state they have to provide you with TAD orders.