My story
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:22 pm
I’ve only posted here once or twice, I mainly just lurk. I figured I would share my story so here it goes. Sorry so long.
My story starts out the morning of August 15 2006 when I managed to wrap my GSX-600R along with myself around a fence post. I didn’t seem too bad I was on the ground unable to lift my right arm ok I’m thinking everything else seems fine, broken arm no big deal. Turned out to be a compound fracture of right clavicle and a unknown injury to the brachial plexus.
All I can say is I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. But that’s not why I decided to post. I decided to post for those who are having a hard time and feel like this has taken control of there life somehow.
After my injury I was laid up for a month and returned to work mid September I ditched the sling, pain pills and started physical therapy by the end of September with range of motion stuff. I guess around December It was determined that my injury was more serious I hadn’t regained any function other than my hand really. EMG showed nothing to the upper trunk of the plexus C-5 and C-6 and some C-7 muscles . I was referred to Dr Matloub at Foedtert in Wisconsin. He and his team determined I needed surgery to explore the plexus and to repair the clavicle. Surgery was scheduled for March then June then May 15 on May 8th it was again changed to August. I kind of got mad. This time I guess I lost hope for a min or so then told myself I was on my own.
That’s when I decided I would either get it to work or I would rip it off. Not doing something wasn’t a option. I worked until I got it or it ached so bad I couldn’t stand it, then I iced, messaged and was at it again. I kept the same mentality up until surgery August 14th. By the middle of June I had regained approx 65-70% of my arm function.I was dribbling, and shooting a basketball, pushups, pull ups and anything else I wanted to do except hold my arm more and say 35-40deg straight out or to the side, I could lift it just not hold it. They figured I was just throwing it but when I could do it very controlled while lying down they figured the broken bone was why I couldnt do so against gravity.This was when I went to have a EMG done and have my current progress documented. Looked good, I was firing at all the muscles, the muscle fatigued very rapidly but all was working. Great news that meant it was healing and I would only need to have the bone repaired. Dr Matloub ask me the morning of the surgery what I wanted to do, he said we can explore since we’re cutting you anyway and if there is scare tissue we can remove it to help. I said well we have to do surgery so if it can make my recovery any faster than I think we should look at the nerves also.
I awoke and was doing great, when Dr Matloub come in to tell me the outcome all I could think was when can I start therapy. When he told me the nerves were avulsed it didn’t even click at first,we had all figured at this point it was scar tissue. He said C-5 and C-6 was avulsed and he had to do two nerve grafts. The moral of this is don’t let this stop you from anything you want to do, it’s a awful circumstance and one hell of a battle but its not the end of the world and shouldn’t hold you back. Now I have to wait until the 8th (hopefully) for the bone to heal so I can start all over…
Oh....In case your wondering how the muscles were working and my shoulder didnt sublex....At first it was....As I worked it the muscles and tendons strengthened and pulled it back in.....I dont have a clue and DR Matloubs team was all scratching there heads....They think it was C-7 and T-1 innervating.
My story starts out the morning of August 15 2006 when I managed to wrap my GSX-600R along with myself around a fence post. I didn’t seem too bad I was on the ground unable to lift my right arm ok I’m thinking everything else seems fine, broken arm no big deal. Turned out to be a compound fracture of right clavicle and a unknown injury to the brachial plexus.
All I can say is I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. But that’s not why I decided to post. I decided to post for those who are having a hard time and feel like this has taken control of there life somehow.
After my injury I was laid up for a month and returned to work mid September I ditched the sling, pain pills and started physical therapy by the end of September with range of motion stuff. I guess around December It was determined that my injury was more serious I hadn’t regained any function other than my hand really. EMG showed nothing to the upper trunk of the plexus C-5 and C-6 and some C-7 muscles . I was referred to Dr Matloub at Foedtert in Wisconsin. He and his team determined I needed surgery to explore the plexus and to repair the clavicle. Surgery was scheduled for March then June then May 15 on May 8th it was again changed to August. I kind of got mad. This time I guess I lost hope for a min or so then told myself I was on my own.
That’s when I decided I would either get it to work or I would rip it off. Not doing something wasn’t a option. I worked until I got it or it ached so bad I couldn’t stand it, then I iced, messaged and was at it again. I kept the same mentality up until surgery August 14th. By the middle of June I had regained approx 65-70% of my arm function.I was dribbling, and shooting a basketball, pushups, pull ups and anything else I wanted to do except hold my arm more and say 35-40deg straight out or to the side, I could lift it just not hold it. They figured I was just throwing it but when I could do it very controlled while lying down they figured the broken bone was why I couldnt do so against gravity.This was when I went to have a EMG done and have my current progress documented. Looked good, I was firing at all the muscles, the muscle fatigued very rapidly but all was working. Great news that meant it was healing and I would only need to have the bone repaired. Dr Matloub ask me the morning of the surgery what I wanted to do, he said we can explore since we’re cutting you anyway and if there is scare tissue we can remove it to help. I said well we have to do surgery so if it can make my recovery any faster than I think we should look at the nerves also.
I awoke and was doing great, when Dr Matloub come in to tell me the outcome all I could think was when can I start therapy. When he told me the nerves were avulsed it didn’t even click at first,we had all figured at this point it was scar tissue. He said C-5 and C-6 was avulsed and he had to do two nerve grafts. The moral of this is don’t let this stop you from anything you want to do, it’s a awful circumstance and one hell of a battle but its not the end of the world and shouldn’t hold you back. Now I have to wait until the 8th (hopefully) for the bone to heal so I can start all over…
Oh....In case your wondering how the muscles were working and my shoulder didnt sublex....At first it was....As I worked it the muscles and tendons strengthened and pulled it back in.....I dont have a clue and DR Matloubs team was all scratching there heads....They think it was C-7 and T-1 innervating.