my daughter has Brachial Plexus
Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2002 9:38 pm
I just returned home from Children's Mercy Hospital in KC MO. What a wonderful place.
Eight and a half years ago, I gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl in the world. She was perfect, at least to me. It was a looooong labor and a very difficult delivery. Stephie got stuck in the birth canal and the doctor paniced. To make a long story short, the nurce pulled on Stephie's head and she was born with a lame left arm. It took almost6 months for her to gain use of her arm. Over time, I started noticing that it was not developing correctly. I was told by doctors that physical therapy would not help or be of "any benefit". Now at the age of 8, I have finally found an answer and people willing to speak about it. She is going in in about a month to have injections to paralyze the 4 major muscles in her arm, if this has any good results then there will be surgery. And a lot of occupational therapy.
As a mother, I tell everyone, if the labor doesn't feel right, speak up. You know what is going on in your body. If they had listened to me, I would have had a C-section and this would not have happened. Stephie was a gray baby when she was born, and had to be brought back. She lived through 4 or 5 month worth of pure pain. I still have a lot of angry over this whole thing.
As far as other children's reaction, Stephie has been very lucky. Her wonderful personality and her "nothing is going to stop me" attitude wins people over, before they have a chance to notice that her arm doesn't straighten completely. Then by the time they do, they are already her friend, and it doesn't matter.
But the reason I am writing is to find out if anyone has had the injections and the surgery. And to find out what I need to do to prepare her for it.
Thank you for letting me share my story and vent a little. JA
Eight and a half years ago, I gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl in the world. She was perfect, at least to me. It was a looooong labor and a very difficult delivery. Stephie got stuck in the birth canal and the doctor paniced. To make a long story short, the nurce pulled on Stephie's head and she was born with a lame left arm. It took almost6 months for her to gain use of her arm. Over time, I started noticing that it was not developing correctly. I was told by doctors that physical therapy would not help or be of "any benefit". Now at the age of 8, I have finally found an answer and people willing to speak about it. She is going in in about a month to have injections to paralyze the 4 major muscles in her arm, if this has any good results then there will be surgery. And a lot of occupational therapy.
As a mother, I tell everyone, if the labor doesn't feel right, speak up. You know what is going on in your body. If they had listened to me, I would have had a C-section and this would not have happened. Stephie was a gray baby when she was born, and had to be brought back. She lived through 4 or 5 month worth of pure pain. I still have a lot of angry over this whole thing.
As far as other children's reaction, Stephie has been very lucky. Her wonderful personality and her "nothing is going to stop me" attitude wins people over, before they have a chance to notice that her arm doesn't straighten completely. Then by the time they do, they are already her friend, and it doesn't matter.
But the reason I am writing is to find out if anyone has had the injections and the surgery. And to find out what I need to do to prepare her for it.
Thank you for letting me share my story and vent a little. JA