United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi all! I'm brand new to these forums, but not at all new to the injury. I cant believe I never thought of hitting up Google for a BPI forum. Before I signed up on this forum, I did a little reading and have found that I am lucky to have only lost the use of my left hand. Long story short...Seven years ago I had a near fatal single car accident. First of all, I'm lucky I only lost the use of my left hand, and even more lucky I'm still alive to tell my story. I only stretched my brachial plexus but still have only regained a twitch in my ring finger. My arm works fine, but atrophy is clear in my bicep and forearm. My arm isn't as strong as it was before but I do have full range of motion. Early in my injury, I had no flex in my bicep, and left pectoral. I had no feeling in my entire arm from my shoulder down. I was told that I would never regain the use of my fingers and that I would probably be left without feeling as well. Its been seven years, August 20th, and I have regained most feeling. I just learned of the surgery available and hope its not too late to try. Its hard to imagine having the use of my fingers again after all these years. I have learned to deal with pain. Its all day everyday, and severe spikes of pain numerous times a day. I had no idea, being a man, that this pain could compete with child birth. But I can tell you that it sucks being on this end of it. That's fo sho!

Any way, I am remaining optimistic that maybe some type of surgery could work in regaining some use. Its a dream of mine to play my bass guitar with my fingers again.

I know I have already written a lot, but I would like to share my story as a musician and hope to inspire someone here with TBPI to keep on keepin on.

I play the bass guitar with a paralyzed left hand. A stretched brachial plexus nerve from a severe car accident caused my fingers on my left hand to be paralyzed. I played bass guitar for 13 years at the time of my accident and just ordered my first 6 string bass online which came in while I was still in intensive care.

A friend of mine had a dream of me playing with the bass in my lap and wearing a slide on one of my fingers. I immediately went to Norman Music and picked up a slide for my pinky finger. I started teaching myself to play again and it sounded like crap. I practiced daily for at least 3 hours each day. I gradually got better and better as time went on. A few months later I was back in the band. Now I believe I am better than I ever was. 20 years of bass playin under my belt and 7 years of that with paralyzed fingers on my left hand.

As bass players, our fingers and our ears are very important. If you lose one or the other, or both, and you have a GREAT amount of compassion for playing, you WILL play again. Just don't ever give up on yourself or your capability to improvise, overcome, and adapt.

My story isn't just for bass players or musicians. If you loved doing something that you cant quite do the same as before, its okay, find a new way. That's most of the fun in it anyway; finding a new way to get something done can be quite a lot of fun. Its all about the attitude in which you face the challenge.

Okay, I will stop now. I hope to get to know some of you here and sharing some more.

-Shane

Dude, you rock! literally. I have been lucky enough to regain quite a bit from a stretch injury. But my compassion for those who aren't so lucky it strong. I am amazed at the strength of people who adapt so well, because the dark side looms closely when your world is torn. Thanks for inspiring, very nice to hear. Do you have any mp3's posted anywhere for listening? JJ

Wow! Such a great story Thank You!
Keep playing, it is such a blessing to know that you have found a new way to celebrate your gift of Bass playing..
With Peace & Light
Mardelle

Thanks JJ! The ability to adapt is in everyone, they just have to surround themselves with people who believe in them. But most importantly, they have to believe in themselves. Trust me, it wasn't easy to reteach myself how to play the bass, but it was very important to me, so I pushed on even when I thought it was impossible. Simple things, like tying my shoes, buttoning my shirt, putting a sandwich in a sandwich bag, these are all things that have to be relearned in different ways. You have two choices. First: Sit and do nothing about it. Feel sorry for yourself and let yourself go through that quick downward spiral of depression. Or second: Deal with it. Move on with life because life isn't going to slow down to accommodate any type of injury or even death. I know its hard and it sucks. But, this is what makes us even more unique. The fact that we can move on and adapt. The fact that we can do things that people told us we would never do again. I love it when I'm told I cant do something due to my injury. It only gives me more drive to figure out how I can just to show them up.

Sorry, I tend to carry on in just about anything I talk about lol.

I don't have any mp3's posted. I don't have any way to record at this time. I guess I could have my sound man record some stuff for me. In fact, I think I will have him do that. Thanks for putting the idea in my head JJ. I will keep you posted.

-Shane

Right on! That's how I look at it. You gotta accept what you have and move on. Got too much livin' to do. I used to play the flute. Give me 10-20 yrs to figure out how to play it again and we can start a band, lol...

Hey Shane,
Well I feel the same as you. I had a motorcycle accident that caused the loss of use in my left arm. Had the surgery but havent regained most use even with it. But its a lot better than it was.

I have never been a musician, but as you can guess from the name, I have been a pretty intent racer. I have kart raced since birth it seems. I try to remain humble, but I was pretty bad A**. I've only been able to try it once since and I was not good. Then I was trying to lift light weight to rehab and broke the arm completely in half again. So I'm gonna finally be able to try a second time in a few weeks. We'll see how it goes.

It is frustrating though, I know you know what I'm talking about. Your mind knows how good you are, but you just can't will your body to do it. I've always been able to push my body in any sport, especially racing to be just a little better than everyone else. I know I'll figure a way to do that again though. Thats the struggle we all face, never giving up.

LOL @ Angela! Where there's a will there's a way!

Robert,

Frustration is our middle name. Its not easy trying to figure out how to do something you were once bad a** at before. I was a killer bass player before and had a lot going for me in the local music scene. Trying to get back into that, even though I'm good, is pretty hard due to the way I play. Its just not as accepted as much as a bass player with fingers. But either way, I play in an extremely talented christian rock band at my church every Sunday. Probably much better than hangin out in the clubs like I used to.

The best advice I can give you is to take your time in finding a way to get good at kart racing again. I've never done it so I cant give you pointers, but I can say that if you try to think outside the box in finding a new way and practice practice practice to perfect your new way, then it will all come together.

One other thing. When trying to figure out a new way to do things, including kart racing, try not to look at it as a struggle. Look at it more as a challenge that you can stand up to and defeat. Look at the challenge as "I was bad a** before and I WILL be bad a** again. You will fall, we all do. But, what separates the bad a** from the rest is that we get back up and face the challenge head on and head strong again and again.

I hope no one here takes me the wrong way and think that I know what I'm talking about in everyone's situation. We all have a common injury but we all face very different battles. I just want to be the one that offers a word of encouragement. I wanna be the guy that helps you get up and dust yourself off so you can face your challenge again with the determination it takes to achieve the goal set before you. So, with that said...get er done guys and gals!

-Shane

Shane,
Very well put. With that attitude you'll be able to over come most anything that life throws at you. If I could give one gift to all the newly injured people that find the UBPN, it would be your attitude. Keep fighting the good fight...Karl

I was born with erbs, I am a Mater Diver and I drove semis for years with Erbs! If There is a will there is a way, Be mine full of over use in the future, But how can you trade that of being happy. Very hard to explain!

Best wish Tom

I thought I might try to see if I can help you with the erbs issue and what you might want to try. I am 57 and tried and did find away to overcome, But I was born with the erbs. IF I really understand this sight most of you got your erb later?If I mention something to try it is what I did and how I did it with erbs. I will not base it on what I think. First about playing the guatar, Try swiching hands on the guatar. Body building is best done with light weight in both hands. I ended with 20 inch right arm and I did get better grasp. This help me drive semis. The best way to streach your erbs is to pull your shoulder blades together. Swimming was best done with a side stroke. Snokling and scuba diving is best done using no arms. The best thing about streaching find a sport or a hobby you might try. I tryed rowing a boat but I ended up going in circles when that did not work out but conoeing did. So I might help??

Tom