United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

my 18 year old son suffered a bp injury due to a motorbike accident 10 month ago. and although i am truly grateful he is alive and able to walk and do everything he use to do prior the accident. i find it very hard to bare that he might spend the rest of his life not able to use his right arm/hand. i get very tearful that he has a useless arm but he seems to be coping very well maybe too well. from the very moment he was told by the doctors his arm was paralysed he cried briefly and i do mean briefly. he then told me and his father that there was no point in if onlys! what if's that we shouldnt look back but must look to the future. i found this all too much of a quick acceptance on his part and he has done exactly that. maybe its because during re-hab he saw young boys of his own age in wheelchairs paralysed from the neck down. he realises how lucky he really is.

Hi Metty,

I am sorry to read about your son. I have a son who also was in a motorcycle accident when he was 22, that was 4 years ago. Like your son, there isn't anything Ryan can't do. I can tell you that as time goes on, it does get easier. Eventhou, this feeling never goes away. I am just glad that Ryan is doing so well. We don't see him much as he lives backeast and we live out west. If you have any other questions please email me.

Hi Metty, Sorry to hear about your sons accident. My son is 11 years old and he had an accident on his 4-wheeler just a little over 6 months ago. If interested in talking to me, just e mail me.

Hi Priscilla, do you feel as sad as i do? I keep thinking of all the if only's and what if's. I get very tearful when he asks us to help with the sillest of things such as buttering bread. he has just mastered the art of doing the zip up on his jacket all little things like this he has to re-learn. All the things i taught him as a child and i try not to de-skill him. he has a wonderful girlfriend who constantly reminds him how special he is and she helps me when i get low. I never knew this condition existed untill it happened to my son. now i hate motorbikes and have told my younger son that he should forget his plans to buy a moped when he is 16. What is the prognoses for your son?

thankyou for your reply. My son has recently moved in with his girlfriend but i still see him almost everyday, usually to raid my fridge. my son told me last night that he will go through all the surgical procedures that he is offered but if they all fail then he is going to elect for amputation, this made me a bit weepy i think it is such a big step for him to take. i just hope that science improves before he takes that big step.

Metty, You never said what exactly his injurys were. My son had nerves torn from his spine. He had surgery last month. Its not an injury that you can heal quickly from right after surgery. It takes a good while for those nerves to heal. Does your son already have surgery planned? I wish him and the family the best. Take care and keep us posted.

hi again priscilla, my son had all five nerves severed from his spinal cord. he had them re-attached 4 days after the accident and 8 weeks ago he had a nerve transplant (i dont know the purpose of this procedure) we dont no if it was a sucess yet he is due to see his doctor on june 8th. he will then tell us what he plans to do next and when he will do it. my son is also taking part in medical research where the doctor monitors his nerve re-growth and how he reacts to extreme hot and cold it may not help him but hopefully it will help them gain more knowledge to help others in the future.
We were told at the time of the accident that we had one of the best doctors in the world his name is professor Birch (we live in the UK) and the prof has confidence dean will make a good recovery but he says it could take as long as 3 years before we see any kind of improvement. regards to you and your family

Hi Metty, Ive heard Prof. Birch is tops in bpi. Im sure your son is in good hands. Wow! He had surgery just 4 days after his accident? And 8 weeks ago a nerve transplant?? That was really quick. My son just had primary surgery on April 21st at Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston. They took nerves from both his legs, 8 places total and grafted them into his arm. He was 5 months into his injury before we could find him a Dr. Thank God for UBPN, it has helped us so much.

I totally understand what you are going through, as does everyone here. We are all in the same boat so to speak. Its wonderful, the support of family and friends. Actually, my son has been very independent about doing things for himself. If we want to help he always says he can do it, hes not helpless, Im really suprised at how well hes adjusted to this. I know hes holding alot back sometimes but all we can do is keep the communication open and be supportive and keep learning from eachother and do all we can to get them the medical help they need. My son just had his first surgery, and he doesnt have any movement yet, its still too early, but the Dr. told us he could get back minimal hand to mouth movement, with lots of therapy, and we see the Dr. again in July for a follow up visit and he will let us know then if another surgery is needed. Thats about it....

I live in the u.k and i dont know if you are aware of our national health service. when somebody has an accident the ambulance takes you to the nearest casualty dept (E.R to you) and they assess and treat you or transfer you to a specialist doctor and hospital. Thank god our local casualty transferred my son to the stanmore hospital under the care of Prof Birch. there are other doctors and hospitals we could have been transferred to all of them much closer to our home but i dont think my son would have been put into the hands of prof birch. im so pleased my son went to stanmore hospital. everyone speaks so highly of prof birch i think we are very lucky. we dont have the problem of researching the doctor and his skills before we make the choice it is done for us hence the reason my son had surgery so soon after the accident. (although i do admire your country for its advance in the medical field it is so much more advanced than the u.k ) but it seems prof birch in equally as good dare i say maybe more so as he seems to be well known in all countries. Good luck to your son. metty