United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

MY "2 Cents" on this,
I agree with EVERYTHING Kath said above PLUS..when outsiders[outside BPI Family], I prefer others to say "Your Injured Arm" when referring to it.
HUGS,
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI,age 68 & proud of it!

Wow Kath and Carolyn,
What you said is very interesting....I agree with Christy too about "BLACK HUMOR" when it comes from the person who is injured. Brandon makes a crack once in a while about his arm and we all laugh, but watch out if someone makes fun of him. Here's Brandon's story of the week. Some kid asked him how he got the scar(FROM primary) on his neck....we still haven't figured out how he noticed it is not at all noticeable...anyway.....Brandon my little 8 year old prince charming told him it was "AN OLD" football injury. Don't ask me where that came from...but then he offered to show him his other scar(FROM MOD QUAD) Kids are too much !!!! BTW....Weird is never a word that I Want used for my childs arm, but to each his own!!!! GAYLE

Gayle
I am ROTF... LOL... Brandon is so funny.
What a great sense of humor!
He's and 8 year old comic... LOL..

Kath adult/robpi

You guys,

My KID refers to her arm as weird and she is totally comfortable with that. She uses the word with humor, kind of aware of the absurdity of worrying about it...

My use and my daughter's use of weird is also very much colloquial, common to the area where I live, where everything is "weird". Just like I write "you guys", in the South I probably would have written "You all."

Besides, can't you guys see the love and pride of my original posting? And the use of weird is totally contextual: If I encountered any person with a disability or even among my friends themselves or with family disabled, I would never refer to their disability or injury as weird...

Otherwise, I sincerely apologize to anyone that I may have offended in using the word weird. I believe that the BPI is a very serious injury, and with that injury comes a process of acceptance and then some humor. My child and I definitely have our ups and downs with the BPI, but in general I find that our lives are more productive and content if we cope with a lots of humor*. Also my kid has a pretty board perspective on things. Becuase of her injury and treatments since her first three months of life, she has been among some children of extrordinary injury and disability. Even she understands that she is relatively fortunate...

* I want to talk more about humor. Well before my child was born, I worked with severely head-injured adults. Most of my clients had their "dreams" snatched from them by freak accident. Depending on the severity and difference of brain injury, many would attempt suicide as an unfortunate step toward acceptance of thier very much revised lives and dreams. On our staff, I was assigned to evening watches over the suicidal. I would stay up all night, usually on the floor -- becuase they were not safe in their wheel chairs. Every night I did the same thing, I read to them, and while I read I made fun of what I was reading and of myself. I told them crappy jokes the whole night. Twenty years later, I was surprised to find a Newsletter from that institution with an update of how "clients" were doing. Took a while for me to find my scrap book, then I discovered that all of my clients were leading content and productive lives.... Life is hard, humor is in a package for everyone that is waiting to be opened...

Kind regards,

BPI Mom

I just want to apologize _ I was offended by your words but your child is not and of course you know her best. I basically had no right to judge you and I am sorry. Each family is different and for me I would hurt my daughter very much if I said "weird arm" (it would hurt her soooo much - she only wants to fit in and I do not want to ever make her feel different because she is not) but your daughter is fine with it and that is what matters. If I said that to my daughter it would surely make her more aware about what already is a struggle for her and she has enough to deal with already and to me she is perfect. You know your daughter best. I guess our daughters have such different needs and personalities. I am sorry if I offended you!
Sorry again,

Christy

Hello BPI MOM,
You are Right On!! You have got IT!!

Christy,
You deserve a "Hazzaw", & 3"Cheers" for your apology. We can learn from that. It takes a big person to do that. BTW, I am just learning to do that with my son...yes.., I goof up alot!! Can you believe that?...LOL.
HUGS y'alll,
Carolyn J
"68 & thinks she knows it all"

Guest,
Your post made me laugh!
You were joking about the "reaching" thing, right?
That's funny!

Thank you Carolyn!! I'm glad that things are going better with your son. I goof up alot too!!!! We do the best we can! LOL I would never want to hurt anybody that is just here for support.
Hugs right back at ya!!!
Christy

As for black humor... my son who has epilepsy is a riot. One day when he was about 8 (he was diagnosed at 6) we were out to lunch. I ordered a CESAER SALAD and he said "Hey, that's me! A SEIZURE SALAD!!!" We about fell on the floor. It was his right to make of himself. Not mine.

If bpi's have some dark humor... well all's for the better!

claudia

Claudia, your son sounds like such a great kid to be able to see the humor!!!:) That was funny! But yep - it's his right and not anybody else's.
Christy