United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Kim,
Jody goes back to Dr. Yang in April, they will discuss the muscle transfer then. She does not preform the muscle transfer surgery, but works with the surgeons and I believe she said she would be there when he has the surgery. We are hoping they will preform the surgery June/July...but as you know we are pretty much at the mercy of the surgeons and U of M shedules.
Jody goes to PT 5 days a week. 3 days our insurance covers, the other 2 days he works out there on his own. Physically it is slow, he is able to move his arm slightly more from front to back, but has no improvement at all moving arm from side out, that is what the muscle transfer is to assist with. Mentally he has been having ups and downs, dealing with the loss of the arm, not working, being indoors for the long winter... taking its toll on him mentally. We are just looking at day by day, cant look any further than that right now!
Take care

Regina,

It has been a loooong winter, hasn't it? We had some warm weather over the weekend and were able to sit out on the deck for awhile. The sun felt so good - it warms the soul!

Please let me know when Jody's surgery is, I would really consider coming to see you!

Rick is getting new and different pain now, a good thing in some ways. We are 2 1/2 months out from his surgery. Hope to have some signs of something soon!

Rick is plugging along, day by day too! That's been our mantra - one day at a time!

Take care and happy spring! Kim

jesse had his 21 staples removed from his thigh on tuesday - the rest of his stitches are dissolvable but in cases like jesses where you dont have a lot of extra skin on the thigh they use the staples - a local hand surgeon here in traverse city changed his cast yesterday (mayo gave us that option of f/u) these injuries are all new to this dr but we felt we'd give it a try and he will work close with dr bishop - he will have his cast removed 2 weeks from today - the local dr is going on vacation so it extended his cast one week - ok'd by mayo - today we get the stitches removed from his chest drain site - it is unusual for that to bleed like his did a week after surgery but...every one is different - he makes it a point to inform all that he is now starting to grow his thigh hair on his shoulder - we wash his hair by balancing his wheelchair on the side of the tub - they stated 3 weeks to a shower and minimum of 6 weeks to get in bath tubs, hot tubs, etc. we will restart therapy when his cast is removed and at that time we will have a day splint and a night splint - each day he seems to be improving with pain - what a blessing it is to have this site - i hope our experience also helps others - this is the first of what they say 3 surgeries at mayo for us - the next is to plate the wrist - we return to mayo in 4-6 months - mayo is also watching his extra bone growth on his right scapula (lbpi) so we were able to cancel our appt with Ann Arbor (u of m) on april 15th - we spent 7 weeks there in ICU and rehab - our experience with mayo has been very informative - prior to that we met with dr yang once - a few sunny nice days here in traverse city and today we wake up with snow looking forward to the warm weather! we are in the process of appealing our denial of SS disability - we will see how that goes shelly

I was shot in 12/05 and it left me with a brachial plexus injury. I had a nerve transfer done in 2/06. Dr. Tiel at Turro hospital in New Orleans done this procedure. After about one year of therapy...I can now lift my arm somewhat and I have my bicep back. I still have a lot of pain...and crazy nerve sensations in my arm, neck and shoulder.