United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Judy,

Thanks for your welcome.

Yes, you met my sister-in-law's sister (The longer version of this is my brother's wife's sister), Cindy. She forwarded to me the address for this web site, which you had given to her. That is how I found this organization. G-d certainly does work in mysterious ways.

For 56 years I thought that I was alone - the only person with a bent arm that didn't work right. Now I know that I'm not alone. I've read a number of postings from other people who felt as I did before they found UBPN. I was overwhelmed when I found that there are so many others like me, and so much information here. Each day I read some more.

Here's a question about the message boards. I'm in the Eastern Time Zone, which is currently on Daylight Savings Time. My messages post with a time that is four hours after I send them. Why is that?

Another question: What is this mod quad surgery I've been reading about on the boards? Maybe I should post this question on a board that deals with that surgery.

Joanie

Joanie,

Welcome again. So glad you found us.

To fix the time zone on your computer, you need to click on "your setting/profile" under the little Welcome in the upper right corner of the screen. From there follow the instructions, and your time should be adjusted, as long as you are logged in.

About the mod quad, it is a secondary surgery that involves muscle and tendon transfers and releases, and usually is accompanied by a cleaning up of scar tissue and neurolysis. It is individually tailored based upon what the contractures are for the individual. It is meant to help alleviate those contractures which happen because of the imbalance created by the stronger and weaker muscle structures that we have. It is done fairly young today with the children, but some of us adults have had this surgery much later in life, some with good results, some with mediocre results. That's a fairly simplistic answer but is the gist of the surgery.

Nancy

Moving this up for some of the new posters
Kath M ( adult/obpi)

Moving this up for some of the new posters.
Welcome to the Message Board for Adults who are birth injured.

It helps to read how others have walked the same path.
We all have faced so many of the same problems but until now have not had an opportunity to compare notes.
I found it very educational and supportive.
It helped me to understand that I am not alone with my issues or feelings.

Kath M ( adult/obpi)

Hi Carolyn! I am so glad to read your post! I am currently in school for my degree in Paralegal Studies, and I have considered going through law school, but I wasn't sure if it was a feasible idea. What great hope you have brought me today, knowing that another BPI has done it! It is great to meet you, and please feel free to share any lawyer stories with me, either here or by email, if you read this anytime soon.

moving this up to the top for Sunny
Kath

Moving this to the top for new people.
Kath

Moving this up for some of the new posters.
Welcome to the Message Board for Adults who are birth injured.

It helps to read how others have walked the same path.
We all have faced so many of the same problems but until now have not had an opportunity to compare notes.
I found it very educational and supportive.
It helped me to understand that I am not alone with my issues or feelings.

Kath M ( adult/obpi)

It's been a year or 2 since I've been on this site. I used to post, but then got busy. Oops! Anyways, I'm Shannon, I'm a LOBPI, I'm 24 living in Homestead, FL. Having BPI has been rough, I get depressed a lot about it but what can you do.. I have a wonderful husband (but no kids yet) I'm currently working on my second Master's Degree (this time in Public Administration). Anyways, my left arm started out curled up into my chest for about the first 3 months of my life. I then was in physical therapy for 7 years. I gained about 70% use of my arm but it is a lot shorter and smaller than my right arm (people say they don't notice until I tell them or they ask why I don't clap..lol, but it's very noticeable to me) In the last year or so I've been getting on and off pains throughout my arm, not sure why, but it's annoying.

Anyways, that's me.

Shannon
Nice to meet you!
Do you know that there is a support group in Fla?

It is so nice for people like us with the injury to meet another person with the same injury.
I found it very healing. I attended a support group in Fla about 5 years ago and met Nancy and Judy T.... It was great it was the first time any of us met another OBPI.

Kath (adult/robpi)