May - 2015

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Feeding myself

May 31, 2015
1 min

Feeding myself

I managed to cut my own steak! I had my bad arm resting on my leg as I can’t use it at all and managed to hold the fork steady enough that I could cut with my left hand. I couldn’t really feel the fork due to numbness and lack of skin sensation, and my left hand has never used a knife before … but for me it was an awesome achievement as I love my steak and was sick of my husband having to cut it for me. Yay me! #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustra

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Maybe I still can play games?

May 16, 2015
1 min

Maybe I still can play games?

Ooooh! So I’ve been pretty devastated that I can no longer play Xbox or PC games …. but I’ve found this awesome company who make gaming accessories. I’m now one handed and left handed and Razer have a left handed gaming mouse! So I cannot wait for this bad boy to arrive next week!!!!! Check it out here - http://www.razerzone.com/au-en/gaming-mice/razer-naga #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinju

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Inspirational Quote

May 9, 2015
1 min

Inspirational Quote

"The only person who can motivate you, is you" ~ Shaquille "Shaq" O'Neil #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #scar #depression #loss #devastation #healing #emotional #inspirationalquote #motivate #inspire #motivational #shaq

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Arm Slings

May 9, 2015
1 min

Arm Slings

I hate having my arm in a sling. The doctors want me to keep using one at the moment. And it is easier having my arm in a sling so it doesn’t look bad or get in the way… but it hurts my arm in a few places. I hate slings!! I’ve just found this website that sells some pretty cool looking slings. Going to spend some time today going through the site and might order some! Lots of varieties to choose from and they ship to a lot of places! http://www.theslingclozet.com/ #brachialp

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Hairstyling with one hand

May 9, 2015
1 min

Hairstyling with one hand

So one thing I was having issues with was styling my fringe. I would always use the hairdryer in one hand and my curling brush in the other to give my fringe a bit of a curl. Now with only one hand I can’t do that. So I went and bought some hair curlers … like the elderly old school ladies use, except these ones are a bit like velcro. Now I brush my fringe down in front of my face, curl it around the haircurler and it sits on my forehead. Then I can heat it with the hairdryer

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Expectation v Reality

May 6, 2015
1 min

Expectation v Reality

I found this amusing image depicting the brachial plexus nerves. A favourite of medicine students around the world. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #brachialgirl #surgery #nervesurgery #nervegraft #muscletransfer #paralysis #diagnosis #avulsionnerveroot #C5 #C6 #C7 #C8 #T1

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Brachial Plexus Support

May 6, 2015
1 min

Brachial Plexus Support

Another brachial plexus injury support website Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury Group #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #paralysis #bikecrash #avulsionnerveroot #C5 #C6 #C7 #C8 #T1 #tbpi #supportgroup #support

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Brachial Plexus Support

May 6, 2015
1 min

Brachial Plexus Support

International organisation website full of info and support. United Brachial Plexus Network #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #nervesurgery #nervegraft #muscletransfer #paralysis #avulsionnerveroot #C5 #C6 #C7 #C8 #T1 #ubpn #supportgroup

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After repair of brachial plexus injuries

May 6, 2015
1 min

After repair of brachial plexus injuries

Any return of function takes many months, as the nerves need to grow down from the repair site to the muscles, and this happens at less than a millimetre a day. This period of waiting can be frustrating for the patient. During this time attempts to actively exercise the arm muscles are unproductive, but physiotherapy to maintain the range of motion of the joints is very important. When the repaired nerve reaches the muscle and the muscle starts to contract the muscle can

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Surgical management brachial plexus injuries

May 6, 2015
1 min

Surgical management brachial plexus injuries

The aim of the surgery is to reconnect the muscles that have lost input from their nerves. In some cases, the nerves can be repaired, either directly with sutures between the nerve ends, or much more commonly with a nerve graft, which is a strip of nerve which is taken from the leg and placed between the two ends of the nerve. In other cases the nerve had actually been pulled out of the spinal cord (avulsed) and in these cases the nerve cannot be repaired. Injuries like the

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Inspirational Quote

May 6, 2015
1 min

Inspirational Quote

It Always Seems Impossible Until Its Done #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #disability #motorcycleaccident #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #paralysis #depression #loss #devastation #healing #emotional #inspirationalquote #quotes

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Brachial Plexus Support Group

May 3, 2015
1 min

Brachial Plexus Support Group

A great Facebook Support Group for people with Brachial Plexus Injury - Brachial Plexus Injury Awareness #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #motorcycleaccident #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #surgery #nervesurgery #nervegraft #muscletransfer #paralysis #facebookgroup #support #community #brachialplexusinjurysupport #brachialplexusinjuryawareness

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How to put on a bra with one hand

May 2, 2015
1 min

How to put on a bra with one hand

This video helped me a lot! Although I hold the first end in my teeth not my thumb. Took a bit of practice, but I eventually modified the method to suit me. https://youtu.be/PvPxlXxSUi8 #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #disability #motorcycleaccident #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #accidentscene #bra #onehandedbra #onearm #onehand #onehandhelp

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How to do a ponytail with one hand

May 2, 2015
1 min

How to do a ponytail with one hand

OK so this was one of the frustrating things I faced …. I can’t do anything with my hair except brush it …. I’ve found some videos that people have made showing ways to do it!!!!! If you have any others let me know! Links below: 1. https://youtu.be/vIo2yorrCbs 2. https://youtu.be/Eu_bkD6WhDU 3. https://youtu.be/ukv-h-gN4oQ It takes a lot of practice. It’s frustrating at first though! I also found this site advertising a ponytail device for people with one arm - http://www.one

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My Story 6 - The Accident Scene

May 1, 2015
1 min

My Story 6 - The Accident Scene

Here are some photos from the scene of the accident. Location is a few kilometres out of Bridgetown, coming in from Nannup in Western Australia. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #disability #motorcycleaccident #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #paralysis #bikecrash #accidentscene

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My Story 5 - Moving Forward

May 1, 2015
1 min

My Story 5 - Moving Forward

I’m getting used to things now. So are my husband and daughter. And thanks to them and my close friend, I’m getting on with life. I’m off the morphine and I’m now taking Tramadol slow release, Lyrica for nerve pain and Endep also for nerve pain. I’m also sleeping all night now. My husband and I finally started sleeping in our bed together again which is awesome. We were taking turns sleeping on the couch because i needed so many pillows to prop me and my arm up that we couldn

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My Story 4 - The Plan

May 1, 2015
1 min

My Story 4 - The Plan

I have seen a new brachial plexus specialist surgeon, Dr Alex O'Beirne, who explained to me that it is possible for me to have some additional surgery to split or transfer nerves and tendons to give me back movement in my arm. The success rate is pretty good, but there are no guarantees. So in the next couple of months I will be undergoing this surgery. He told me it is a 2 year healing period from the date of the accident. So I won’t know how successful the surgery is for qu

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My Story 3 - Devastating News

May 1, 2015
2 min

My Story 3 - Devastating News

A week later I was back at the hospital to get the MRI results and the Doctor informed me that I had a Brachial Plexus Avulsion injury. He explained that 2 of the nerves in the brachial plexus cluster had pulled off from my spinal cord. And another one was severely damaged. He said it cannot be repaired. All the parts of my arm and hand that I currently can’t move will not heal. I would never be able to use my right arm again. I was utterly devastated. It took a few days for

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My Story 2a - My Scars

May 1, 2015
1 min

My Story 2a - My Scars

My scar after the 51 staples were taken out. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #nervetransfer #disability #motorcycleaccident #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #nervesurgery #nervegraft #muscletransfer #paralysis #hospital #scar #scars #staples

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My Story 2 - The Check Up

May 1, 2015
1 min

My Story 2 - The Check Up

I was unable to lift up my arm at the shoulder or elbow. Could not bend my wrist outwards and could only just wiggle my fingers. After a couple of weeks I had a check up at my local hospital to have the 51 staples removed from my arm, and during the check up I mentioned to the Doctor that the top of my shoulder was numb and tingly in addition to all the numbness in my arm and hand. He was concerned and sent me for an MRI. I spent the next few days worrying. I was really strug

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