I came across this story I wrote last year, and thought I would share it. I wrote it at the end of May 2015. I never got around to sharing it, so I thought in honour of my blog's 1st birthday, I'll post it as a bit of a throw back. So much of it is still the same as a typical day now, except I don't have a job, so I pretty much spend every day with my PJs on, un-brushed hair, no makeup or smudged makeup from whenever I last painted my face. Geez that makes me sound horribly d

So today marks my blog's 1st birthday! 1 year ago today, I decided to share my story, search for people like me, and give Australia a presence in the brachial plexus community, What a journey the last 12 months has been! I want to thank you all for all the love and support you have shown, the strength you've given me and the community you have welcomed me into. We all need to be there for each other. Brachial plexus injuries are horrible things to live through, whether you we

‪What everyone should know about occupational therapy, including what it actually is! I love going to my OT sessions. I get so much out of it and learn how to use every day tasks to exercise and improve my arm. "The goal of occupational therapy is to improve the quality of life of people with physical and mental challenges. And to make that even more awesome, occupational therapists accomplish this by creating individualized treatments based on what activities and occupations

‪I snapped this photo a few days ago when I was in the city of Perth. I love it! “Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail” ~ Charles Kettering ❤ Brachial Girl #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #scar #diagnosis #depression #healing #emotional #emotion #sadness #strength #inspirationalquote #inspire #believe #believeinyourse

‪Since I was 15, I’ve always had to work to support myself. Unforeseen circumstances forced me into the workforce full time. Since then, there’s always been a reason to work. In any job. The longer you do that, the more you become stuck. Especially once you have a child. I was married at 21 and a mother at 22. You work in any job you can because you have bills to pay. There’s not even a thought in your mind resembling … “what would I like to do for a living?” That’s a real lu

‪After reading so many amazing responses to my blog post yesterday, I am truly humbled. I feel honoured to have touched the hearts of so many strong and courageous people, living with brachial plexus injuries. I find myself tonight feeling quite exhausted after a few intense days in a row of researching for people, talking to people, filming and editing videos and reading loads of medical science articles (plus cooking, cleaning , moving furniture, gardening etc). It’s time f

‪I’ve finally uploaded some “How To” videos. You can view them on- You Tube, https://www.youtube.com/playlist…- My website, www.brachialgirl.com My Facebook page - www.facebook.com/brachialgirl via the You Tube tab near my profile picture. It’s just a start. There are 12 videos so far. I’ll be adding shoelaces and buttons/flys soon. Let me know if you have any requests and I will see if I can help.💟💟💟 FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS POST. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MIGHT GET HELP FROM SEE

‪So … I wanted to explain something … to look at my website or Facebook page, it may seem as though I am vain, what with all the photos of myself … But there is a reason behind it. When you have had a traumatic accident, and lose the use of your dominant arm like I did, you lose not only the use of your arm … but your self confidence, your sense of self, your dignity, your independence, your sense of future, your sense of being useful and worthwhile, and many other things. Ha

‪So today I filmed myself doing lots of things with one hand. I am spending the evening editing and then I’ll post on my you tube channel, then I’ll share on my website and Facebook as well. 😎❤💪🎥🎬🌟💡 ❤ Brachial Girl #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #howto #howtovideo #onehand #onearm #onehandhelp #onehanded #onehandedhowto #h

Isn’t it crazy how much filters change the way you look! I think #rise makes everyone look nice! The photo on the bottom right side has no filter. I had a full face of makeup today because I was photographed for a follow up story in the Perth Southern Gazette. So, I had to take some selfies while I had this much makeup on! It's very rare! ❤ Brachial Girl #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #nervetransfe

So small miracle today … besides the HUGE improvement in my deltoids … my supraspinatus has decided it wants to work now. It’s intermittent but Jaslyn, my OT, managed to get it on film! The snow angel movement looks a bit bizarre, amd before filming I managed to do it with a much more normal look to it, but ….. here we are! #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #bra

Trauma survivors often have symptoms instead of memories. Those with traumatic brachial plexus injuries are no exception. Depression Irratibility Loss of interest Disassociation Numbing Decreased concentration Insomnia Emotional overwhelm Hopelessness Loss of a sense of the future Shame and worthlessness Little or no memories Nightmares Flashback Hypervigilance Mistrust Anxiety Panic attacks Chronic pain Headaches Substance abuse Eating disorders Feeling

So today I decided to get an Uber to see my Occupational Therapist, Jaslyn Cullen, and I got talking with the lovely driver. He talked about his wife’s recent stay in hospital and then I told him about my accident and injury. When I mentioned it can also happen during birth he said that’s what happened to his wife when she was born. She could use her hand and arm but can’t teach up high. What a coincidence! I’m so glad I had some business cards made as I was able to give him

As you know, I had a motorcycle accident in March 2015, and I sustained a brachial plexus injury (erb’s palsy), which means that the nerves that control my dominant arm were severed from the spinal cord, and I cannot use my arm anymore. I have had several surgeries and I have now gained some limited arm movement. Brachial Plexus injuries affect many people in Australia, in fact there are more birth injury occurrences of Brachial Plexus/Erb’s Palsy injuries than there are Dow

LiveTribe Noble Causes is looking for submissions! Do you know a local community organisation which helps out others that could do with some cash? Nominate them now and they could become our next ‪#‎NobleCauses‬ project! <3 Like maybe BRACHIAL PLEXUS AUSTRALIA <3 Remember, this is a community-powered process and we cannot do it without you! CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE YOUR CAUSE … You can find info about us here - Brachial Plexus Australia - www.brachialplexusaustralia.com.au (yo

Lifes hard enough! STOP OVER THINKING EVERYTHING! That just makes it all worse! Accept. Get on with it! Focus on what you have. Live your life or make changes. It’s more simple than you think! xxx Brachial Girl #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #disability #motorcycleaccident #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #inspirationalquote #sadness #scared #pain #frustration #selfpity #emotion #overthinking #stress

New toy from Jaslyn Cullen, my OT … flex bar … or wobble stick lol. I have to hold it in my bad hand and pump it up and down in a really tight movement to make the ends wobble. Quite tricky but I can do it. Uses all the muscles in my arm. Doesn’t take long doing it to wear my muscles out and feel the burn. Awesome workout. xxx Brachial Girl #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer

This is a video of my bicep and external rotation doing a reach and pull action 13 months post accident 9 months post nerve transfer #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #surgery #nervesurgery #paralysis #ot #occupationaltherapy #supraspinatus #infraspinatu #Triceps #Deltoid #TeresMinor #musculocutaneous #brachialis #tricep #strength #bicepcurl #bicep #exer

This is a video of my deltoid movement 13 months post accident 9 months post nerve transfer #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #ot #occupationaltherapy #supraspinatus #infraspinatu #Triceps #Deltoid #TeresMinor #musculocutaneous #brachialis #tricep #strength #nervepain #bicep #recovery #rehab #rehabilitation #workout #exercise

This is a video of my deltoid and external rotation in action 13 months post accident 9 months post nerve transfer #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #nervetransfer #disability #blog #paralysis #ot #occupationaltherapy #reinervate #supraspinatus #infraspinatu #Triceps #Deltoid #TeresMinor #musculocutaneous #brachialis #tricep #strength #bicepcurl #bicep #brachialgirl #rehab #rehabilitation #workout #e