So, it's been while! Life has been challenging and I honestly haven't had any motivation to blog. But ... it's time! To recap, my motorcycle accident was on 1 March, 2015 and my nerve transfer surgery was on 4 July 2015. 4 of the 5 brachial plexus nerve roots were avulsed (ripped from spinal cord). Here's a bit of an update as to where I'm at: Pain Still horrendous all the time. I'm still taking 75mg of Lyrica in the morning and 150mg at night. My hand gives me the worst pain

I really hate asking. But I really want to make Brachial Plexus Australia an official organisation and time is running out Once registered, we can start making ourselves known. Australia needs to know about Erb's Palsy and Brachial Plexus Injuries. Then once we start raising awareness, we can get Government recognition and start applying for grants, and start helping those in need, get more research and medical information, register an Australian Brachial Plexus Awareness Da

So I've just discovered that an article about me was published in the local Gladesville newspaper (where I used to live) - The Northern District Times! I got an email from a guy asking me if I'd like to do a radio interview. When I looked up the radio station I saw that it is located in Sydney. I asked him how he had heard of me and brachial plexus injuries and he said that he had seen an article about me in his local paper ........ so I did some Google searching and stumbled

So I've been too focused on my "real" life to allow much time for my brachial plexus life ... if that makes any sense! To catch you up on me - I've been working 2 days a week in an admin role for the Australian Association of Social Workers, and also trying to get my family life organised. I've also been working on my 2 Diploma courses, though not as much as I should be! I've found that after working my 2 days, I'm exhausted! I've also discovered that I think my brain was aff

Having a Brachial plexus Injury can really limit the clothes and shoes you wear. That might not sound like a big issue, but to us it is. It can affect our jobs, health and fitness, self confidence and our social lives with friends and family. We can learn, with lots of practice, to wear some things that at first seem impossible, but it takes time, and adds to our frustration. So many of us choose to stay home rather than deal with not being able to wear something that is requ

The nerve pain that I experience from my brachial plexus injury, is very unpleasant. Brachial plexus injury pain is very different for everyone. Many of you will know exactly what I'm talking about. Some of you might have it worse than I do. Many of you reading this may get a better understanding of the pain your loved one or patient deals with all the time. People with birth brachial plexus injuries may not feel as much, if any, pain like this. Please Mummies, don't panic ab

‪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 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

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

I’ve added a comments page on my website so if you want to ask any (short) questions or leave some feedback about my site, GO FOR IT. (be nice please and no swearing) I will be approving comments personally so nothing offensive etc will be published. Leave a comment #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #motorcycleaccident #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #blog #surge

WE HAVE LIFT OFF! So today I went to my OT session with the awesome Jaslyn Cullen, and we discussed my latest MRI and the comments my surgeon, Alex O’Beirne had about me having 4 avulsions rather than the 2 originally diagnosed. It seems impossible that I have hand movement when C5 C6 C7 C8 are all avulsed. But, I do. They’ve always said I was a confusion for them. But the MRI clearly shows 2 nerve root avulsions (torn from spinal cord) and 2 nerve ruptures (stretched and sna

So … it’s been awhile. 12 months ago (1st March 2015) I was enjoying a long weekend away with my husband and some friends in Donnybrook, Western Australia. It’s inland from Bunbury. We rode all around the countryside, had an awesome lunch at a pub in Nannup, then headed for Bridgetown. I wasn’t a very experienced rider. I’d been riding an automatic 150cc scooter for 12 months or so and wanted to ride normal bikes with a goal of having my own Harley. My husband’s mate taught m

People will never truly understand something until it happens to them. They try. But no one really understands or knows the inner struggles. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #motorcycleaccident #traumaticinjury #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #scar #diagnosis #loss #devastation #healing #emotional #bikecrash #inspirationalquote #emotion #sadness #pain #onearm #o

So I finally got some media attention! Many thanks the Perth’s Southern Gazette, Kaylee and Jon, for coming out to interview me, and for thinking that my story is worth sharing! Southern Gazette - Sufferers Journey Leads to Answers #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #motorcycleaccident #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #onearm #onehand #media #newspaper #southerngaz

So I received an email from a lady who has recently seen my surgeon and OT for a brachial plexus injury here in Perth. She told me her story and let me know how distraught she was about her career being ruined and what her future would be. I was so wrapped up in my own stuff over Christmas that it wasn’t until today that I sat down to respond to emails I’d received from all over the world. I re-read her email and realised that her nerve transfer was scheduled for today! I rep

Some good news today! I had a nerve test today … Electromyography (EMG) …. this is a 6 month post op check to confirm that the 4 nerve transfers were successful and to test the strength of the signal to the nerves ….. I knew that biceps, brachialis and deltoid were successful because I’ve got a little movement. But the supraspinatus is hidden behind the deltoid and controls the lift of the arm from the 90 degree mark upwards. I haven’t yet been able to do that so I had no ide

I’m having a rough time emotionally right now. I feel like I cause my husband and daughter so much stress. I’m in a weird place. The pain seems worse lately. It makes me not want to do my exercises. I need help with a lot of them, but my husband and daughter are so busy with their own things that I don’t know how to ask. And when I do, I get the help, but I can see it’s an annoyance to them to stop what they are doing and help me swing my arm around etc. I’m always tired. I’m

Neuroplasticity … Norman Droidge MD. THE BRAIN THAT CHANGES ITSELF THE BRAIN CAN CHANGE ITSELF. It is a plastic, living organ that can actually change its own structure and function, even into old age. Arguably the most important breakthrough in neuroscience since scientists first sketched out the brain’s basic anatomy, this revolutionary discovery, called neuroplasticity, promises to overthrow the centuries-old notion that the brain is fixed and unchanging. The brain is not,

I try to use my hand as much as I can. The thumb and forefinger don’t have a lot of feeling, and the rest of my hand experiences shocking horrible razor blade sensations when anything touches it anywhere. So it’s interesting …. but I need to de-sensitise my hand and fingers, so I make myself use it wherever possible … whether it’s holding something still or carrying my mobile phone when I’m out so my arm looks a bit more normal ( I only ever wear a sling when I’m preparing/co

Who needs 2 arms/hands ….. Decided to get it done myself … Ikea shelf unit … Unpacked it. Built it. Stood it up. Moved it. And I’m a one armed female!👄 You can do anything! Always remember that! ❤❤❤ xxx Brachial Girl #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #disability #brachialgirl #blog #paralysis #ikea #onehand #onearm