‪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

So I thought I'd post some photos of my scars so you could see how they are healing. 1 - Across my back to my shoulder from nerve transfer 9 months ago. 2 - Down my upper arm from the nerve transfer 3 - Down my lower arm from the emergency surgery after the accident to fix broken bones. That scar also goes up to the middle of my upper arm but the newer scar is over the top. 4 - Inside of my upper arm and armpit from the nerve transfer surgery 9 months ago. I was concerned abo

Brachial Girl has her own Facebook page now. Like and share. I'll be posting personal stuff about my own brachial plexus injury journey, as well as useful links, news and everything I find that I think will be of some use to you all. Facebook - Brachial Girl #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #motorcycleaccident #brachialgirl #blog #surgery #paralysis #scar #depr

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

RAISING AWARENESS IN AUSTRALIA FOR BRACHIAL PLEXUS AND ERB’S PALSY INJURIES Did you know … The reported incidence of birth related brachial plexus injuries can vary from 2-5 of 1000 births. Out of these around 80% or more resolve themselves. The rest will go through multi-discipline treatments, including OT and PT therapies, nerve and tendon transfer surgeries and other treatments. Besides the birth injury, other causes of brachial plexus injuries include car, motorcycle, spo

I definitely have a bone infection or osteomyelitis. I’ve had a course of antibiotics and the infection is under control but still present. I had xrays which showed the broken bones aren’t healed yet, so although my surgeon, Alex O’Beirne wants to remove the metal plates which can give the infection a place to hide, we have to wait till the bone is healed. So for now, I just have to watch my diet and stress to keep my immune system healthy. Sigh …. #brachialplexus #brachialpl

So I’ve had a check up and my surgeon Alex O'Beirne suspects I have a bone infection. Not good. I have to have some xrays tomorrow then see him again on Friday. If the broken bones are completely healed he wants to operate and remove the metal plates because even though the infection may be under control it can hide between the bone and the metal and cause huge problems later. Still don’t know what the cause of all this is. .. Looks like I’ll be heading back to the operating

Well, I had a great session with my OT, Jaslyn Cullen yesterday. My bicep, brachialis and …. drum roll …. my deltoid are all firing up! Apparently this is really early for the deltoid! So I’m really motivated now to get stuck into my workout routine several times a day. Considering I’ve been pretty bad and only doing it once a day - and I find it so hard doing the deltoid exercises by myself that I skip them altogether hehe. My surgeon Alex O’Beirne says in another 5 weeks I

Just because I'm strong enough to handle the pain, doesn't mean I deserve it. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #disability #motorcycleaccident #brachialgirl #blog #nervesurgery #paralysis #scar #depression #loss #devastation #healing #emotional #bikecrash #sadness #crying #tears #strength #pain #onehand #onearm #inspirationalquote

Well, it’s been 5 weeks since my 4 nerve transfers. Apologies for not posting much lately. Life’s changed a lot due to my employment contract coming to an end, and my husband being made redundant. Needless to say my arm is the least of my problems right now… Anyway, I’ve got some snaps of my scars ….. and I’m happy to say I’m getting some twitching in my brachialis and bicep. I’ve lost my nice strong tricep however, as it was shared with the bicep… but hopefully it will come

So it’s been 2 weeks since the nerve transfer surgery. Obviously I haven;t been able to do much therapy, but I have been working on my hand as best I can. I took the dressings off the incisions on the weekend. It looks so very messy. But I think the surgical glue is making it look much worse than it is! The glue should come off in a week or so. I’m sort of nervous to see what scars look like. I guess it’s been a pretty uneventful 2 weeks - except for work, business and moving

I’m doing OK. Drowsy and sore but doing fine. Thought I’d share some pics … #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #surgery #nervesurgery #paralysis #scar #healing #ot #occupationaltherapy

Hello hello!! Well my 4 nerve transfers apparently went well! Sitting up in hospital bed now. Of course I didn’t get any sleep at all. Hehehe and this medication makes my eyes roll around in my head and makes me dyslexic so typing takes FOREVER!!!!! Makes me feel stupid! Aaaah well! The hospital and staff here at St John of God Subiaco are wonderful! Special shout outs to Jaydon, my lovely day time nurse and Stuart, my night time nurse, who have been awesome! The difference b

Well …. I’m about to go to bed … wake up in 4 hours at 5am to shower and wash with pre-op surgical soap and then it’s off to St John of God Subiaco hospital to meet up with my surgeon Alex O'Beirne and hang out in the operating theatre for about 5 hours! Here’s hoping he gets all 4 nerve transfers done and that they all take beautifully. Fingers crossed. Catch you on the flipside! #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #ne

OK so I have 3 sleeps to go till my surgery. And next week we’re moving house. I tell you what …. everything in our lives has gone through a massive upheaval all at the same time. Crazy. But we’re almost there. I’m so busy packing up the house, working full time and organising our lives that I haven’t had time to be scared or nervous! I suppose I should be thankful for that! #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #

So my surgery is coming up this Saturday 4th of July. I wanted to share the details of the nerves being transferred from and to, as well as info on the damage I have. My surgeon, Dr Alex O’Beirne (Perth, Australia) will splice about 25% of each of the following nerves and join them onto the other nerves as close to the muscles as possible to allow the shortest recovery time possible. Amazing stuff! This is what I’m having transferred - 1. I have no power to rotate my arm at t

So I’ve had my pre-operation checkup, another nerve conduction study, and now my surgeon has booked me in for the surgery. The operation will take 4-6 hours.My surgeon, Alex O’Beirne, is going to do 4 nerve transfers in my arm. This will hopefully allow me to lift up my arm, rotate my arm in and out, bend up my elbow, and turn my lower arm (roll it in and out) . I’m having the surgery on the 4th of July at St John of God Private Hospital in Subiaco, Perth, Western Australia.

Well its all happening. You’ll be able to call me Frankenstein soon. I saw my surgeon, Dr Alex O'Beirne (Perth, Western Australia) today. He’s the only Brachial Plexus Injury surgeon in Western Australia. I have to have another nerve conduction study on Monday then back to Alex on Tuesday. Then surgery will be scheduled. Eeek! 4 nerve transfers. I didn’t think I’d be scared. But I am ! #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinju

According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website - Brachial plexus injuries are categorized according to the type of trauma experienced by the nerve. The following are the types of brachial plexus injuries: Avulsion – this means the nerve has been pulled out from the spinal cord and has no chance to recover. Rupture – this means the nerve has been stretched and at least partially torn, but not at the spinal cord. Neurapraxia – this means the nerve has been gently stretched or

Well after being stuffed around by the public health system I have switched to private. I have private health cover, but ongoing care and operations are still expensive. My first visit to see my surgeon at Perth Royal Hospital in April was a mess. When I arrived at reception I was told they had never heard of me even though my file had been sent to them along with an appointment request. My surgeon had told me the day and time of the clinic so I knew I was right. They said th