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

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

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

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

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

A bit of bicep action against gravity at last! Thanks to my OT, Jaslyn Cullen for filming www.jaslyncullen.com.au #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #surgery #nervesurgery #subluxation #bicepcurl #bicep #ot #occupationaltherapy #JaslynCullen

Here’s a snippet of me doing bicep curls today with a 500gram weight on my wrist. Filmed by my lovely OT, Jaslyn Cullen. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #surgery #paralysis #subluxation #ot #occupationaltherapy #reinervate #scared #success #strength #bicepcurl #bicep #JaslynCullen

Experimenting for the next week with this little item. Let’s see if it helps stimulate my newly working muscles to get stronger! I’ll post a review in a week. This is a TENS and EMS machine. I”m using the EMS program on my bicep and anterior deltoid. The TENS function is believed to provide pain relief. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #birthinjury #nervetransfer #disability #motorcycleaccident #trau

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

So a few days ago I noticed a small lump about 2-3 inches above my wrist … it was hard and sore. We thought it might be a bit of tendonitis due to its position and that I’m using my arm and hand a bit more, perhaps the tendons there were rubbing on the metal plates that were put on to my broken ulnar bone back on 2nd March. It got more painful and then today I noticed my arm and hand were really swollen and very sore (more so than normal). It was mid evening by the time I tho

We’re getting there! We now have a temporary landing page online at www.brachialplexusaustralia.com.au Won’t be too long before we have the actual site up and running! Exciting!!! I’m also eagerly awaiting the printed contact cards I’ve designed to arrive so the Australian surgeons and therapists can hand these out to patients! And of course us patients can hand them around too! As for me - I’m off to see my OT Jaslyn Cullen today for my weekly visit. 12 week post op check

I’m still working on the BPI Australia website and community. So much work involved. I’ve got the Australian surgeons on board now. Just waiting on all the therapists. Hopefully I’ll be able to launch the base of the site soon. Here’s a snap of the site. #brachialplexus #brachialplexusinjury #brachialplexusinjuryaustralia #erbspalsy #nerveinjury #nerves #muscles #nervetransfer #disability #brachialgirl #blog #surgery #paralysis #facebookgroup #C5 #ot #occupationaltherapy #rei

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

Ok so my surgeon Alex O'Beirne checked me out and said everything is healing well. The glue should come off in the next week or so. He told me he discovered why I can move my hand and fingers when I shouldn’t be able to … apparently I have extra nerve bits going down into my hand. I am an anomaly, he said. Hehehe I can’t move my hand very well but I can wiggle all my fingers and recently I’ve been working on strengthening my wrist so I can now move my hand up and down. Almost

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