It Gets Real!

January 16, 2014

 

 

We had an appointment with Dr. Burgess, the hand surgeon at Orthopedic Associates of Michigan building (OAM building) to discuss removing Shaun's arm. I can't believe we've come this far.

 

(Our happy and nervous face)

 

We were able to talk to Dr. Burgess about what the next step is. Normally he urges patients to think about their decision but obviously Shaun has had plenty of time to think about his decision and also has a lot of support from family and friends. The surgery won't get rid of the pain (nerve or phantom) but it will improve his quality of life.

He also checked for muscle, movement, and what the arm and hand looks like.

 

 

 He explained to us that the procedure would take around 45 minutes and would be out-patient. He is going the take some of the skin with feeling and use that to close up the wound. He really doesn't need any time off of work because it is a quick procedure. Another nice thing is that he doesn't have feeling in his arm really anyway so when they remove the arm, he won't have any pain from surgery after. The next thing was to get x-rays since Shaun has a metal plate in his arm. He had to make sure the plate wasn't going to be in the way of where they would remove the arm.

 

 

 In fact after the first x-ray, he was worried that the bones had never fused back together, so he had a second x-ray done. All was good though, thank goodness!!

 

 

So, the next thing to do was make the appointment (we figured it would be a ways out. You know medical appointments). We sat down and the woman said Thursday January 30th at the Walker Surgical Center in Grand Rapids, MI. Exactly 2 weeks out. HOLY CRAP!! NOW IT'S REAL!! We said that works! Wow, this is really going to happen! I'm pretty sure neither of us slept that night!

 

 

 

The Second Step

January 8, 2014

 

 

Meeting with orthotics & prosthetics department at Mary Free Bed.

 The next step in our journey was meeting with David Firlik and Sean Taylor, both certified prosthetist.

 

(Making the most of the wait!)

 

(David Firlik checking movement and muscle use)

 

We got to sit down with David and Sean to discuss what sort of options we have as far as a prosthetic goes. Everything depends on the movement he has and what he intends to get out of it as far as use. Shaun has had plenty of time to research different prosthetics to see what he would like the most and what would work for him. A cable driven arm is what appeals the most to Shaun and would also give him the use that he wants.

 

(Sean showing Shaun how the cable driven prosthetic works)

 

We got to hear about the differences between prosthetics and what movement comes with each, as well as price difference. The one Shaun is interested in starts around $6,000-$8,000 and goes up depending on different options. It has a fabric strap harness that goes on like a backpack. In order to get use out of it, he only needs 1/4 in of movement. There are many different style attachments for the arm depending on what you need to do. The hook would be the most useful for Shaun, it can rotate or lock in place. He will also be able to lock the elbow joint into place for lifting things. The possibilities of this arm are endless. David said as far as removing the arm, we would want to go about 4 inches above the elbow. This way he will have still have shoulder to fill out his shirts and it's easier to fit a prosthetic.

 

(Shaun seeing the different attachments for the prosthetic)

 

(So many choices)

 

The process of getting fitted for a prosthetic won't be until awhile after surgery. By meeting with David and Sean, they will be able to communicate with the surgeon on what is needed for surgery and shown them that we have done our research. Everything is coming together and it's starting to feel real!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The First Step

December 24, 2013

 

We were lucky enough to get an appointment with Dr. Kramer at Mary Freebed. Finally, some sort of peace of mind before the holidays and what better way to start out the new year! Shaun has been blessed with such a loving and supportive family. We are able to have his parents support and presence at majority of the appointments, taking in every bit of information given to us.

 

(Here we go! So many mixed feelings)

 

We were scheduled with Dr. Kramer that day. He took a lot of notes on what movement Shaun has, what muscles work, how his arm affects him (good and bad), and most importantly what he is looking to get out of having his arm removed.

 

(Dr. Kramer)

 

Dr. Kramer said he wasn't sure that the hospital knew exactly what we were looking for when we made the appointment. He said that he doesn't do much with amputations but he would contact someone in another department that deals with brachial plexus injuries. She mainly works with children that have this injury but he would see if she might work with him. If not, he would figure out where we need to go from this point. We may not have gotten alot of information, but the ball is rolling and we have some hope. The most important thing that we took away from Dr. Kramer that day was him telling Shaun that his request to remove his arm is not unreasonable.

 

 



The Begining

I thought I would start out by sharing a few pictures and facts about Shaun's accident. September 13, 2003: The day of Shaun's accident he had been at the Holiday Inn in Spring Lake, MI for a bike show. As he was heading home, he lost control of the bike just after the bridge in Grand Haven, MI. His choice was to either hit the guard rail on the bike and go over the guard rail down a hill or to jump off and hope for the best. So he pushed the bike away and bailed, hands over helmet, hoping all the cars behind would stop in time. When Shaun hit the pavement, he landed on his right shoulder. The  force of the landing stretched all of his nerves like rubber bands, tearing all of them away from his spinal chord. He also suffered broken bones, road rash, and bruises.
 

(One of the last pictures of Shaun before his accident)

 

(Some of the damage to the bike)

 

(Always seeing the bright side of things, even in rough times)

 

Shaun suffered a brachial plexus injury. A description from Wikipedia is:Brachial plexus injury affects cutaneous sensations and movements in the upper limb. They can be caused by stretching, diseases, and wounds to the lateral cervical region (posterior triangle) of the neck or the axilla. Depending on the location of the injury, the signs and symptoms can range from complete paralysis to anesthesia. Testing the patient's ability to perform movements and comparing it to their normal side is a method to assess the degree of paralysis. A common brachial plexus injury is from a hard landing where the shoulder widely separates from the neck (such as in the case of motorcycle accidents or falling from a tree). These stretches can cause ruptures to the superior portions of the brachial plexus or avulse the roots from the spinal cord.

(Some of the bruises and road rash)

 

(Adjusting to life in a whole new way)

 

May of 2004 Shaun and his parents went to The University of Michigan for a nerve graft surgery. Their plan was to remove nerves from the back of his leg and replace the damaged ones in his neck. This gave him a little feeling in his arm. The were not however able to reconect the nerves running to his hand because the spot they would re-attach was too dangerous.

 

(Upper incisions from nerve graft surgery)

 

Shaun said if they didn't figure out a way to make his arm work after 10 years, he would have it amputated. He has been on forums and discussion groups for people with the same injury. It's helped him in making his decision, hearing what others have done and how it has changed their lives. The last few years for us have been busy with new houses, wedding, and work. Now that things have settled down a bit and the 10 year mark passing, he has made the choice to go ahead with things....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a nutshell

September 13, 2003....I was in a motorcycle accident on south bound us 31 just past the draw bridge in Grand Haven Michigan. The accident left me unable to use and feel my right arm due to damage to my Brachial Plexus. 7 months later in May of 2004 I visited the University of Michigan for a nerve graph surgery were they took nerves out of my right leg and replaced the damaged areas in my neck. After this I continued to live my life with work as a Drafter and enjoying my love of the water and being outdoors. From mountain biking to snowmobiling, nothing really slows me down. If I can't figure out how to do something I have friends and family that are always willing to help figure out a way that it can be done. I have slowly gotten some sensation back in the arm but not enough to keep it. After 10 years of putting my arm in a sling or making sure it was in a safe place and the constant wait of a dead arm pulling on my shoulder I have decided to remove the arm that I have been attached to for so many years. With the support of my family, friends and a loving strong wife this journey will have good times and bad times but it is necessary for me to take my life back.   -Shaun