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Your Stories |
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My heart burst through its protective sack |
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MARC JONES My name is Marc Jones. I am a 22 year old from Stanmore in London. Back in November 2000 I was involved in quite a horrific motorcycle accident involving a hit and run driver. I was, at the time, returning home from work as a trainee Fire-fighter.
Since the accident I have been under the surgeon Dr. Carstedt at the RNOH at Stanmore. An exploratory operation was performed in December and it was found the nerve stemming from the C7 vertebrae had been torn out (nerve controls my elbow, the spreading of fingers, thumb use and index finger flexion). I have been told that the other nerves that were damaged will, in time, 're-grow' and I am expected to make a certain amount of recovery. My next consultation is in May when a decision is to be made whether to go ahead with further operations involving nerve transplants. This will involve transplanting nerves from the tricep area onto my neck and hopefully restoring a certain amount of movement to my elbow. The reason I am writing to you is to thank you for your website. I was beginning to feel I was the only person to be going through this. I did not realise, until I read your site, that the pain I have been suffering was relatively normal and I think Ross Rebbeck has hit the nail on the head describing it as immersing your hand 'in a deep fat fryer'. This injury has obviously meant that I am currently in no state to continue my training as a Fire-fighter but I am keeping positive and hope to return as soon as possible. I was also wondering if it would be possible for me to include my 'story' on your site. The reason is this. I have found a certain degree of comfort and support from reading about other peoples experiences of this injury and I would hope that my experience will provide support to others. Again thank you very much for providing such a site. It has proved a great mental help to myself. |
My accident was publicised nationally (The Sun newspaper) due to the injuries
which I incurred. The driver pulled out of a side road and pulled across my
path. This caused me to be thrown 20ft through the air and during this fall
I impacted my left shoulder on a lamp post (so conveniently placed). The
force of the impact caused my heart to burst through its protective sack and
shunt six inches to the right hand side of my chest (See attached news
article - Page two of two -The Sun, November 28th). Amongst my many injuries
I also incurred damage to the Brachial Plexus nerves in my left shoulder.
This has left my left arm out of action and only minimal movement in three of
my fingers.. (I'm left handed. Always the way isn't it!)
