Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Discuss Camp UBPN
Jennifer P
Posts: 220
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:12 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
Location: Pacific Northwest

Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by Jennifer P »

As promised to Carolyn, here is the start of my daily postings about what's been happening at camp.

We arrived just in time to catch the shuttle at the hotel where I met Mel for the first time in person. So cool! We got on the bus and soon realized that we were going to rattle our way down to the lodge. After two hours of shake, rattle and rolling we made it! We were greeted by many more forum/facebook faces. It's a lot of fun to finally meet everyone in person. Dinner left something to be desired, but we are giving the benefit of the doubt to the cooks in hopes that breakfast will be super tasty.

Next we hustled down to the second floor to sign up for all the activities and shortly after we got to listen to some music by Chris and Matt; and might I say they are both very talented! It was cute to see the kids dancing alone to Chris' jams, and his song was very touching. Matt Parsons flew all the way from the UK and just FYI, his music is available on iTunes!

Then after all the kiddos were snug as a bug in a rug those of us "adults" with BPI held an impromptu round table lasting past midnight.

Phew! I think it's time for bed. Will check in tomorrow!
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by Carolyn J »

THANK YOU !!AWESOME, Jennifer!!!! :mrgreen: Ohhh I can almost hear the music....isn't it FANTASTIC that Matt Parsons came all the way from UK? 8-) Someone please give him a hug for me and say it's from Gramma Carolyn J...(sometime before Camp ends on monday)....Jennifer I bet you and Mel pull some all nighters! GO for it!! you guys can catchup on the plane home. I hope your DH finds a pal & has fun too.
Hello to Mel and all. Thank you for keeping your promise for this Camp Blog.
Isn't everyone on the BOD's AWEsome??!!

I hope you do the Zip Line!

HUGS,
Gramma Carolyn J :D
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
Kath
Posts: 3242
Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
Location: New York

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by Kath »

Jennifer
Thanks for the blog... I really miss being at camp. I can't believe I'm not there, won't miss another one. Camp is healing for all of us and so great to see how the little obpi's blossom as they interact with their peers. They are such a joy to watch as they become so comfortable in their own skin. I know that my first meeting with other obpi/tbpi adults in 1999, forever change me. I hope this is a great experience for you and all the first time adult new campers.

Thanks again for posting the blog... it helps those of use who are not there.
Kath robpi/adult

Kathleen Mallozzi
Jennifer P
Posts: 220
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:12 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by Jennifer P »

Oh no! My last posting didn't post! That's what I get for writing at 1am. Now I have to remember two days worth of stuff :(

Sunday was a lot of fun. Mel, Vik and I went Geocaching, rock wall climbing, zip lining; and now our arms are so sore! I'll make a full posting when I get home this evening.
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by Carolyn J »

Rest up 1st, Jen!...I saw where Rich & BOD got you to MC the gathering. It didn't stop you from having fun too.I will be patient for your blog and also want to hear if your DH had fun too. Isn't Camp awesome tho?! We'll see you for sure at the next one!
HUGS,
Carolyn J
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
User avatar
marieke
Posts: 1627
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:00 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
no external rotation against gravity, can only go to 90 degree fwd flexion, no hand-to-mouth
1 surgery at age 14 (latissimus dorsi transfer). In 2004, at age 28 I was struck with Transverse Myelitis which paralyzed me from the chest down. I recovered movement to my right leg, but need a KAFO to walk on my left leg. I became an RN in 2008.
Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
Contact:

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by marieke »

Glad you guys woke up, Mel was worried that without her cell phone alarm you may not get up :)
Marieke Dufresne RN
34, LOBPI
http://nurse-to-be08.blogspot.com
jmar
Posts: 528
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:43 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: brachial plexus stretch during thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on may 18, 2010.

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by jmar »

i do not know anything about this camp. is it a week or just a weekend? is it geared for kids or for adults also? i live alone and would feel quite out of place if it were geared primarily for kids if i went the next time. i know it will be another 2 years but maybe i can find out more about it before then. if nothing else i could work as a volunteer. hopefully in 2 years from now i will have considerable function in my hand. but the doc is not too optomistic about full function. i have a little function now but not much. idiot doctor tells me the day after surgery i will get full function back in my arm and hand within a few days now almost 5 months later he is telling me a totally different story. grrrr
User avatar
karategirl1kyu
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:59 am
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI, had surgery when I was 9- they moved muscles and tendons from one side of my arm to the other side. I can lift my arm to about my eye level, can't straigten it all the way and can't completely supinate my wrist.
Location: Richmond, RI

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by karategirl1kyu »

the zip line was awesome, im glad i had encouragement from everyone on the ground. my arm didnt want to go to the top!! my my mind did, and everyone on the ground did.. so i made it!! by the time i got to the top my arm had NO feeling at all. traci and i jumped together... pix will be on facebook as soon as they upload, and videos will be on youtube (ill post links) within the next few days i hope!! i agree, im very sore, it hurt to do the whole luggage thing today... and i was tempted to get a massage in the airport. it feels wierd to type right now... the keys dont feel like they normally do... on either side, its so odd! :lol:
~Mel/23/LOBPI
Jennifer P
Posts: 220
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:12 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by Jennifer P »

You can post videos on Facebook as well!
Jennifer P
Posts: 220
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:12 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Jen's UBPN Camp 2010 Blog

Post by Jennifer P »

Okay, so let me try to remember all this now. I'm still bummed that my Saturday evening posting didn't make it online.

SATURDAY
We woke up for breakfast, I attempted to sleep in by being the last to take a shower. Then I paid for it with a lukewarm shower! Breakfast was pretty tasty. They had everything you could imagine. Biscuits, eggs, omelete, hash browns, bacon, sausage, oatmeal, grits, fruit...

Then Mel and I went on to the all injured round table; Vik can raise both hands so he went to archery :D The all injured round table was fun, Judy called up Kath and she even joined us for the hour! The kids all had wonderful questions to ask. I really liked the question that Emma asked to all the girls — YES our mom's all did our hair too!

After that we had lunch...then Vik went to the spouse roundtable. Mel and I went to the arts & crafts building on a whim and did ceramics. She made a little pumpkin and I made a dog that looks like ours!

Then we had the pontoon tour which boated us around the big lake outside of Trout Lodge. After that we did a quick on site geocache, turns out the ones at the camp were not really up to speed...we did a pro one the next day!

Vik was keen on playing so after that we played ping pong. I let Mel and him do most of it because my allergies were getting the best of me... then we layed in the grass out by the lake and then hung out inside for a while...

Finally it was time for dinner, and then we had the awesome speakers! We finished the night off with a second adult round table. I think the round tables were the most helpful for me.
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