Not so great news regarding Newsome

Submitted by evenyoubrutus on

There was a sliver of hope last week (though the board hardly mentioned it) that Newsome was possibly very close to being cleared to play. Well, Harbaugh said the following in his press conference: 

"How is the nerve going to come back. No one knows. Until that comes back, he won't be playing football."

Perhaps someone who has some medical knowledge could weigh in on the chances of a nerve growing back. I've never heard of it before but that doesn't mean much. 

jakerblue

July 23rd, 2018 at 4:33 PM ^

Not a doctor...but I sliced the nerve in my thumb after a glass container broke. The surgeon basically said nerves are the slowest growing thing and not even guaranteed to grow back. It’s been two years and I still have no feeling in the top of my thumb.

Raving Blue Lunatic

July 23rd, 2018 at 5:04 PM ^

I had a similar experience with my right middle finger tip and a non-sterile scalpel I was using for woodwind reed making (yeah I'm a band nerd).  I stabbed myself pretty good and still have a scar; I also lost feeling in that finger tip for about 3 years.

So, it does happen. Slowly. But an injury as bad as Grant's might take a long time. On the plus side he's a fit, strong young man with access to one of the best sports medicine programs in the country, if not the world. 

I'm pulling for him, as are we all, but he is already a winner IMO.  

bluebyyou

July 23rd, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^

Ever hear about John and Lorena Bobbitt...she cut "it" off and threw it out the window of their car.  "It" was reattached and seems to have worked.  The ultimate nerve regeneration story and a good read.

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/lorena-bobbitt-john-bobbitt-25-years-696573/

As for Newsome, I'll keep my fingers crossed; I'd like him to be able to play but not if there is an increased risk of long term injury.

 

Fishbulb

July 23rd, 2018 at 7:17 PM ^

Two days after hip surgery, I realized my junk was numb. Doctor said the tourniquet compressed a nerve and the feeling ‘should’ come back ‘eventually.’ I asked why he didn’t bother mentioning that as a possible side effect of the procedure. He shrugged and said it was like 1% of patients. I was his 2nd—it happened to a female too. Dude had zero shits to give about my numb junk. And when I say numb, I mean numb—Michelangelo’s David has more sensation in his junk. Two eunuchoid weeks later, power was restored and I could resume looking people in the eye. 

StraightDave

July 23rd, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^

I broke my jaw back in 2012.  The doc cut the nerve to repair the shattered jaw, the nerve has yet to  grow back.  Still patiently waiting though.  

Warm Cockles

July 23rd, 2018 at 4:49 PM ^

Best of luck to him! Hopefully he stays on as grad assistant and then maybe coach.

The writing is on the wall as far as Michigan football career, unfortunately.