Good morning!
So, several significant things have happened to me in the past few days. First of all, in mid-week, I stumbled across a cool blog: http://www.teencerebralpalsy.com/!
Now, for those of you not in the know (I don't know why you wouldn't be, considering that most of you reading this know me either in person or on Toon Zone, where I've posted about it.) I have a condition called Cerebral Palsy. This is caused by damage to a tiny part of your brain called the cerebellum, one that controls basic motion like walking. As a result, my muscles are uncharacteristically tight and I use a wheelchair. You know when you watch Friday the 13th, and Jason randomly jumps out and stabs somebody, and you tense a little? That's me. Only amplified and all day long. I can stand with a lot of assistance, but only for a few minutes.
And. That's. Really. All. It. Is.
I will say that some people with CP have speech impediments, and some can't communicate verbally. I'm very, very lucky.
But, back to the significant things.
Kathy Fetters, who runs TCP, blogs about her struggles and triumphs almost every day. So she's inspired me to do so as well. But rather than copy her formula. I'm going to copy other people's formula. Namely, Adam and Jamie's, aka the Mythbusters. So, let's get crackin' and bust some CP myths!
MYTH: People with CP cannot communicate, or are "mentally retarded".
FACT: People with CP are just as likely as you are to be either social or antisocial on any given day.
Second significant event: I was at my school's dance yesterday. My mom chaparoned, which basically meant she would bring me there, and then go up to the 2nd floor to talk to my math teacher about some software we were trying. (Hi, Mr. O!) So, she drops me off in the lobby, where I'm in plain sight. I go up to the ticket booth and drop off my ticket, my mom just about to leave. The lady looks up at my mom and asks her "Can I X his hand?" I'm RIGHT in front of her. RIGHT there. And I'm thinking "Hey, lady, I'm here. I can talk!" Always approach the person first. We can talk, and if we can't, we can still use gestures. This REALLY ticks me off. Same with people, even trained aids, speaking sloooowly and quietly. Just because we have a handicap doesn't mean we don't have something to say. Same with using the word "retarded". Every time I go in a public place, I say hi to a random stranger. You'd be surprised how long their eyes can bug out.
And, about the mentally retarded thing, tell me what a grandfather paradox is, or what an acroanagramtic poem is, and then we can talk about me being mentally retarded, OK?
MYTH: People with Cerebral Palsy are depressed and wallow in self pity.
FACT: People with Cerebral Palsy are usually very optimistic.
Look, we all have bad days. Sometimes. I'm a tad down. But if you know me, you know I'm usually very energetic. One time, a provider (a physical theraby student who helps me strech and stuff like that) were on our usual summertime walk. This old man comes up to her, I'm in plain sight, and he says "Can I encourage him?" Poor Amanda just nodded. He kneels down to me, and he looks me in the eyes, and then he starts speaking. Slowly. "I had a friend in a wheelchair. We used to race up hills, and we'd go fast." Oooooooooooooooooookay.
______________________
Bottom line: I'm no different than you. I play baseball. I watch TV (Mrs. N should really get on LOST, seeing as it premiers in January and she's got 100-plus episodes to watch!) I play Wii (Duece!) and I read (Book reviews in progress!). And I should be treated exactly like that. (By the way, the dance was TONS better after the ticket lady! Go Bladeblahs!)
Expect a new post later, and check out Kathy at http://www.teencerebralpalsy.com/!
Tomato
Posts
Think about sharing this with a wider audience...
ReplyDeleteMrs. M.
Why do you think it says Part One? ;)
ReplyDeleteTomato
Wowza, Fluffy. Never knew folks treated you that way. I guess one (small) consolation is that at least these folks aren't acting out of meanness, just ignorance. I'm glad you're doing your part to rectify that! I do remember Mrs. M once telling us that you'd shared in Explorations how you'd had a dream where you were running to get something-or-other and so forth, and one of the other kids said "you can run in your dreams?" I thought about that for a bit, and then figured, you know, in mine, I sometimes fly.
ReplyDeleteHow are you planning to share with a wider audience?
Be Well,
Mrs. N.
I don't want to say much 'till I get things set in stone.
ReplyDeleteAnd yep, most people act that way. It is better when they do it out of ignorance. I've had one or two people do it out of spite, and that's not fun.
The funny thing is, I DO have my chair in my trans if I'm going to use it. For example,I had a Vicadin induced very odd dream where I was fighting a hoard of giant cockroaches, and I used my wheelchair to ride up one of their backs and thrust a beam sword through it... (I'm such a nerd XD!)
That whole flying thing was beautiful. One of the most poetic things I've seen in a while.
Tomato
Hey tomato, props on putting it out there that we are all the same, and thanks for mentioning me and my sight :)
ReplyDelete