I think there is a sub-division, Bobby, but it's not a bad thing. I see myself as a novice in the world of disability and this is a great forum to learn from the masters. You who have lived with CP have a wealth of information that we parents are sopping up like sponges!

I am thrilled to talk with other parents of kids with CP. But mostly I go to CPParent for this. There are some adult CPers there too but the parents are in the majority. The topics are focused on the kids, as it should be. What I value most about C-Palsy is the chance to have a glimpse into my son's future. It was so terrifying to look at my infant son and have no idea what to expect. With my NDA son I had lots of other parents, books, magazines, etc to give me a rough sort of picture of milestones and pitfalls and general expectations of things to come. Sure there were books on CP but everything is so clinical/ medical. They don't address what life is really like "out there". When we were given the diagnoses we were told some clinical expectations but they were best guesses. Often parents are told to go home and love your child. But the questions you have!! What kind of life will my son have? Will he be happy? CAN he be happy? Can he make a contribution? How on earth can I prepare him? Where do I start?

Here I have a chance to see people just living their lives just like everyone else! Some are happy, some are not; some are successful, some are not; some are independant, some are not; some work, some don't; some are married, some are single... you have no idea how reassuring it is. It felt so much like foreign territory in the beginning. 

I'm having trouble saying what I want to say but I guess it is  a big thank you to all of you for being here and for letting me have a glimpse of my son's world.

Yvonne

>>> [log in to unmask] 06/05/00 11:54AM >>>
I did a similar account for the month of March and 15 people accounted for
85% of all messages on this list.

        I would hope that a "sub-division" does not exist between adults
and parents. We are a community centered around a neuromuscular impairment.
I often wish my mother had had access to a similar list. I don't think she
ever talked to another parent with a CP child.

Bobby


>Deborah dear friend,
>
>With 300 plus list members I can only imagine what a nightmare it would be if
>everyone posted as much as I do.  Ye Gads!  Everyone's computer would blow up!
>
>You are definitely in my heart, you don't have to be a CP adult.  I'm not
>even a CP adult, unless you count Virtual CP (which I brazenly claim).  At
>times I have felt a connection with the parents that I didn't initially
>anticipate.  Although I am an adult with an acquired disability, and you are
>a parent without a disability who had the lovely surprise of having
>disability come into your life through your children, we seem to share the
>experience of being thrown into a different culture, unique unto its own.
>
>I tend to regard CP adults as my mentors at this point (in spite of my
>"grandma status"), although I have a couple of mentors with other
>disabilities.  I have such close ties on this list now though, that the CP
>world feels closer to me than any other "sub group" of disabilities including
>my own.
>
>There are so few people in my situation who's peripheral neuropathy has
>progressed as mine has, that our issues are very different.  I'm at flank
>speed through the ocean of disability rights advocacy.
>
>Sometimes I see posts from parents and read through without replying since I
>don't have children myself.  I'm not always sure what to say and leave
>replies to parents who know more about other parent's issues.  I am
>definitely in the parent's corner, I'm just afraid of saying something
>stupid.  I am reading though.
>
>It seems as though there are two sub communities on this list: Those with CP
>children, and adults with CP. Threads keep things organized and separated,
>but we are certainly together in our goals and aspirations.
>
>Betty
>(I was supposed to have CP; I just got in the wrong line)
>
>
>
>
>In a message dated 06/05/2000 9:08:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>>  I will try better, but for some reason I don't have
>>  any comments on allot of the subjects, maybe because I am a mother with a
>>  child who has CP, rather than having CP myself.  I will try harder to
>>  understand how it feels maybe as my syndromes become full blown I will feel
>>  different.  I appreciate the input from the group though, helps me to
>>  understand the frustration, hope and success that my boys are feeling.
>>  Thanks again to the group.
>>  Deborah mom of 4