Well, 49 years ago, it was even harder to predict how well a disabled child
would do in life, especially when one was as early as I was (6 mos) and as
small as I (2 lbs).  So I was really at risk for everything from severe CP,
to mental retardation, to blindness, etc.  The fact that all I have is mild
spastic diplegia and a hearing impairment, is pure luck, and I'm grateful
for that.

Kat
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Arnold" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 10:19 PM
Subject: Re: CP (Part II)


> I don't want to totally side for the doctors here, but however I sometimes
> feel that they feel that the child's parents are expecting them to know
> something, so they end up saying something either right or wrong.  It's
like
> forcing the doctor to gamble, when they don't know what the odds are for
> sure, but they know they have parents wanting some answers or they're
going
> to look for another doctor to take their child to, if they don't receive
> some answers.
>
> Thanks,
> Anthony
>
> Visit me at http://www.ara1.net
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Asdis Jenna Astradsdottir
>   To: [log in to unmask]
>   Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2002 3:53 AM
>   Subject: Re: CP (Part II)
>
>
>   yes I fooled doctor by going to grammar school and now sign language
>   studies and then to teaching school! Yeah, we cpers are too smart for
the
>   world!!!! Asdis.
>
>   At 17:37 4.5.2002 -0700, Kathy Pink wrote:
>   >I agree with Kat.  The doctor thought I would be
>   >a vegetable so he advised my parents to put me in
>   >an institution.
>   >
>   >
>   >
>   >
>   >
>   >--- Kathleen Salkin <[log in to unmask]>
>   >wrote:
>   > > I think all of us beat our doctors'
>   > > expectations. I know my doctor didn't expect me
>   > > to live, much less learn anything or go to
>   > > school.  My mother's voice would rise with
>   > > indignation every time she told me he would
>   > > tell her I would end up in an insitution, not
>   > > able to care for myself or feed myself.  Well,
>   > > turns out all my CP is all in my legs and I am
>   > > on my own, and have 2 college degrees, etc.  I
>   > > just wish he were still alive so I could tell
>   > > him how well my life turned out but he died
>   > > when I was still a child.  Living well is the
>   > > best revenge, as they say.
>   > >
>   > > Kat
>   > >
>   > >
>   > > On Fri, 3 May 2002 12:10:12 -0700 jd
>   > > <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>   > >
>   > > --- "BG Greer, PhD" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>   > >
>   > > . When a new born is sus=
>   > > > pected of having cerebral palsy, physicians
>   > > will
>   > > > often paint a "worse c=
>   > > > ase scenario" for the traumatized parents by
>   > > > telling them their newborn=
>   > > >  "bundle of joy" most likely will not be
>   > > > able to walk, to talk, wi=
>   > > > ll be retarded, blind or deaf or both. This
>   > > way the
>   > > > physician's ass is=20=
>   > > > covered. And that is what happened to my
>   > > parents
>   > > > when I was born.
>   > >
>   > >
>   > > This was interesting timing Bobby. This morning
>   > > Alex
>   > > asked me the question I really didn't want to
>   > > answer...Mom why can't I walk. I told him he
>   > > was born
>   > > to soon and too little and was very sick when
>   > > he was
>   > > born and has a boo boo on his brain that causes
>   > > him to
>   > > have trouble walking. I told him the doctors
>   > > told me
>   > > he wouldn't be able to walk, talk, eat or think
>   > > by
>   > > himself. This kid who uses a walker, braces,
>   > > has low
>   > > vision and has had a feeding tube for almost
>   > > 1/2 his
>   > > life etc., etc., looked me straight in the eye
>   > > and
>   > > said
>   > > "I sure fooled the doctors, haven't I Mom?"
>   > > Joanne
>   > >
>   > >
>   >__________________________________________________
>   > > Do You Yahoo!?
>   > > Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and
>   > > wellness
>   > > http://health.yahoo.com
>   >
>   >
>   >__________________________________________________
>   >Do You Yahoo!?
>   >Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness
>   >http://health.yahoo.com
>
>   Asdis night owl and the purring cat, Agatha Mist queen of our apartment!
>   Gonnabe CI-user.
>   [log in to unmask]
>   Iceland.
>   :
>   Faith, Hope and Love.