Hi-
I agree with Anee.  Friends told me everyday for years that I could walk and
get over Cerebral Palsy later in my life.


Kathy




----- Original Message -----
From: Anee Stanford <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 1999 10:50 AM
Subject: Thoughts...Walking + Memories


> Hi-
>
> You know I just wish people would stop looking at disability as something
to
> fix...something that needs improving.
>
> And I am not trying to critize parents.  I am just trying to offer some
> guidence based on my life experience thus far as a person with CP.  Trying
to
> make you think about things that you may not have thought of...that's all.
> Offering a diffrent perspective.
>
> I mean I am fine as I am, as long as I accept myself for who I am.  So who
> cares if I use a wheelchair. (I don't)  Who cares if I walk funny or ruin
my
> shoes as one person said...who cares if I can't walk or stand at all. (I
> don't)
>
> The thing that counts is that I AM a productive member of socitey.  (and
> that's what relly counts in the end)  I can work at a job.  I have or can
get
> an education.  I can and do go to college.  And walking or standing dosn't
> make (in the big pictiure) a whole lot of impact on that.  (it inpacts on
how
> you do it but it dosn't flat out prevent you from doing it).  And I know
not
> everyone with CP can go to college because some have sever learning
> dificulities or developmental delays but that is not the majority.
>
> I know a high school teacher who has sever athetoid cp.  He can not stand,
> walk, write, type, or feed himself without assistence.  He has sever
speech
> problems.  But he has a PhD in physics, has published 2 books...one in
> english and one in korean...and is now teaching high school physics.  The
> possibilities are endless.
>
> I don't know many jobs were all you do is standing so I have never
understood
> what the big deal with being able to walk is.  (Just because eveyone elce
> walks around on 2 legs?...I don't get it)...actually in about 6 grade I
> became very cofterble with having cerebral palsy...to me it's not a big
deal
> any more...I am actualy in a way thankfull for my disabilty because I
belive
> that it has offered my grater educationl oppertunities...being more awear
of
> people...etc.  Even in jobs that you do standing up you still have to be
able
> to use your arms and hands.  To me it is much more important to be able to
> use your upper body.  And if you can walk that's fine to.  But I think
> sometimes to much attention is paied to the lower body becasue that's were
> people notice diffrences right off.
>
>
> I don;t know if this messege has a point or not.  I just wanted to share
> these thoughts with all of you out there.
>
> Anee
> Webmaster,  <A
> HREF="http://yahoo.geocities.com/HotSprings/Sauna/4441/CPIC.html">CPIC</A>
>
> In a message dated 9/16/1999 12:46:40 AM Central Daylight Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> << Hi,
>
>  I have memories going back to at least the age of 3 1/2 or 4 if not
earlier.
>  I remember my first surgery at 4 1/2 very well. I had one of the same
nurses
>  at the same hospital when I was 8. We both recognized each other and
stuff.
>  My parents didn't talk to me about my second surgery. I found out the day
>  before when I was having surgery. My mother's way of dealing with it was:
"If
>  you going to cry about it, we're not going to discuss it. End of
subject."
>  All I knew was that I would have casts below my knees, and that my feet
would
>  be straight afterwards and that I would no longer make holes in my shoes.
I
>  also knew that I would be in the casts for six weeks.  It was six weeks
of
>  pain and he**!! I also relied on my memory of what would happen in the
>  hospital and it was all the same... unfortunately. A week of He** that I
>  could have lived without!
>
>  Since my doctor "screwed up", I wouldn't let him touch me again with a
knife.
>  I still ruined my shoes and got the blame for it. I got the blame for my
foot
>  turning out. I got the blame for not picking up my feet after this
surgery
>  that "was supposed to make me walk more normal and straight."
>
>  Enuf said,
>
>  Dina >>
>