I have been classified as having a mixed bag. I am spastic especially my left
hand and right leg. My hand and eye coordination is bad. My entire body is
effected but I have improved with age. I am fortunate I can walk pretty good
but do not have great balance. I have a speech defect but most people
understand me. I am very fortunate that I do not take any medication. I will
explain how I became disabled and my school years.

When I was a year old I had a cardiac arrest that left me blind, deaf and
very spastic.  The doctors did not know why this happened because I was going
to be discharged from the hospital the same day.  I was in the hospital
because I had bronchitis but I was a healthy baby before that incident.  I am
very fortunate that my hearing and eyesight came back to me a few months
later but I was still very spastic.  When the cardiac arrest happened several
doctors told my parents that I suffered severe brain damage and I will not
live much longer.  If I do I will not improve and they should consider
putting me in an institution.

    There were many organizations that did not think they could help me but
the Easter Seal Society helped me get therapy right away.  When I was two
years old I went to one of their schools for more therapy and testing.  I
went they're for three years and then I went to Widener Memorial School that
is a school for the disabled.  The first six years there I was in the
severely disabled classes, which meant most of the time I was in physical
therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.  I gradually began to walk
better without falling down a lot.  A teacher helped me stop drooling.
People including my parents and brothers began to understand me better.  Then
I went through Grade School and High School and graduated in 1981.

I will answer any other question about my disability if you need it

Stephen Allman