I had a couple of additional thoughts on this, so please bear with me.
I suppose the reason I dislike the term "illness" so much is because it
implies I'm an invalid with a chronic condition. Nothing could be further
from the truth! Cerebral palsy results from injury to the part of the
brain that controls the muscles. That's it. Nothing more. It's like
having a stroke. You "recover" from a stroke, but it doesn't get worse,
unless you have another one. Of course the injury can result from an
illness or an accident but the effect is the same.
This is not to say our bodies don't suffer more from the affects of abnormal
movements and wear and tear. They do, and we are showing the aging symptoms
of it earlier than the able-bodied population.
And when someone uses the term "disease" to classify CP, I get even more
annoyed. "Disease" implies something that is contagious, as well as
something that can be cured or treated with drugs. It's difficult enough
trying to be taken seriously in the world of business without being treated
as if you'd give CP to someone else...
Off the soapbox and on to the weekend!
Kathy S.
----- Original Message -----
From: "K. Salkin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2001 12:28 PM
Subject: Re: A Question
> OK, I see now. I was wondering if you thought of yourself as being ill,
or
> perhaps trying to clarify what someone else said or wrote.
>
> Where on Yahoo did you see this? Do they have a CP group which includes
> "illness" in its description? You might want to write the moderator and
> suggest she correct that terminology.
>
> I pick my battles, so to speak. I don' t attempt to correct every single
> misconception I see about CP in a paper or on the Web. If someone is
> speaking to me, or in a presentation, and uses the word "illness," or
> "disease," I'll make an effort to press the case for calling CP a
> "condition." However, it's a futile effort to correct everyone, IMHO. I
> just hope by educating a small number of people, I can educate a few more.
>
> Kathy S.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kathy Jo Pink" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 7:39 PM
> Subject: Re: A Question
>
>
> > The reason I asked this question is because Ya-Hoo groups calls Cerebral
> Palsy an illness. Kathy Jo
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: K. Salkin [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2001 1:03 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: A Question
> >
> > I'd like to know why Kathy Jo asked the question. Kathy?
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "greer.bobby" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2001 10:49 AM
> > Subject: Re: A Question
> >
> >
> > > Kathy S.
> > >
> > > In our society today, where everything is becoming viewed as a
> > > "disease", why not CP? Of course, these other things, i.e., addiction;
> are
> > > termed disease for one purpose only, insurance reimbursement. CP is a
> > chronic
> > > condition, not a disease or an illness.
> > > Just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions. LOL
> > >
> > > Bobby
> > >
> > > K. Salkin wrote:
> > >
> > > > I admit, that when I first read this question, my impulse was to
fire
> > off a
> > > > quick and snappy response such as "are you kidding? Of course not?"
> > But
> > > > actually it's not a bad question. I'd bet if you asked a group of
> > non-CP
> > > > people this question, most of them would get it wrong.
> > > >
> > > > I'd also bet most non-CP folks (or more accurately able-bodied)
would
> > see us
> > > > as diseased, not having a nonprogressive condition.
> > > >
> > > > Kathy S.
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "Kathy Jo Pink" <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2001 8:21 PM
> > > > > Subject: A Question
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Is Cerebral Palsy an illness?
> > > > >
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