CP Awarness Month Highlights

             Another   month has come and  gone.     This  has been a fun  month  with me blogging weekly. I like it and  it has not hurt my  academics at all. I  took a bio  test  today and got a  96%, and no I did not  pay the professor.     
                
 I told you about  Able to go to college. The series is coming soon.   Maybe  next week.


  Connotation and  Denotation faced off   in this  post .


 I  got some  news    about  my   grades.


   I  re posted  about  LM  for Down Syndrome day 




 IT was CP Awareness  Day  and I   thought of some ways  that  having a disabled child  was easier than   a  average one 




 Guest  Posts 


  Laura  sharing Seth's story


  Stacey Menz  talking about  PT and CP  




 What  were some of your  favorite  post  from this  month.

A message from a PT

       I have had the pleasure  of  knowing Stacey Menz since  fall  2011.    For those of  you who do not know  Stacey is a PT  based   in the same town  that I   grew up  in.  I  wish I had her for  PT when I was younger  because she is really good.  Stacey works  at  Starfish Therapies. I asked her  to  write a post about  CP  and she did  so without further ado here  is the post on  CP

 this  little  guy  will be  the star of a video at the end of the post 

Every person with cerebral palsy looks differently not just in terms of their physical appearance (just like any other person) but also in terms of what they can do really easily and what they have a really hard time doing. This is because it depends on the area of the brain that was affected. Each area controls different parts of the body so it would make sense that an injury in one area of the brain will have a different affect than an injury in a different area of the brain. Despite these differences there are similarities that are important to consider when assisting a person with cerebral palsy to achieve their goals in life, whatever those goals may be.

 Me as a middle schooler with   book gal in   the backround

The similarity I am going to chat about is that for a person with cerebral palsy to learn a new skill whether it is how to walk, how to talk, how to write, etc, it takes a lot of practice. In this way it is no different than someone who is learning how to play the piano or to shoot a basketball or write cursive. All new skills take practice and repetition until they become more second nature. With new skills, each piece of the skill requires conscious thought. Remember the first time you learned to drive a car. You had two hands on the steering wheel, you were sitting upright and barely dared to breath. The radio wasn’t on because it might distract you, and the person who was in the passenger seat wasn’t allowed to so much as whisper. It took all your thought and concentration to move the car out of the driveway and down the road. Now, after countless hours and miles of practice think about all the things you do in the car. I’m sure all of us have at some point and time driven somewhere, parked and thought ‘how did I get here.’ Driving has become automatic and we don’t have to think about every little nuance anymore, unless the conditions change and then we are on higher alert.

 My  mom  me and book gal I did PT when I was this small

This is how learning every movement is for a person with cerebral palsy. Each motion or activity requires constant thought. Nothing is automatic. So not only is going about the day physically exhausting for a person with cerebral palsy because of the extra energy they have to expend to create movement or speech, it can also be mentally exhausting if they have to consciously tell their brain to tell their body each motion and movement.


This is where the practice comes in. The more a person practices an activity the easier it has the potential to become. And, the more the activity is broken down into small pieces and each piece is mastered and then put back together as a whole, the easier the activity has the potential to become. I have seen this in many cases. I have a kiddo where we are working on walking without assistive devices. He is able to do it for short periods but he needs to think about each step and think about his balance after each step. He has a hard time shifting his weight onto one foot so he can lift the other and will often lean out to the side to make this easier, but that then makes keeping his balance harder. So we will take lots of time to practice shifting his weight to one side and then the other while keeping his head and trunk up straight. After we practice that piece he gets to practice walking a short distance and he finds it just a little bit easier to shift his weight, take a step and keep his head and trunk up so that he has an easier time keeping his balance.
Every time a skill is practiced it is reinforcing the pathway that sends the message from the brain to the muscles. The more this road is used, the more efficient it becomes which also helps skills to become more automatic.

I inspire greatness

The take-away message is that practice and repetition are good. But I also hope you understand how much effort goes into a person with cerebral palsy learning each new skill and movement. Not just the physical effort, but the mental effort. I am amazed every day by the determination and will of the people I work with. They inspire me to work harder. I hope they inspire you.

Raiseing a disabled child is sometimes easier than rasing a adverage child

My mom   my sisters and  me spring 2005

1   I do not need a curfew.  I do not go out that much and if  I  do  its with my parents  so  they do not need  to stay up worrying  when I will be home  on weekends. 

2  There are a lot of people that have helped me  over the years. OT  Therapist PT ST they  have wondered though my life  helping me and  my parents. 

3 Most of the  things I do outside of  the home are  supervised  thus  they  do not have to worry.

4    Sometimes  my sisters tend to think that they  know everything.  I know  I  don't.

 

5 I have never been  to  a house party therefore  I  have never   been around  drugs  

 6 I have  yet to have a boyfriend  so    my dad does not have to worry.

 

 Got  any other ideas? I  want to hear  them  comment below 

Great video of me

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Yesterday

  So  yesterday I   got to watch the  Muppet  movie  via  Apple TV.


 I really  liked it.  It is about a  muppet who was raised in a human family  thus  he has a hard time  fittining  in  he is  really short. Then  he   watches the Muppet show  on  TV and  he  does not   feel so  alone.  It leads him ....    What you think I would  ruin the movie for  you..




 Anyway   one  of my  favorite  songs that Kermit,  you know  the frog, sings  is  It's not that easy being green.  I  remember watching   the song on Sesame Street  back when I was younger and liking the song but not understanding.  Now   17 years  later  I do  understand its  not that easy to be  different. It's really hard when society  tells  you that you are not wroth  the same because of   stroke  before birth.   Since  green  is the CP  color.   I feel like  Kermit is sining this song  especially  for  kids with  CP even though it applies to  all disabilities. 

TODAY IS

 



Today  is CP Awareness day so if u could tell people about CP I would appreciate. CP is a physical disability that results from a lack of oxygen. I have lived with it for 20 years. CP is the reason why I have trouble talking and running long distances, it is the reason that i can not do my own hair at 20. I just keep trying to do the best I can. Never underestimate a person with CP. Just because A person does not talk clearly or can talk at all does not mean that they have a intellectual disability.  To learn more about what it is like to have CP watch  below 

CP sports camp

  This is cool   I  wish   there was something  like that around here





Sunday is Special so stick  around

Seth's Story part three

           Here is part  one , 

here is  part   two 

 Now for the final chapter 

For every Seth that is saved, there are so many more kids, just like him, waiting in an orphanage. 100,000 in Ukraine alone. Somewhere between the ages of 4 and 6, depending on what part of the country they live in, they will be transferred to a “special needs internaut”… a mental institution. A facility housing ages 4-65. They will remain there the rest of their lives. Those with any sort of special need will never receive an education, no job training, no life skills training. They will sit and stare at the walls, slowly losing their minds, their bodies deteriorating and becoming weak, until they finally give up and die. That is hard to read. It seems sensational. In our day and age, surely not, right. But it’s true. It exists. I’ve been there. I’ve seen a child’s reality. Every time a child is adopted, that child is given hope, health care, family, love and an education. Children who were deemed “uneducable” In Ukraine are brought home, given an education, go on to high school, college, get married and have children. All because someone stepped out in faith and took a chance for a child.

Change is happening in Ukraine, but like all change, it comes slowly. There are a few schools opening up for children with special needs. But they are few and far between in comparison to the demand. Every time a child is adopted, a statement is made that these kids have value, are worth it, and deserve everything we go through to get them here. Slowly, the wheels of change turn.

When I think of Seth and where he’d be if we hadn’t walked through those doors, I think back to the line of wheelchairs, of his mind losing its grip. I think of him sitting there for 59 more years. Doing nothing. Sitting, moaning, rocking. When I think of Seth’s future, I see him starting school, learning to read, learning to walk, being on a high school swim team, maybe being a weight lifter. I see him studying hard, because he knows the value of what he’s been given. I see him being a cub scout, a boy scout, earning his Eagle, going on to college and being an engineer some day. With his captivating laugh and coy smile, I’m sure he will get married and have children. All of this can be his, despite his CP, with his CP, because of his CP. His cerebral palsy shaped him. Without it, he wouldn’t have spent his first six years where he did. He might not have the determination and drive he does. He certainly wouldn’t be in our family. We owe a lot to his CP. His CP put him where he is now… in our family.


 Thanks for sharing Laura.  I have enjoyed   reading about Seth's incredible journy for more information please vist   Laura's blog.  

Happy World Down Syndrome Day

 Happy  World Down Syndrome  day here is something  I wrote  about  LM.  My  friend  with  DS. I wrote this  when  i  was  a junior in high school 

Spending time with LM is like opening a Christmas present and being pleasantly surprised because it was not on your list, but you enjoy it all the same. L M is a year my junior. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. His name might be L but he prefers to be called Michael Jordan. Needless to say, he is a huge basketball fanatic. Surprisingly, LM and I did not meet on a basketball court. We met at Judo class where he is now an orange belt. L an easy-going kid, but that does not mean to say he is always happy. He gets grumpy and angry and he doesn't like to admit his defeat. L lives near my school, but unfortunately for all the students and staff will merely be a name without a face. L will live through the stories and the essay I am about to tell you. But chances are, you will never meet the Michael Jordan of San Mateo. The reason being is that L has to go to our rival school because he has Down Syndrome and attends a special program there. 

The summer before the eighth grade I was invited to the M's house to spend time with L. Although the intention of my visit was to have fun on a summer's day I learned a lot by going to his house. He gave me a quick tour of his house before leading me down to his room that he shared with his brother who is a year my senior. Stacked up along his wall were video boxes. The video boxes took me back to when I was young because there were Disney movies. L had a wide range of selection which ranged from Mulan to Aladin. It looked to me that he had all the collection. "Lets watch Mulan two ." L said bring out the DVD box. I was not so sure about that . I mean I did not want to tell L that my personal collection was gathering dust because I had grown out of them. L did not want to take no for an answer so after playing outside L played the video. As the movie was playing L pointed to Mulan and said " That is my sister. " He proceed to do this and it hit me that L was using his imagination to put himself and his friends inside the movie. At the time I did not think much of the move. I do not remember much of it except LM sat entranced by the story and sang along with the songs. 

LM was thirteen at the time of our play date but yet he still loved watching Disney movies. Some people might just write him off as less capable but mankind can learn a thing or two from him. Mankind's favorite saying is the grass is greener on the other side, whether it is adulthood or a different job or classroom. Humans can learn to enjoy their side of the grass and if you happened to get on the other side it would merely by an unexpected Christmas gift instead of a dream. Adults are always telling little kids that " they are such a big kid" we should not say this because it's impression is that being little is not okay. Instead of growing up being like the 50 meter dash man should slow down to enjoy the sights and sounds of childhood. It is surprising what someone with an intellectual disability can teach you about life.

LM has taught me that it's ok to do whatever it is that makes you happy. Even if it goes against the trends and thoughts of society. LM has taught me that it's ok to be different and that everybody matures differently. Some people might mature faster than others but in the end they do. LM has taught me that a childhood hobby can carry on into teenage years even if it is only for kids. The most important thing that LM has taught me is to not assume that a person is incapable of doing anything. 

Worked all day but

 I did not completely finish  my  project.  I got   exempt.   My   scapegoat is  Facebook   I spend way to much time on it,


 On a  Happy note I   tured  in the essay  portion 

four sided die

  So  today  i had a  lab  about  hereditary,  how   certain  characteristics and  we had  to use a four sided dice and  roll it.  I  did not get a video  of  it  but  it was  tough  for me to pick it up.  I   was able to do it though.  

Happy St Patricks Day

   I wonder if i  were  to  spend the  whole day doing a report while  wearing  green  tomorrow  if  that increases my chance  of  getting a  A.  We  will  see   Happy  St.Patricks day everyone 

Neighbors

    So    yesterday I saw a special needs  bus in our neighborhood.  Now me being  me and   being a disabled advocate and all I wanted to know who lived in the house  so yesterday  on my  way to  my night  class  I asked the neighbor  and  turned  out it was the other house.


 So today   it was  pouring rain   but I took a walk around the block to see   the house  I wondered if  the  kid   has  CP   or something.  I actually was  going to blog and ask  for advice but  then I got home  and   found  that  the door  was  locked  so   I took it as   a  go  ahead for me to check  the  house.


  There were cars outside  so I ding on the doorbell  and   a  cute  girl   answered it she got her  mom   who   had a accent  and spoke another  langue and it turned out that   she has a boy  with  DS    How cool  is that?    So  now     there are three  people   that  I  know of  that have disablties: D and a girl  with Autism  and  this little  boy  with DS  and  me  of course. Do you  have neighbors  with Disabilities?

I MADE

  

 FALL 2011  

      People  have told me that I would not be able to go to college.  I did not know   that I could  do  college as   a  senior.    Now  I  know  I can  do  anything.

Seth's story Part two

 Read Part one  here 

Seth started out in a gait trainer  after  X MASS 2011

It’s been just over five months since we stood in that mental institution and looked at the shell of a little boy, looked into his eyes, trying to find the little boy he was. He’s been home almost four months now, and he is amazing. AMAZING! He is by far the most determined child I’ve ever known. He is motivated. He is learning fast, hitting milestones and catching up at record speed. A child confined to a wheelchair is now in a gait trainer, taking steps. He’s learning self care skills he never got to use at the orphanage, and is preparing to go to school for the first time ever. The biggest difference I see in Seth is the light in his eyes. He is ALIVE! There is no way you cannot laugh when Seth laughs, because you know the cost he’s paid to get to that laugh. You know the days of misery that led him here, to a place where he could find joy, love and a family. My other children agree Seth has brought our family closer, united us in the cause of a child. Our children have watched Seth literally have life breathed into him. They’ve watched him go from a disconnected, scared, institutionalized child to a little boy who loves to play with toys, get into things and explore. He’s inquisitive, curious, and cannot get enough of his newfound freedoms. Our children have embraced Seth with open arms, delighting in his absolute sweetness. Accepting him just as he is, and knowing that healing is a process that could take years to achieve.

HE'S  NOW  IN A WALKER  STARTED  LAST WEEK IN FEBUARY   

               Aside from Seth, the people I feel the most sorry for are Seth’s birth parents. I wonder if they think of him, if they worry about him, wonder what became of him. They had a child in a country that is about 50 years behind the US in healthcare and education. It is extremely hard to have a child with a disability in Ukraine. There is no special ed, no programs to support families. Almost any child with any disability at all will be abandoned in Eastern Europe. I don’t judge them, because I can’t begin to know their reasoning. I wish them peace. I hope one day, they will learn that Seth was saved from the system they gave him up to. To his parents, I would say, “You missed out on a beautiful little boy. He is a light to our family. He has perseverance and strength. His laughter fills a room. His smile is contagious. When you walked away from Seth, you gave up one awesome little boy.”

CP is only one small part of Seth. It doesn’t define him. Seth is defined by his character. He survived something I cannot imagine. For six and a half long years. He survived. And he still smiles. That defines him. His unwillingness to give in, to give up. Seth has blond hair, blue eyes, he’s got double jointed fingers, he loves playing in water, eating yogurt and bananas, and he has CP. He will live a full life, filled with laughter and happiness. He is way bigger than his disability. CP will not

limit him, because he’s survived something way bigger, way messier, way more debilitating than CP.






    PART  THREE  COMES   SOON, AS ALWAYS   BE SURE TO STOP BY  LAURA'S  BLOG

Language arts Math History

           I have to say   that    I am  pretty smart. I am a   US  History  wiz  a  wonderful writer  and  even though  I had a hard time  with  math I was  able to pass  college level  math last sesmester with a  B.

  notice   how  I am  missing a subject   Science

    In  Elementary school  I  learned about  Science and I would  say that  i  thought it was  fun.  I  remeber learning about the digestive system  and  Dinosaurs.   In  fith  grade  I did  a scince exparment on  plants, but  after that     I did  not  attend  Science class    until   I was in tenth  grade.    So   to put it in  Years  from      May 2003  til   Augest  2007  I   did not      have   Scince Class   because  in   middle school  I  went  to   RSP  class,  that was when the  fun  begain.
  Middle school  was also the time when  I  first  entered a  RSP  class.  RSP  stands  for  Resource Specialist   Program.   It was  a study hall for students who  were not in Special  Day Classes  who  still needed  some  extra help.    Most of the students in the class had learning  disability  such as  ADHD and  dyslexia.   I   was  in  Directed  studies   under  a IEP, which  I  had  since  I  was in  preschool so  even though  I did not  meet with a Special  Education  Teacher   in  Elementary school  I  had a  aid and   Speech  Therapy.  In  sixth  grade  I  was one of the most seve   students  in  the class.  the other  one   was DD  who was  deaf and also  had an aid.    DD had  hearing  aides that she could turn of  to study. She  could  tune out the noise.  Why  would she need  to do that?    To  be  continued....

In Kindergaten

 Today is  e 's birthday. e  is the boy  I  told u about here  but  I told you  briefly about  our friendship  here is  the  Inside   Story

    

When I was  five  almost six, my birthday is September sixth, it was time  for me to start  Kindergarten. My parents  wanted me to  go  to a private  school which was  not  too bad for us  as   both of them were doctors at the  time.  Th school did not cater to  those with disabilities  but they took me anyway and there  I went.

 e (in white)  and az in overalls   Fall 1999

 I was  in KA  and so  was e.  We  were somewhat different.  E  knew phonics  and could  pronounce the names of the letters, me  not so much.  E  was  in a high gymnastics  level. Me  I was not.    To  put it bluntly  he was  not  disabled and  I was but  i do not  think e cared that much. e  and  I were  pals.   While other kids would be mean to me, and make me  the monkey in the middle for basketball, e  would  help me do the monkey bars, and   play in the sand  with me  at recess and lunch.   In  our   class  we would have  play time inside the classroom  and  e  was my companion.  We would  play read write and type and   jumping dinosaurs. Which was like chess.    e and I were equals.  he did not  treat me differently and that is one of the beautiful things about our friendship.   He did not see   a disabled six year old who could not  talk right  and sometimes drooled.  He saw a  six  year old with  black hair and loved  to have peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

  The last time I saw e   was  my eighth birthday.  I went to public school  after first grade  while  he stayed  in the private school system till high school.   A few  years back, I was able to befriend him via facebook and although we do not facebook chat that often and  have yet to be reunited  in  real life. I have the memories  and there  my kindergarten boy friend  will always be.

Happy  b day e!!!!






   got images  from

Seth story part one

 So  yesterday I  told  you about   what it used to mean  in America  to have a disability, and thus why we  should not use the  R word,  Well today  I   am  going to share with  you  a   story  of   a  Amazing  little  boy  named  Seth who used to live in similar situations, I am  happy to  report  that Seth has  been adopted into a loving family and is doing  quite well.  Seth's  mom  Laura   will  tell  us more.





I’m trying to think back to my life before Seth. Before adoption. Before cerebral palsy. It’s only been four months, but I have a hard time remembering what life was like. How did I fill my day, my life, my family, without this little boy? I know some things were easier, like getting into and out of a store quickly. But some things were harder, like getting my children to understand what a true “need” is, versus what a “want” is. Now that my children have met Seth, they understand how truly unimportant the newest phone is, or another pair of jeans.


Before Seth, I had very limited experience with disabilities. I knew next to nothing about CP. I didn’t go into adoption to find a child with CP. In fact, I didn’t really mean to adopt at all, and certainly not a child with CP. Seth and CP found us. I saw him while scrolling through a blog post that a friend of mine had written. When I saw his face, my heart dropped. He was mine. I knew it as well as if I’d given birth to him. He belonged to our family, and as crazy as it seemed, we had to go get him. It was only after that initial realization that I noticed he had CP and couldn’t walk. But he was a child. A child who needed a home. We had a home. We had what he most needed. Once your heart commits, the rest doesn’t matter.

Seth's family.   As  you can see  he is around love. This  is what EVERY child needs 

We set aside a night to talk to our kids. We have six biological children, ranging in age from 18 years down to 3 years. We called them all together and showed them Seth’s picture. We explained about CP, that he lives in an orphanage in Ukraine and we think we need to adopt him and bring him to our home. We had a variety of responses. One of our daughters, my most tender hearted, cried for him. Another daughter completely supported us but was very concerned about the length of time we’d be gone… seven weeks. We told them they can share concerns openly or pull us aside privately, but that we wanted to know how they felt. We have sweet children. They all agreed that this little boy deserved a life and needed our family.


Four short months later, we were flying across the world to meet our little boy, embarking on the biggest adventure of our lives. We knew Seth had been transferred to an institution three months previously, and we knew that likely did not bode well for him. Children with disabilities, and especially those who cannot walk, do not fare well in Eastern Europe orphanages. We knew Seth had likely been confined since his transfer. We were anxious, nervous and worried about his condition and what we’d find. We had pictures of him from right before his transfer. We knew what we should have seen when we walked in. The reality was far different. The reality took us back. Shocked us.

 Seth in the institution 

We learned that Seth had been confined to a wheelchair with the brakes locked, for three and a half months. He was in a room with three others, all in wheelchairs. No toys, no books, no conversation. All four boys were non verbal. Other than the sounds of moans, groans, and teeth grinding, it was a silent room. The sound of boys literally losing their minds. Our Seth had regressed fast. In fact, we didn’t even recognize him. The director had to point him out for us. He did not even resemble the boy in our pictures. He was slumped over in his wheelchair, not making sounds,not making eye contact, completely disconnected from his surroundings. Our minds raced with fear. This is not what we expected. He was like an infant. In that moment, we had to make the biggest decision of our lives. Our facilitator looked at us and asked us if we wanted to proceed with the adoption. Quiet. Racing heart. Brain numbing worry. Jeremy and I looked at Seth. A traumatized child. A hurting child. A child with some very serious problems. We looked at each other. And nodded. Yes. Seth was ours. Have faith.  


Stick around for part  two  of Seth story. Also Visit  Laura's  blog  

 Seth on the  move.      He  looks  much more  happier than   the pic above 

Conotation vs Denotation

I have a amazing  memory.  Literally   that is how  I am  able to share stuff from my  past with  you guys  and   that is the reason why   I  am  able to tell you  this story.

 I  remember the specific   moment  that I first  learned of connotation and  Denotation. It was in tenth  grade in  english  class.      A few years  later (2010)  when  I asked   a teacher  to speak about the R word  what  term  come to  mind   Connotation and  Denotation.      the students  were also  reading Othello so   I   used all three of those things to  explain  about the R Word.

  It really saddens  me  when  people  fail to understand the hate ful  affects of the  word  Retard.    You see growing  up   in  middle and high school  we never discussed  disabled  history. Growing up  we  never  learned   what     historically   was  ment  by the  R Word.

  Historically if    someone was  born  with  any type of disability  in the  United States  doctors  were told  to send their infant    to  a training facility away  from  family.    This  was not a school    it was  a  prison  where   it  was  common place to  see scenes like this

   And this

  That is  what the  connotation  of the  word  Retarded  was.  That is  what people  who were the  R word  were   subjected  to.  These  people  these kids  were subjected to   conditions  worse then  prisons.    These  people for no   apparent  reasson   other then  a dingoes of some kind  were  terrorized  and   lived  in  inhumane  conditions.

 The  Dictionary  term   can be found  here.  I will not post it because  the connotation is   way stronger.  When  people  say  the  R word    it     makes  those  poor  people  in  insitutions   suffer  even  more.  We  need to  teach  general  education   kids about this  painful  part  of    the  United  States  history because   this  is  still going  on  around  the world  today.

 To  be  continued

 In the  mean time  end  the word  or tell a friend about it

Funney People with CP part one

                 So   I am  thinking of  doing  a highlight of  famous people with CP  this  month.  Today's  post    is   of      Francesca Martinez               she is a comedian with  CP. She lives  in    the  UK and she is  really  funny.

The First day of middle school

 my Middle school logo 

 I  actually do  remember  a little  of my  first day  of  middle school.  I  remember  being   nervous because  I  thought  it was  on a huge  campus on a  hill.  I  quickly learned  that  was the high school.  My school was  in the   valley.  I  did not know  who my  one on  one aid was  so my  Mom walked me into school.   It  turned out    that   I had  my  old aid  from    fourth  and fifth grade, Ms.M,  I  remember my homeroom  was  English  class.  We  stayed  in English for two  periods.  My whole English class than   went on to  math  and  history class. Unfortunately  my aide  did  keep a communication book with my parents  but    I do not know where it is :( . I also do not have a lot of  pictures  from back then because the hard  drive is broken  and has not been  fixed.  If anyone knew me  in  middle school and has  photos  of me   from back then I would be grateful if  you  sent them to me.

Able to go to college introduction

             So    when I graduated  from high school  two years ago I was soo scared of what lay ahead. I  saw   my future as a abyss  and  I did everything in my power to  stay in high school.   What ended  up  happening was I  burnt a lot  of  bridges.  I had a  Flip  video    Senior year and  seeing the videos  today I am  ashamed of how I acted.      I see  both  sides  now  and do not blame anybody in  high school for   not    contacting me.

   I have been  taking  videos   of  my life as a college student. I learned in high school that you can   not film in class   so   most of the videos  I have  to date of  our   me  talking about college  life.    I am  taking college classes  and last semester, for the first time in a long time,  I have    gotten  mostly A's. I am    pulling out my camera  again, I  phone this time, but this time   taking a  weekly  video  about college  life.  My greatest hope is that  a high school student, especially those with CP NLD OCD or  other developmental disability can  see that     college is not scary and it is  doable   thus  they will  leave   high school  willing  making the  transition easier then  I  did .  Here  is a preview.

Thanks for stopping by but please stick around

  Today is  the  annual  Cerebral  Palsy  Connection.     I am  here to tell you  that     instead  of   getting  one day  of  stuff  on  CP. I  will be  posting  four  weeks worth  of  Cerebral  Palsy  information  about  my  life.  I will  be   posting about my  middle school  Memories    some  video    from  life as a college  , and  some  flashbacks     from the   past    20 years.  In case  you are  wondering  why      four weeks worth  March  is  Cerebral  Palsy  Awairness   Month   along with  the  all to  important  Spread the  word  to end the word. So  please  book  this  page  susbie   and do  whatever you need to do  so  you can  get   to this  page for the next  four weeks Mon-Fri.   I will not post  on  the  weekend.