Cerebral Palsy PARTY Day 17: National Cerebral Palsy Day

              Today  is the day to  wear green. Today  is the day  to spread hope  which is what I am doing with  help from  my mom.

  

 I  do not  hope that  there  will be a cure for CP because    I  am not suffering.  Honestly  do  I  look that  I am  suffering from CP.    I am  not  broken, therefore I do not need to  be fixed.   CP  is a part of who  I am.  Please  do  not pity me.  I am on  a adventure  called  life, which  includes CP.     I do have hopes for fellow  CPers.














Ten things I hope  that people  with  CP   have.

  I hope that kids with CP will have the chance to meet other  kids and adults with CP so they  will have     role modals.
 I hope that kids  with CP will  attend school  and  develop a love of learning.
 I hope that   people  with CP  will be valued  members of their families.
  I hope that people with CP  will be  valued  members of their community.
I hope that people with CP won't get bullied.
I hope that people with CP will find friends
 I hope that people with CP will enjoy life and have fun.
I hope that people with CP  won't always   have to prove that they are intelligent.
  I hope that people with CP will have  people  expect   greatness  from them.


    Ps  if you are  wearing  green  today.  Let me  know.     If you   want to send me a picture  of you or your   loved  ones  wearing  green.   Post a pic on my  AZ Chapman  face book page.  or email me  azchapman1991@gmail.com.   You could be  featured in a upcoming blog post.

Cerebral Palsy party DAY 16: I love the snow

       Today's pics  come from   skiing at MT, Rose  NV.   We used to go up every President's weekend  and  go skiing. I love the snow.  I have not  been  in awhile  so  I am hoping to go back  perhaps next winter.

 Roesbuds   has a great adapted ski school,  I  was able  to get  private lessons.
 Pricy but worth it 

all business 

 carrying my ski

 book gal  AZ and Princess,

 Heading in,

 Remember to  wear  green  tomorrow for national  CP day. If you do   take a picture and send it  to me. You could be  on the blog   later this  week.

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 15: golfing

    

 Hay guys  so today's photo to end out the week  will be from the first time I played golf.  

 Ok so its not  real golf but  mini golf.    I really enjoyed  playing  here.  Besides  mini golf they had   go carts,  an arcade, and bumper boats.  This was a really fun center.  I  was sad when they had to close this fun-land. 

 I continue to play golf for Special Olympics  and  was on my high school golf team.   

 Don't forget to comment before you leave. 

PS  Happy  World Down Syndrome Day. 

Cerebral Palsy Photo Party Day 14: Grandma says

 This  is an old  post but its   too good  not to  re share.  My  grandma  wrote something last year on my blog for CP month.  Reposting in case you missed it.

 I make this attempt to organize my thoughts and perceptions on electronic paper regarding my grand daughter, AZ Chapman,  who has had to work hard to accomplish some things that so many of us take for granted.

When AZ was born with CP it was unexpected;  it has also been a learning experience for the family as well as for her,  during these years of her babyhood,  then childhood, then becoming a young woman.  

One thing this remarkable young lady has shown us is how perseverance in the face of difficulty can accomplish a whole lot in life.  Though not confined to a wheelchair like many people with CP,  AZ  does have to deal with some difficulty in physical coordination.  Her determination and perseverance have given her the freedom / independence of being able to walk to a small shopping center near home,  to take the bus and to successfully attend college.  

I know it has often been frustrating for AZ when her body resists cooperating with her mind,  and I am grateful for the helpful therapy made available to her.   Mind over matter is not the easiest thing in the world, especially as a battle prolonged over your entire life!   The wonderful improvement in her speech shows how hard she has worked.  

Awareness:  being conscious or perceptive.  Being conscious of the difficulties and hardships of cerebral palsy can demand a lot of focus.  It could be easy to make it the whole focus of your life and develop a real pity party attitude or use it to manipulate others around you.  Happily for AZ,  her parents and her siblings and even Zoe  ( the family dog )  remind her daily that she has her own chores and responsibilities like everyone else in the family.   The empathy and compassion that AZ  has grown to have for others with a handicap are shown in her work with Special Olympics and in her postings on FB.  

We all have difficulties and hardships;  we all have our perceptions and feelings,  we all have our ups and downs in life.  We are all human and have our individual things to deal with.  I find it admirable that those with some of the harder problems develop such determination and perseverance and empathy for others.

 

   Don't  forget to commet  before you leave.

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 13 : Its always tough to say goodbye

          Today's  picture   is my last  day of kindergaten.  I  look sad but it makes  sense  because  transitions are very hard for me.

             For  me  boundaries  are very hard for me.   I think this is due to being bullied a lot as  a kid.   Its  tough to  grow up disabled because   you are more likely to get bullied and  regected rom  peers.   I am a  friendly outgoing person but   making  solid friendships are  a challenge for me.   I get along great with  teachers and stuff  but for the longest time they kept telling me  that  they were not my friends   All  that changed   when  professors  befriended  me in jr college.   I am  grateful for that because so many people have enforced those boundaries   When  people are willing to  listen to me  I   feel  great because  so often I am on the sidelines as life goes by.

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 12 : My hair

     

  Yesterday  I  told you about my  feet  today let me tell you about my hair.    My  mom is African  American and my  dad is hispanic and  white.  When  It came to  hair  I inherited long hair   from my  Dad's  genes,   curly hair , from my mom.Sometimes it makes  for good pictures  like todays. 

 I  can not do my  hair and   I hate  getting it done because it is curly.  Add  to this  the fact that I have an  habit of  rubbing   my head  so it sticks up.     Shortly after leaving high school ,  I discover the power  of  hats.  Some  people might see  me  wearing a hat and think that I am a  hobo.     To that  I  have  the following to say.

Dear people who think I am a hobo 

I have something called CP which messes up my hands so I can not do my hair. When I was younger someone always did my hair in the morning, but it would stick up after rubbing my hands through my hair so it would stick up, so I  wear a hat. The hat has no correlation to my intelligence or my social class its just the fact that I have CP. Thanks and good night and the next time u see someone with a hat do not judge them because until u learn the whole story I have a disability and am doing the best  I can and no I do not want pity thanks 

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 10: Soccer time

           

     The fall after  I graduated preschool.  I  turned five and started full inclusion pre-k.   I have a September  birthday  so  my  parents  wanted me to  wait another year  before kindergaten. They  talked to many people  that recommended that I  get another year to grow and learn  before  I start formal schooling.  Even though it was  pre -k  ment a new  school,  a privite traditional school with a small class size.  

 Soccer Star 

It also ment  soccer time.  I played soccer  on the neighborhood  tradtional   U5, bunch-ball  I got a great coach  who included me right from the start.   I would later  play  with him  in U10.  He would  nominate me  for  an award the second time around  and I would win.   He also  had a  daughter who attended out church.   I  was able to build community all around me because of inclusion  It worked.  Inclusion rocks.

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 9: Preschool graduate

                   Today's pictures  come at a happy time for me.   It is  the first graduation that I remember 

  yeah  I  remember  graduating preschool.  It was a special time. My parents already made the choice that I would attend a private elementary school  which was not set up for kids with special needs which ment that none of my fellow classmates  would  have me in the same class.     I was on to bigger  things.     I had no idea  that  I was changing tracks  It was still school for me.

  Getting my diploma
 from  teacher  J.  She would continue to tutor me  at my home

 I was soo cute 

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 8 : Brining out the Marshmellows

  So todays post is going to be long but it is  going to be helpful.

 The biggest  way that  my Cerebral Palsy affects me is speech.   I understand the world  around me but   when  I try to speak the words do not come out clear. My  arch nemesis is the evil  K.

 For a longtime  I could not say the /k/ sound among other sounds.   I have a /k/ sound in my name which  would lead me to mispronounce my name. So "cookie" sounded a lot like  "tootie".

  A  great way  for others to understand  whats its like  for me to talk is to take marshmallows and  without swallowing them  try to talk.  For  preschool and kindergaten kids.    Have them  sing a song that they know like   Old McDonald had a farm while having marshmallows in there mouth.



  If they are  older you can take it a step forward.


 Steps
1 Line up outside the door.
2  one by one enter the  classroom and  given a card with a single word.
3  Sit  down  quietly  Don't  Talk
4 once  everyone has a word  hand out marshmallows  try to  have students rearrange  themselves in ABC  order with these rules.

       They  can not use hand gestures.
       they  can only say there word that is on their flashcard aka no sentences.
         They can swallow there marshmallows
  Explain that this is what  some people with CP experience everyday. The  pain the frustration the inability to communicate 

  I  did  the ABC order  activity in a linguistics  class.   The students learned a ton.  One told me that  if she  ever has students, she wants to be an elementary school  teacher,  with a  speech impairment they are going to bring out the marshmallows.

 got  images  from

 letter K
https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-ash3/50271_239794985914_7024254_n.jpg
 marshmallows
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Marshmallows-thumb-420x240.jpg

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 7: Childhood Home

   

       So  now that I  aged out my  EI  program it was time to  move. We  moved into the house we now live in, so  all of my memories are in this house. Moving also ment that I had to move preschools, but  I would have had to move schools anyway because  EI is  birth to three  and  preschool  is  from  3 to 5.   I went to a  pre school program for  children with speech  delays.   I have found memories of  pre school.  My  teacher was  great  she was able to get me to talk in full  sentences.  

          I love my house it nice and has a big backyard, more on this later,  The one thing I did not like about  our house is that  there is not  a lot  nearby.   It makes it  really hard  especially
  since I do not drive.
 

 Tip for people who  have kids and are looking for  a home


MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE THINGS TO WALK TO, ITS SO IMPORTANT  THAT KIDS ARE GIVEN  FREEDOM AS THEY GET OLDER.

  

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 6 : Learning to talk

      Hay  guys  today  photos will be from  one  of my last days  in  EI.  Early  Intervention,   These  guys were great because they  taught  me everything I needed to know  before  preschool.   A funny thing is that despite my CP,  I graduated from  PT  as a toddler    I would  go  on to play neighborhood sports,  more on that later.   Early Intervention   taught me and my family sign language  so  I could communicate as my speech was  hard to understand.   Back  then   there was no  Signing  Time  so   I had  to  learn  by a teacher.  She  even    came to my house to tutor  me .  How cool was that

   My  family minus my  big  brother 

 I loved  Sesame Street 

 I am  so thankful that my  parents  worked so  hard   to get me to communicate    It  was key to  unlocking my potential.  I have  come a long way from using  sign language to express  myself.   Now   my  parents  and siblings  wonder  if  I will ever   be  quite.   I am  always  getting myself  in trouble at school  for  talking to much.    This is probly because   of  my  NLD, more on that later.

Cerbral Palsy Party Day 5:Becoming a big sister

   So to end out the week  I am going to be posting some pics from  when book girl was a baby.  I   was two almost three.  My  parents  wanted  to have more kids so that I would have teachers.  They were right about the whole   teacher part  but what they did not realize  was that I would end up teaching them as well.   I  asked book girl what she has learned from me and she said that I have taught her patience and not to judge a book by its cover.  She  has taught  me   about asserting myself  along with how to juice

   Don't  cry  book  gal  its me AZ 

     AZ  watches over a sleeping book girl

Aww

  Have a  great weekend guys.  I am  going to a conference Friday and Saturday that I will blog about.    Be sure to come back  monday  for  more pictures.

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 4: Team AZ

         

Today   is actually my  half  birthday.  So today's photo will be of my first b day.   I  had a great party,  I do not  remember  my first memory   comes about  preschool.   My  dad took some video  at the party and I have seen it.  I was  surrounded by family  and   friends.

 First  birthday loot

I  do  tend  to make connections with others.  It takes a  village  and  I  am  the  mayor.  I  actively recruit others  to be  a part of  Team  AZ.  Over the years   it has  include  family  friends teachers    my childhood OT& PT and  my  good  ST's .     My current team  incudes my  family,   A  bunch  of  people  at  my  jc, coaches  from Special  Olympics, and my  Facebook friends  and blog  readers .   I hope  everyone   has  enjoyed  being on team AZ  because  I have  enjoyed  having  all of you in my conner.

Cerebral Palsy Party 2014 Day 3: Finally home

   I went home  finally  and was able to  start living  life  in a family.   I did not  meet all my  milestones  on time but I  was  still  a  very  cute baby.   I  went to  early  intervention  to help  me  reach my milestones.    Things like walking talking siting  standing  took  me a lot longer.  

 I  think  I  was  three months old   here 

  I  am  rockin that  sweater.  My  mom    dressed me in super cute clothes
  

      This photo  was taken shortly before I  turned  one.  We were in Texas visiting family.  I also  went to Maui  in my first year. I was  quite the traveler

Because it  took me a lot of  blood sweat and tears, I  take offense to  people saying that babies learn through  osmosis.  That  is not how  I  learned, nor the  800,000 of  others living with  Cerebral  Palsy.   If you  were to say that all babies  are  cute  but AZ  was  super  cute  I would  have   to agree.  

PS:  today is   Spread the Word to  End the Word  so if you  have not pledge to  end  the use of the R word please   go  here  and  pledge.  I do not have an  intellectual disability  but I have  seen  first hand  how  powerful  words   can  be. So  please  pledge to  respect   everyone. 

    

Cerebral Palsy Party 2014 Day 2: In the Hospital

 Day  two

                 Today's  photos  will be    from the  hospital.  I was  born  prematurely and had to spend   a couple of  days in the hospital.   As  a infant I  had  trouble  sucking.  Initially , I  had to have a  tube   put  through my mouth  into my stomach.  Eventually  I learned how to  eat and was able  to  go home but my  parents  have  told me that   feedings took a long time.

   My  mom  loved  me  right  from the start 

 Sleeping Beauty 

Today  I am  really  tall and love to  eat and  drink.   My  diet  is  pretty  restrictive  but that is choice   not  CP.


  Things  I love to  eat

   pancakes

 Mac n  cheese

  Sandwhiches
     PB&J
     Turkey
      Meatball  and  Turkey
        Egg  Salad

Pizza

  Cheeseburger ( especially  from  In N  Out.

 Spaghetti and  Meat balls

  Pesto  pasta
   
Drinks  I like
  milk
  orange  juice
   Orange Soda
 Sprite
' Fruit  Punch

      Yeah   I   know  I need  to  make better food choices.  I  do like    berries  though.  you  got to start somewhere.

  Until  Tomorrow

Cerebral Palsy Party 2014 Day 1: The Beginning

           So  its   that time of year  again.   Its the  third  month  of the year  which  means   its  time  to  GO  Green  to  celebrate  Cerebral  Palsy.    This  is  the  lead up to  March  25 which is  National Cerebral Palsy   Day  in  March for people  in the  United  States .



  I  thought  it would be soo fun  to post  pictures   from   yesteryear  every   week  day  this month along with some  guest  posts  from  people that have known me thoughout   the years  to   really show  you   what having CP  is  really like.  Its  going to be  fun.  Somedays will be   a photo  while others  will be  multiple.   Its  going to be  awesome.      I can not wait.   Before  we get to the  photos  here are somethings you can do   to support  CP  Awareness Month.


 Online
Switch  your  Facebook  profile pictures to one of these.
  Follow  AZ Chapman  on Facebook link  on  the left .

  Leave a comment  on this blog  and come  back   all this month.

   Offline  
Get    this shirt for  March  25.  You  need  to  order one  of these   this week.
  Tell a friend about this  blog and CP.
    Stick around for more activities  that you can do with others to show them what CP  is like.


So  without futher  ado  here we  go.



      Why  not start at the very  beginning .  According to   The  Sound of  Music  its a   very good  place to start :)
  These  photos  are  from  the  day  I was  born.

         September 6, 1991 

  The Day I  was  born 

   One of the first  photos  I have of myself.  I was a cute baby 

  My  dad,  my big  brother (  age seven)  and  me