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

     

Able to go to College - Episode 18 : The End of the Year

    After     two  years,  this is the last episode of able to go to college.  you  got to  go  out with a bang  so  this   episode  is really  long.  If  you have   7  mintues   pull up a chair and something to  drink  and hit play,

         


 The  main  reason that I  made  Able to go to College was  back in high school I  was so scared of  college.   I thought college was this big  abyss   and  I knew that I was no where near ready to go. I was  wrong.


    Yeah   College is different than High school  no  doubt about that but  it  not   a scary place.    I  will be honest though  college  poses  new challenges  to students with disabilities.  There are no IEP that  ensure an individualized education, but there is still  help,  The key is  to find the right people.  I  feel  so  blessed  to have been  lucky  enough to  attend my community college.  There  program  is phenomenal   They  did everything in there   power  to make  me successful.  They advocated  for me  and   I  felt that   they   truly  valued   me.


  Were there instances  where  I  felt discriminated against?  Yes.  There  were also processes set up for me to   voice my concerns.  I got along with most professors, in fact  one of them ,Prof D, I  joking call my body gaurd.  Its a   inside  joke  between the two of us,

  Prof D  and  AZ   Summer 2013 

     If you are  reading this and   have a disabilities and want to go to college but may be a little scared.  Don't  be.   Surrond yourself  with  a  group of people that believe in you.   Do not let anyone tell you what  you have to do  when your adult( esp  if  they are not  part of your family).  Never  give up  and  always  Follow your  dreams.      Because you  only have  one life to live.



  Have  questions  feel  free to   ask in the comments or email me

 azchapman1991@gmail.com

Able to go to College - Episode 17 : Shoulder Hiker

 On this episode  my bio class takes  a fieldtrip.  Its a great  trip  that is a lot of fun.   Unfotunatly   I ran soo fast that I fell in the 100  meter dash.  You  might remeber  me mentioning it here.   That was not my  finest moment.  The  important thing is that  I   got up and  kept on running.


      On the hike  I  was kinda nervous but  once I commited myslef to  going on the trip  I  did fine.   Just like  in college.   If  I am   ready to do something I  will do  a great job.



 The    final  episode will be  posted   tomorrow.  You do not want to miss it

Able to go to College - Episode 16: Party time

      There are only two more videos after this one !!!   The last one is  so special  you  do not want to  miss  it.



           So  now  its   part time at  DSPS.  I  know  I have said this a thousand  time  over but   this campus  has a  great disabilities  program.  They  have a whole team of people that  work  hard  to make sure that  I, along with any other students  who have  disabilities succeed.    They have audiobooks  computer programs and  more all with the purpose of helping  students succeed.   There program is  so  good.   They  took me in with all my behavior problems  and    improved my self esteem   Actually going to this college really improved my  self esteem.  I was able to make  Dean's List  and  graduated  with honors.    Not bad  for someone who  was terrified of  going to college.    I learned the  hard way that not all  university are supportive of students with disabilities, which  makes me  appreciate  this  college even more


 One  of the   best ways they  help people  with disabilities   this  is by  hosting  parties,  like the one you see  in the video.  I  remember attending  one of these  parties when  I  first started college  in  the fall of 2010.  Back then  I was  so scared about  attending university  but seeing other disabled students made me feel  less alone.


 This  school  has  been the most inclusive school  I have ever   attended

  Better  than

   pre school

  private elementary  school  (Pre -K -1st)

 public elementary school  (2ed -  5th grade)

  public  middle school     6th -8th grade

  Public  high school  (9th-12th) grade


  Its  my seconed  home.  Even though  I graduated  in  May  I always go   there to visit.   I love it  that  much.