Friday, March 8, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Spread the word My Story
This is an old post that I wrote a few years ago on the R word. This was originally published on my old blog Amazing AZ. Hope you enjoy
signing the pledge 3-3-2010 |
Back in high school I spear headed a new club called Dons Disability Awareness Club. One of the events we did was a Spread the word to end the word . It was a great event and many people signed the pledge and I still have numerous wristbands lying around the house.
People might ask me why I care so much about the use of the the word retarded. I mean I do not have a intellectual disability. I have a physical disability and a speech disability but not a intellectual disability so the word is just a word to me right wrong
When I was ten years old my parents signed me up for judo at the local rec center, The class met Tuesdays and Thursdays in the gym for an hour. I signed up in February and before long my friend ,she is no longer my friend,joined shortly after lets call her B. She was deaf and had NVLD, like me, but she was in inclusive education at the local elementary school which was connected to the rec. As faith would have it her new neighbors would move in and they had kids around our age. A fifth grader, a year ahead of us, a third grader and a four year old who was the only girl in the bunch. The third grader who we will call LM happened to have Down Syndrome. I met them when LM came to join a judo class after my friends mom told her new neighbor about the class and shortly there after LM and I became friends.
A few years later LM was at our same school in middle school and the three of us always hung out together,. At the time LM was into basketball so every lunch hour LM and I would gobble down our lunches and race to the blacktop to play in pickup games on one such occasion we were playing with a other kids in my grade, so older then LM , and LM was doing the best he could. He did not have dribbling down, needed reminders of what basket to shoot at, and got too close to the defender. Most of the other kids were vary nice to him and gave him the ball and not block him and let him shoot but on one occasion a kid who was dribbling the ball and LM was trying to steal it from her she said.
"GET AWAY YOU RETARD ."
LM sat down on the side of the court and I fallowed him. I was stunned. B's mom had told me not to say that word to LM and now i knew why. LM was a charming fellow. He loved basketball and Disney movies and did judo. He was full of life but the person who called him the R word had taken all that away from him as if she had popped a balloon that was LM's spirit.
.
To this day the memory of that day is vivid and runs deep. He is the reason why I started Spread the word to end the word at my high school last year. He is the reason why Spread the word to end the word will be there this year even though I no longer attend. LM was the first person I really got to know with a intellectual disability but he was not the last. B encourage me to become a special Olympics athlete and I now know many people in my area wit intellectual disabilities. People with Intellectual disabilities are people who have different personalities. These people can be cliquish while others can be vary sweet and accept everyone. But when people use the R word they lump them all together in to a group that is beneath the speak.
Having CP which results in unclear s speech I sometimes get treated as though I have a intellectual disability due to my speech. I know the feeling and it is not a good one. i see the mindset of thinking that they are above me and it does not feel right. I am intelligent but even if i wasn't I still would want to be treated with respect:Learning is not everything everyone needs to realize that a person is a person who has feelings we all cry the same tears. We all feel sadness. It is what makes us human so think about that the next time before use the R word,
Words DO Hurt
Spread the word to end the word
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Its Supper C and W
This is the first story that I have for CP awareness month it. It is so cool because I just met this blogger through email with their story and blog post. C and W are Ail's sons she blogs at Super Mario Twins. I love supper Mario and all nintendo games so needless to say I love the blog title.
Here is Ali's story.
These guys are soo cute used with permission |
My name is Ali and I'm the mom to twin boys, C & W. They were born in June of 2011 at 33 weeks. They spent a couple of weeks in the NICU just for growing and feeding and never had any major issues. When they were about 10 months old, we realized that C still had not met some basic milestones like sitting and rolling. After an evaluation by the infants and toddlers program and then a neurologist we found out that C has cerebral palsy. He has spastic diplegia and struggles with his gross motor skills. It's been almost a year since we've received the diagnosis and C receives lots of physical and occupational therapy. He has been making wonderful progress and can now roll, sit, crawl and even pull to stand! He's able to walk around with our help or with the assistance of a walker. He has always been our sweet and smiley little boy who is the absolute best cuddler in the whole world. A snuggle from C will truly make your day! I really admire his spirit and laid back attitude. He's really developed a sense of independence now that he can crawl all around. When we first found out about his CP, I felt very sorry for myself and sorry for C because I knew he'd have to work so hard to do simple things that come naturally to others, but now I'm just so proud of the little boy that he's becoming and all that he's been able to accomplish already. He inspires me to push myself and do hard things. We love both he and his brother so much and there's not a thing I would change about our family since being a special needs parent has made me such a better person. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my story with you, AZ!
Thanks Ali for sharking your story with me look forward to reading your blog
have a story about someone with CP send it to me AZChapman1991@gmail.com and it will be posted this month
Monday, March 4, 2013
"Its not El Captain"
Steve on stage he received the Kaiser ThriveAward |
Nice to see you again Mr. Wampler. |
My Mom said, " Aw what a beautiful family" as she took this photo |
But that is not the best part The best part was that I got to meet Wampler's children. That's right Wampler is father to two beautiful kids and along with his wife Elizabeth they have a beautiful family.
Meeting Wampler's son , Joe He was ten when his dad climbed El Captain |
Wampler gives me hope for a future. I want to be a mother and wife to a caring husband. I want to have my own family and Wampler gives me hope it can happend. I can become a mother and have a typical American Family.
AZ and Steve Wampler |
After the movie we were going home but then I spotted Johnny Rockets and I had to have a Strawberry milkshake before we went home. As we were driving home, my mom said that I have no excuse because anything that I do that is challenging is not EL Captain,
Great Milkshake to end a great night |
For those of you who are reading and live in the Bay Area Wampler will be screening his flim Thursday night. I highly recommend going. For more information click here
Friday, March 1, 2013
March Palsy Party
Hay guys so today is March First which means it is CP Awareness month 2013. I have so much to share with you guys over the next four weeks. For me I am kicking off CP month by going to visit my friend Steve Wampler he is showing his movie near by and tonight he will be attending should be a fun night. Tune in Monday for pics from tonight.
Here is the trailer
PS if u want to be in on the action is is not to late to submit a story for the blog see below for more details.
got image from http://www.pagecovers.com/covers/causes/cerebral_palsy_awareness.jpg
Here is the trailer
PS if u want to be in on the action is is not to late to submit a story for the blog see below for more details.
got image from http://www.pagecovers.com/covers/causes/cerebral_palsy_awareness.jpg
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Help Wanted
Hay guys so in a few weeks it will be March and you know what that means? Its CP Awareness Month month. Last year I was able to blog about CP all day in march : however, this year I have a full load of classes and tons of reading so I need your help.
Do you know someone with Cerebral Palsy? Have they change you somehow? Whats one thing you wish that everyone knew about them? How are they awesome? You can answer any of these questions and more. With their permission share some photos with us and then stick around during March to see the post come up on the blog .
There is no age limit and anyone can write something. It can also be fellow self advocates
Ok so I am not going to lie it wou ld be cool if people who know me in real life were willing to write about their experiences with me. So the readers can get an glimpse of what I am like outside of the internet.
So once you are done writing please send it to azchapman1991@gmail.com. then stay tune in march for all the stories.
Do you know someone with Cerebral Palsy? Have they change you somehow? Whats one thing you wish that everyone knew about them? How are they awesome? You can answer any of these questions and more. With their permission share some photos with us and then stick around during March to see the post come up on the blog .
There is no age limit and anyone can write something. It can also be fellow self advocates
Ok so I am not going to lie it wou ld be cool if people who know me in real life were willing to write about their experiences with me. So the readers can get an glimpse of what I am like outside of the internet.
So once you are done writing please send it to azchapman1991@gmail.com. then stay tune in march for all the stories.
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