What would you say to a new parent in honor of national CP Day

 CP did not prevent me from being a cute baby

   So today is the  day to  go green to honor those  like me who live  with CP.   To celebrate  I  have asked  some people on Facebook.  what advice they would give to a new parent  who just received  a CP  diagnoses.   Here is what they  said. 

  First I asked in a CP group on facebook

 "That no matter what she needs to remember that regardless of the"Label" her child  is still her child the same as yesterday and nothing will change that , and though therapy etc is important, so is being a kid - remember to still have plan old FUN!"

  Fall 1999  swinging away

"Cp does not give you limits, live life to its fullest "

 




"Your child has cp, they are not cp. it is simply a part of who they are,its does no define them"





 "Expect your child to be able to do everything(albit on an extend timeline) until she clearly shows that she just isn't  physically capable  if doing it. If you want other to treat your child like they're any " normal kid then you a s the parent need to treat her that way"


 "For me.. I wish someone had told me to work on his communication. That milestones will be there just different ones. Its Ok to cry and it's ok to ask for help. treating them normal is so important.. [my son]is not able to walk.. but I always put him on the floor to play.. he would roll around.. sometimes whacking his head on the roll cause he didn't have the control at

  cousins  may 2012

 first.. but he didn't cry so I didn't make a fuss. because I treated him like any other kid.. he know is a pro at rolling.. he even log rolled, pushed him self from his room into the back yard to get to his puppy.. he's a normal kid.. with a few hiccups he's working out."

"Remember Dr's are practicing for a reason. I personally will not get a surgery without talking to people who have experienced it before. I was told, "If it sounds too good to be true, look into it, it might just be."


" You still have the same child you had before the diagnosis..."

I  then asket my mom  and she said 

"I would tell them to be thankful for their child and prepared for the amazement of the power of unconditional love. Your child will teach you many life lessons and demonstrate the strength and resolve of the human spirit. With  AZ, I learn every day just how amazing she is!"

 

I also asked other people with  CP  ( cause  we are the experts  right ) 

"it's not the end of the world, and your child is whole and perfect just the way they are:)" 

 piano concert spring 1998

"just to love the child as much as you would without the cp, and the biggest thing is even though it's important to listen to doctors, don't let the doctors tell you the future of the child. help the child reach it's full potential no matter what that may be."

  My thoughts 

  Aloha  Spring 2000

  Assume that    your child can understand.   Know that  raising your child  will have its ups and downs.  your kid will bring  you moments of laughter and moments of joy and  that they are not  broken  and  do not  need to  be fixed.   Also know that your not alone millons of other families are dealing with CP  as well.

WEAR GREEN

  On monday for National Cerebral Palsy Awareness day. 



  Have a good weekend  and I will see you  on  Green  Monday.   

Words from AZ in honor of world Down Syndrome day

 " People with  Disabilities are not  (great amazing  talented  inspiring  etc   )   because they have a disability no   they are  these things because of their strengths  talents and  personality"




 Happy  World  Down Syndrome  day

Everyone loves Max

 This blogger does not  need  much introduction she is big in the special needs blog  community .  Her name is   Ellen  and her son  name is Max.   Ellen writes at  Love that Max, which is easy to do because he has a great personality, and  she is blogging for me   today   Here is Ellen and  one of her Amazing  kids  She  also has a daughter  named Sabrina   who is also amazing,  Max.

 Do you know someone with Cerebral Palsy?   

Oh, yes: My son, Max, who's 10. He rocks.

Have they changed  you somehow?  

I think parenthood generally changes you as a person. But Max has been eye-opening and life-changing in many other ways. Before I had Max, I nee knew anyone with cerebral palsy, and wasn't close to anyone who had special needs. Mostly, I pitied them. Then I had Max. He had a stroke at birth and doctors told us the worst-case scenarios about him—that he may never walk or talk, that he could have severe cognitive impairment. I was pretty devastated. But what they didn't know was that Max had supersonic determination, and that luck was on our side, too. Max command-crawled at age 2 and walked at 3. Today, he is able to articulate words and use his iPad to communicate. He rides a bike. He has a great life. Max has shown me the amazing powers of human will. He has shown me that no matter what people say, you CAN achieve.

 Whats  one thing you wish  that everyone knew about them?     

I wish people understood that children with cerebral palsy should not be pitied. No matter what their physical impairments, in many ways they are like any other kid and deserve to be treated as such.

How  are they  awesome?  

Max is bright, funny, determined, curious, charming, perceptive and ultra-cute. Also: He has great hair.

  

Thanks Ellen  Got  stories     its not too late to submit them  for more information click here 

My Favorite cousin

  Yesterday  we heard from   my Grandma on my  father's side so  today  we will here from my cousin (D) on my mom's side. 




 Do you know someone with Cerebral Palsy?

 

Well it just so happens that I do! And it just so happens to be my favorite cousin, 

AZ and D  Spring 2006

(pauses for a brief minute) I don’t want anyone getting jealous or nothing so…. all my cousins are my favorite, but she is very dear and special to me. If you have ever judged someone by them having a disability then I believe I have simple cure to your ignorance, meet her. She is a very smart, determined, and loving young lady. When we were both younger she spanked me in video games on a consistent basis and no one could touch her when it came to Harry Potter. If having a Cerebral Palsy means you can’t do as much as the next person and that you will have limitations, then someone definitely didn’t tell her that. She defined the word fun and overcoming obstacles, and I’m very proud of her. Family is an important thing, and nothing brings family together like the holidays; but to me the excitement to see your favorite cousin (yep I said it) and hang out with no limits attached to our fun meter, it is always going to be a highlight that I will remember.

 

Cheers

thanks D I love you 

 

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  Hay  guys   If  you read my post can  you leave a comment it gets lonely with no comments

Thoughts on CP Month

 This post comes from my Grandma on my dad's side.  She is  my Facebook buddy.   Note she used my real name  so  I changed it to  AZ but  all the rest  are her words,

  Grandma C and  AZ  Summer 2011

 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.

 Thanks Grandma   I  love you

 Have a story its not to late  for more information click here