THANKSGIVING WEEK

Sorry I’ve haven’t written in two weeks.  I didn’t have my tablet with me and we didn’t have Photoshop class last week.  I had a wonderful week last week but I had a busy week.

One resion why last week was good was there wasn’t any drama!!! The people who started it weren’t at school. We had a really short week too.  I only strayed at school till Tuesday because I went to the movies with some of my friends on Wednesday and my aid that has been with me since third grade, let me stay at her house for a few days.   Her and her husband picked me up right after I got out of class on Tuesday and on our way home we went to eat.  She’s like a grandma to me.  She always took me places with her grandchildren.  We always have fun together and she always makes me feel better when I’m having a bad day or something.  On Wednesday we went to watch her granddaughter in her Thanksgiving play, and then we went to watch her grandson for a little.  After we had lunch it was time to get ready to go meet everybody at the movies.

We saw the last twilight ever.  For the last three years, my friends and I have always looked forward to planning to go see every twilight and going to dinner after.  This year was bitter sweet because it was my best friend, an aid from school, my aid and me.  We usually have close to ten people going.  It also sucked because my boyfriend couldn’t go.  He didn’t have a ride like usual, but that’s another story.  We had a good time just sitting and talking after the movie.  I haven’t seen my best friend sence summer began.  We had lots to talk about.  She’s coming to my school next year and I can’t wait.  We are working on getting my boyfriend to talk to his mom to let him go.  The three of us have a special friendship and ever since I left high school it’s been hard for us.

On Thursday we got up and watched the McDonald’s Thanksgiving parade.  Then, we got ready to go.  It was time to go to my dad’s.  I didn’t see him for four months. As soon as we got my stuff in his house we went to my cousin’s house for thanksgiving dinner. I had a great time spending time with my family. One of my cousins and I noticed it was the first year  that everybody sat down together, because we usually ate at my papa’s house and have everybody over, but that stopped when my aunt and uncle bought it. Anyway, we just hung out there till my little cousins got tired. My dad left me with my other aunt, so he could go pass out. When we got back, I was waiting for my brother and his girlfriend to come over. It’s been a long time since I saw them.  Let’s just say I got messed with all weekend…

Friday my dad and I went to my other brother’s house while everybody worked. He had to help cut up deer, which is decusting to watch, they just came back from hunting in Missouri. I basically hung out with my sister-in-law all day. I had trouble with my back, because I didn’t know how big the house was to bring my chair.

Saturday was pretty much the same. I had my chair then and made my 9 year old nephew push me around. It was better than Friday because my other brother and his girlfriend came with us. We put the Christmas tree up. Later we had a fish fry and a couple of family friends came.  The fun part was after dinner and everybody was in the kitchen talking and somehow I hit my brother with my foot plate. It started a whole chase around the house. I love how a little thing escalates into a huge thing where everybody gets involved. My family is just crazy like that.

Sunday I had to get ready to back to school. My dad made his famous bisects and gravy for breakfast. We just relaxed and watched the bears game. We fallowed my brother and his girlfriend to their house so they can ride with, because my dad hates Chicago. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was special for me to show my dad my school because he wasn't involved with my schooling before my mom passed. I just wanted him to see where I live during the week. He seemed impressed with my room. My brother’s girlfriend liked it.  They stayed to help me put my things away then they had to go. After they left, I had dinner and hung out with my friends.

I had a good week at school. There’s no more drama thank God.  I’m going out to eat and start shopping for Christmas with some of the staff from school next week.  My friend Amanda is excited to hang outside of school. I can’t say I blame her. LOL this is it for now… love and God bless

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checking in

Hey I’m just checking in. my normal Wednesday consists of back to back classes from 9 A.M. to 5P.M. we get an hour and a half for lunch and take a break. I usually go and hang out with my friend, Amanda and talk till class starts. It wouldn’t be a bad Wednesday if there wasn’t so much drama going on. This week has been hard because all of my friends are basically fighting each other and somehow I’ve ended in the middle. It’s been a long week and I’m definitely ready to go home tomorrow. I’m done for the week. I’m ready to have a girl’s day with my friends from high school. We’re going to see the last twilight movie. L Then on thanksgiving I’m going to my cousin’s house for dinner then spending the rest of the weekend with my daddy. Hopefully I will see my brothers. I need to have a relaxing weekend.

I need to go eat dinner so this is it for now god bless

First of all, let me tell you a little about me.  I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when I was a year old.  My mom told me that I basically had gone through therapy since I was two years old.  She had a normal pregnancy just like my sisters and brothers, but she had to have an emergency c section and we almost didn’t make it. I had to stay in the hospital for the first three months of my life.  My mom used to te1ll me that she would come and feed me every day between going to work and going home to take care of my great grandma and sisters.  We were lucky to live with my great grandma because she would watch us after school and when we waited for our dad to get us on Friday.  I’ll tell you about the bond I had with her a little later.  Since I can remember I went to occupational and physical therapy once a week.  I had to have help getting my mussels to get strung enough to be able to learn how to craw. I didn’t craw until I was 3 years old. I usually rolled around to get where I wanted to go.  My arms didn’t let me control them enough to push myself in a manual wheelchair, so I didn’t have that much independentence when we went outside. It wasn’t until first grade that I got my first power chair. Man, I was happy to run around with my sister.

School wasn’t hard for me. I was in regular classes doing the same work as my classmates. I got teased a lot through elementary school because kids thought my aid was doing all my work for me. They didn’t think I could do it.  That wasn’t the only thing I got teased about.  It wasn’t until 6^th grade when my friends started to not wanting me to play with them.  Every day I would hide under the slide till it was time to go inside. When it was time for me to go to middle school I got scared. I wasn’t going to have the same kids that I grew up with at my middle school. At the beginning of the year my reading teacher suggested I do a speech about my disability. After that it wasn’t hard to make friends or talk to people. I got involved in clubs, student council and even went to a couple of dances. My first semester of high school was hard because I was shy and wasn’t comfortable talking to people, even though I was with kids that I grew up with and knew for years.  I got over that slowly. My Jr. Year was easier. I had friends that weren’t afraid of being seen with me, boys were starting to notice me more, I met my wonderful boyfriend, and got closer to an old friend from telemetry school. It was also the start of a difficult year for me and my family.

About a month before I started my Jr. Year I lost my grandfather to cancer. He fought for a year before he passed. It was hard for us to see him deteariate the last couple of months of his life. He was a strong man who loved being around his grandkids. He loved to hunt and fish whenever he could. A few mounts later, it was the day of winter vacation. I was having a great day my friends and I had fun. When I got home I wasn’t expecting my mom to get me off the bus that day. She was waiting for me on the porch. When she told me my great grandma was gone and didn’t want me to see the bed empty i broke down right away. That was the second worst day of my life. I was really close to her. She was like my second mom.  She did stuff with us that my mom couldn’t do. She always played with me. We were super close. Then, not even a year later, my chair got stolen. Many of you know about that. I thank you for all of the support I CAN’T THANK EVERYONE ENOGH… then two months later. I got woken up to my mom’s boyfriend telling me that my mom was gone. That was the worst day in my life.. I’m hanging in there because of my family and support system.  Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my mommy or my grandma.

Currently I’m attending the Illinois center for rehabilitation and education.  It’s a place where teens with  physical disabilities go to learn how to live in the community independtly. I’m hoping  to get an apartment with my boyfriend and go to uic and major  in architecture.

I’m hoping that this blog will not only help me but inspire people who are hard on their self’s

That’s it for now, love and god bless

CP

I couldn’t imagine my life without you. Somedays you make it hard to do basic things that I know I  can do.  Then I think about all the people in my life and I feel very blessed. You can also make me feel like crap. I have wonderful friends whom love me for who I am not what I am. My family didn’t treat me any different when I was growing up with my brothers ,sisters and cousins. They included me in anything they could. I wouldn’t have a wonderful support team that’s always there when I need them if it weren’t for you.

There is some days where I just want to be a regular girl who can go out with a bunch of friends and not an have to worry about somebody feeding me or having to wear sweat pants to be able to go to the bathrooms by myself.  I want to be able to go to my friends house and not worry about them or their moms helping me, even though I know they would.  I want to go on a date alone instead of going on double dates all the time.  You get in the way of doing all of this.  Granted I know I could do basically all of this, but my family doesn’t let me try.  They’re letting me do more and more. I guess I have to learn that I can’t do everything that I think I can.  We have to learn how to live together and not let anything stop us.

You made people think I’m different and can’t do anything, but I’m trying to change that.  Not just for me, but for everyone in my place.  I know there’s not a cure for you and nobody can prevent you, but   share our stories and come help each other.  Talking to my friends who are older then me and have you really have helped me realized that I can achieve my goals and dreams, even with you.  Now I know it doesn’t matter if you’re in my life or not I can live my life to the fullest and not let anybody tell me what I can and can’t do.  I’m going to make my dreams come true.

My family doesn’t see me as having you and never did.   To them I was just one of the kids running around and playing.  Everybody included me in the games we used to play. I would be in my stroller most of the time we were outside.  Weather we were playing hide-and-seek, tag, or just relaxing by the fire.  Nobody cared if I asked to go to the store with them until I got bigger and was to hard to carry.  I still get to go out, but now it depends on who I’m with, if I have one of my chairs, how they Feel, and where we go.  Most of my family makes me walk because they know I’m in my chair all week and that also has something to do with me going places.

At the end of the day I thank God for everything and everyone I have in my life.  I can’t  think of a better life then I have.  Yes, we have had our ups and downs, but we’ve made it 19 years. We’ve proved all the doctors wrong that worked in the NICU and after that even.  We’re still improving everyday.  For whom is reading this, never let anything get in the way of your dreams.  Weather it’s a disability or a stupid comment that someone said, its not worth losing hope on yourself.  Take it from somebody whose been put down by people around her. 

Hello, my name is Natalie and I have cerebral palsy. I was diagnosed when I was a year old. All my doctors didn’t think I would live passed a few months but look at me now. 19 years later im graduated from high school and in college. I went through years of therapy to get where I am now. I want to share my stories from the pass, but also what is happening in my life now.