March 25th is known as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day; it is a day that hits close to home for me because this is something that has affected my personal life and is an aspect of myself that I have slowly learned to cherish. On this day, I am always reminded of how far life has taken me and how many struggles God has carried me through; it helps me to remain hopeful for the future. Generally speaking, I feel society does not think highly enough of those with disabilities. Today, I would like to focus my attention on continuing to spread cerebral palsy awareness by dispelling five common myths about those who live with cerebral palsy. I hope to spread awareness about other issues in the future. A disability has the power to truly enrich someone’s life in a special way, and I hope this post informs others and helps someone to embrace life with fierceness, strength, and courage.
1) You Will Not Be Accepted into Society: A disability most definitely sets one apart from the rest of the world; however, you have the power to create your own standard of “normal”. The key to true success and happiness is accepting “the new normal” and taking the initiative to find out for yourself just who you are and learning to live life by that self definition. The internal struggle of feeling the need to be accepted by others seems to be prevalent in all disabilities; personally, it has been one of my greatest battles throughout life. I will tell you that it takes a very long time to establish that “new normal”. I was not always someone who took life by the reins; I spent years trying to be someone else. The biggest triumph I have ever enjoyed is getting to realize what all of my talents are and using them to set and accomplish positive goals; in other words, the trick to dispelling this myth is simply working to establish a place for yourself in the world, instead of trying to “fit in” to a rather dull society. The question is: Who do you want to be?
2) Your Future is Limited: The future of your existence is truly what you make of it. I believe that limitations should only pertain to your disability, and should NOT be affiliated with the amount of positivity that you possess throughout daily life; for instance, I haven’t learned to drive a car, but I still wake up every day healthy, functional, and completely independent in other areas of my life; a lot of people with disabilities have themselves convinced that because they have been labeled “different”, they cannot be just as typical as anyone else; it all depends on the type and severity of the problem at hand of course, but God has a specific plan for everyone. I feel that by shying away from so many unnecessarily self-imposed limitations, we can say goodbye to this assumption and replace it with “Don’t judge a book by its cover”; that kind of thinking will not only help one to accomplish what God has them here for, but will also show the world that they are capable of so much.
3) Cerebral Palsy is Curable: Unfortunately like most disabilities, cerebral palsy is not curable, and the wear and tear that is sustained by the body as you age makes your muscles more prone to spasms; the aches and pains in the joints also become more of a nuisance over time. However, the good news in all of this is that the disability itself will not worsen. I suffer from horrible muscle spasms in the bottoms of my feet at the most inopportune times, which can make it very difficult to walk; I try to find humor in pain as these always hit when I am carrying something. I have spilled countless cups of coffee either on myself or the floor; struggle gives the coffee a better flavor in my opinion. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy! I am also known as the family klutz; I am the only woman I know who possesses the distinct talent of tripping over their own feet. I just get back up and keep going like it’s no big deal; you can’t sweat the small stuff.
4)Cerebral Palsy is Contagious: I have good news! No, cerebral palsy is not in any way contagious. I am giving a bit of a cliché answer when I say this, but the only thing that is contagious is the attitude in which you carry yourself . Life is best lived with a big smile and plenty of faith in God; having a lot of faith has been a big struggle for me in the past, but I have had to let God be in control of my story. He knows me better than I know myself. Chase your dreams, and not people. Let your light shine!
5)Cerebral Palsy Causes Retardation: Cerebral palsy is caused by one of two things: problems during pregnancy, or lack of oxygen during delivery; there are several types of cerebral palsy, with the most common being spastic CP. I have a mild form of spastic diplegia, which caused issues that are solely physical; both of my legs were affected. A very small percentage of those with cerebral palsy suffer from mental retardation. I am proud to say that even though I was born two months premature and only weighed two pounds and ten ounces at birth, I’ve gone on to earn a college degree and I’ve overcome more than my fair share of odds. I am excited for the future and I try to look for the positives in a situation whenever the opportunity arises. I am truly blessed, and I hope I’m one of those that helps to put to rest this very wrong misconception; however, I’m not the only one beating odds. In general, a lot of people with disabilities are high functioning and successful people; it is a shame that so many don’t acknowledge the accomplishments of those who face challenges. A change is most needed in society; I hope this post encourages that. You have got to start somewhere!
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