Usually when Friday morning comes along I have a morning routine. I'll wake up to the heavenly smell of fresh brewed coffee and a warm greeting from my mother. I'll sit down, sip my coffee, and read about what's going on in the world.
Throughout my entire life I have always been a morning person because I've always had the fear that something exciting would happen in the world, and I would miss it because I was sleeping. For me, Friday mornings are what I cherish the most. This is because it gives me the opportunity to spend some quality time with my mom.
My mom and I will talk about movies, the news, school, funny moments, and so much more. If you sat down and wrote a list of all the topics you can discuss we probably have discussed it at one point or another. These are the moments that I will always look back on far after my mom has passed.
However, this past Friday morning is one morning that will be at the top of my collection. When I walked downstairs at 9am my mom immediately gave me a hug and said that "I was the greatest kid in the world." I responded by telling her that every mother thinks that about their kid.
She smiled a little and said that "everything the doctors said I wouldn't accomplish, I did with flying colors." This opened the door for a great conversation of all the memories we shared dealing with Cerebral Palsy over the years. we talked about both the good times and the bad. I say good because it allowed me to reflect on the person CP has allowed me to be.
We talked about how I used to struggle with braces on my legs and how I used to have to go to therapy while others were playing ball in the park. However, if it wasn't for therapy, I would have never have met my therapist Bob Zalinski who has been my therapist and friend for 14 years.
We continued to discuss the times when I was made fun of as a little kid because people misunderstood why I walked a little differently then the other kids. However, if it wasn't for this, I may not have known one of my best friends Justin Hunter who always stuck up for me while this was going on.
We even discussed how CP allows you to appreciate a simple but kind gesture such as holding the door for someone when you see them struggling. I can go on-and-on because when we were finally finished and I looked at the clock it was 1pm and I wasn't even dressed for the day! The point I am trying to make though is that if you look hard enough you can find good in any situation. This includes Cerebral Palsy.
So when nothing seems to be going right and you are in that dark place try finding the good rather then the bad even if it is the worst thing you have ever encountered. I would like to take credit for that advice but I think my mom deserves the credit on that one!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Finding the right person
Their are certain aspects in life that people feel uncomfortable discussing. During my 19 years of life I have discussed many uncomfortable topics dealing with my disability. Some topics include having trouble cutting my finger nails, being afraid to go out with friends because you cannot cut your food, or not going on class field trips to Six Flags because you can't handle all of the walking.
Keep in mind I do not feel regret for any of these scenarios I have just mentioned. In fact, they give me insight on whether I can get get knocked down and still keep rising to my feet and go the distance. However, I have heard stories recently on facebook about people having trouble maintaining relationships with a disability.
This scenario believe it or not, is tougher for me to discuss then the three scenarios I have mentioned above. Most of the comments deal with high school students trying to maintain a girlfriend who will accept them for their disability. In respect to privacy I will not mention any specific names. However, if you are reading this here is my best advice that I can give you.
First, never let your disability control who you really are as a person. If a guy or a girl looks down on you because of your CP then they have a lot to learn as a person. Do your best to stay calm, because this is your opportunity to help one more person understand what it is like to live with Cerebral Palsy. Most of the time looks can be deceiving. The person just may not understand what you are going through.
Next be confident about yourself. Let the person whom you have feelings for know, that your disability is only one aspect of your life and it is not the only aspect of your life. Tell them everything, even if it embarrasses you. If the person truly care for you then they will understand and be able to look beyond the exterior aspects of your life.
Finally, if all else fails move on and surround yourself with people who truly care for you. If he/she doesn't accept you for who you really are then they are not worth your time. At times this will seem hard because you still have feelings for that particular person. However, eventually you will be able to move on and find someone even better.
When you are feeling upset try talking to a good friend. I was going through this very problem when the oil spill happened in the Gulf of Mexico. I was very upset because my then girlfriend had just broken up with me and it seemed like nothing was going right that day.
However, a good friend of mine Lauren Antal told me something that cheered me up. She told me an old saying but added a twist. Lauren said that "their are plenty of fish in the sea, but hurry up and grab them before the oil does." I thought that was funny. Remember this final thought. Do not overlook the obvious. The right person may be staring you right in the face, and you just don't see it.
Keep in mind I do not feel regret for any of these scenarios I have just mentioned. In fact, they give me insight on whether I can get get knocked down and still keep rising to my feet and go the distance. However, I have heard stories recently on facebook about people having trouble maintaining relationships with a disability.
This scenario believe it or not, is tougher for me to discuss then the three scenarios I have mentioned above. Most of the comments deal with high school students trying to maintain a girlfriend who will accept them for their disability. In respect to privacy I will not mention any specific names. However, if you are reading this here is my best advice that I can give you.
First, never let your disability control who you really are as a person. If a guy or a girl looks down on you because of your CP then they have a lot to learn as a person. Do your best to stay calm, because this is your opportunity to help one more person understand what it is like to live with Cerebral Palsy. Most of the time looks can be deceiving. The person just may not understand what you are going through.
Next be confident about yourself. Let the person whom you have feelings for know, that your disability is only one aspect of your life and it is not the only aspect of your life. Tell them everything, even if it embarrasses you. If the person truly care for you then they will understand and be able to look beyond the exterior aspects of your life.
Finally, if all else fails move on and surround yourself with people who truly care for you. If he/she doesn't accept you for who you really are then they are not worth your time. At times this will seem hard because you still have feelings for that particular person. However, eventually you will be able to move on and find someone even better.
When you are feeling upset try talking to a good friend. I was going through this very problem when the oil spill happened in the Gulf of Mexico. I was very upset because my then girlfriend had just broken up with me and it seemed like nothing was going right that day.
However, a good friend of mine Lauren Antal told me something that cheered me up. She told me an old saying but added a twist. Lauren said that "their are plenty of fish in the sea, but hurry up and grab them before the oil does." I thought that was funny. Remember this final thought. Do not overlook the obvious. The right person may be staring you right in the face, and you just don't see it.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Living with Cerebral Palsy and Fighting the Incurable - My Story"
Cerebral Palsy like every disability has its challenges. The stiff muscles during the day, the tremors which make it almost a chore to brush your teeth, and shaving well... lets not even go there. This is a journey that has had its struggles, its cases of depression, and yes, even its shed of tears.
Some of what i have experienced has been some of my worst experiences of my life. However, if it were not for these experiences I would not have memories in which I will never forget. My name is Matthew Powell and I have Cerebral Palsy.
While I go about my day-to-day activities I will often hear the question, "Why do you limp?" This is not a question that drives me away, nor is it a question that insults me. In fact, I embrace these questions because it brings about awareness for this incurable condition. I would tell the person that I have Cerebral Palsy, which is a disability that is caused by not gaining enough oxygen to your brain. It can effect a person physically, mentally, or you can have a combination of both symptoms.
immediately, a look of concern and bewilderment goes across the person's face. They will often times say I'm sorry to hear that. I will often respond with a quick smile an say to them that "every day you spend feeling sorry for yourself is a day wasted." This is not to say that I have never had cases of depression. In fact, it's quite the contrary. But first lets go back to the beginning.
I was born on December 20, 1990 three months before my due date. I only weighed 2lbs and I was hooked up to all different kinds of monitors and respirators. While most parents experience the joy of holding the miracle they have just created in their arms, my parents had to hold their breath in a waiting room where the doctors said I wouldn't even make it through the night.
69 days later I was finally able to spend a night in my own home. However, I was still experiencing symptoms in which a normal healthy baby doesn't exhibit. I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy in 1992. My mother devastated took me to countless doctors and specialists who told her I would never read, write, or go to regular school.
My mom told me that not only will I complete these tasks; I will excel at them. To this day I can still see the tears in her eyes when she tells me this story, which shows me the ultimate love a parent, can have for their child. I have a countless number of people who make me the person who I am today. If I mentioned all of them this story would be infinite. These people are people whom I consider my guardian angels.
After 2 surgeries and countless therapy to keep my muscles loose, her I am. For awhile after I graduated high school, I was in a lot of pain and I felt like this disability was bringing me down. But then I remembered what my best friend Justin Hunter once told me, something that will last me a lifetime. "People will only hold you as high as you hold yourself."
In May of 2009 I created a group on facebook called "Living with Cerebral Palsy and Fighting the Incurable." This was a group created for anyone who has CP, knows someone with CP, or supports the fight for a cure. It is a group that spreads and believes in optimism.
Our optimism comes from each other. This group and the stories I hear from people all over the world are what keep me going. I have made countless friends who help me deal with these everyday challenges. Whether it is Karl Cremen, who shared the story about his son Oscar calling him daddy for the first time using technology, which helps him communicate with others.
Or Tom Samson from Scranton PA who has joined the group to help his best friend deal with CP, and lets not forget John Phistner, from Dunkirk Illinois who has helped me organize this group in hope to someday find a cure for his daughter. We are 730 members strong, and still growing.
We each travel our own journey but together we know that nothing is impossible! This is my journey in which I have traveled for 19 years. It is one journey among thousands. But with your help, if we keep spreading awareness combined with optimism, I along with many others can reach my destination before another 19 years pass.
Some of what i have experienced has been some of my worst experiences of my life. However, if it were not for these experiences I would not have memories in which I will never forget. My name is Matthew Powell and I have Cerebral Palsy.
While I go about my day-to-day activities I will often hear the question, "Why do you limp?" This is not a question that drives me away, nor is it a question that insults me. In fact, I embrace these questions because it brings about awareness for this incurable condition. I would tell the person that I have Cerebral Palsy, which is a disability that is caused by not gaining enough oxygen to your brain. It can effect a person physically, mentally, or you can have a combination of both symptoms.
immediately, a look of concern and bewilderment goes across the person's face. They will often times say I'm sorry to hear that. I will often respond with a quick smile an say to them that "every day you spend feeling sorry for yourself is a day wasted." This is not to say that I have never had cases of depression. In fact, it's quite the contrary. But first lets go back to the beginning.
I was born on December 20, 1990 three months before my due date. I only weighed 2lbs and I was hooked up to all different kinds of monitors and respirators. While most parents experience the joy of holding the miracle they have just created in their arms, my parents had to hold their breath in a waiting room where the doctors said I wouldn't even make it through the night.
69 days later I was finally able to spend a night in my own home. However, I was still experiencing symptoms in which a normal healthy baby doesn't exhibit. I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy in 1992. My mother devastated took me to countless doctors and specialists who told her I would never read, write, or go to regular school.
My mom told me that not only will I complete these tasks; I will excel at them. To this day I can still see the tears in her eyes when she tells me this story, which shows me the ultimate love a parent, can have for their child. I have a countless number of people who make me the person who I am today. If I mentioned all of them this story would be infinite. These people are people whom I consider my guardian angels.
After 2 surgeries and countless therapy to keep my muscles loose, her I am. For awhile after I graduated high school, I was in a lot of pain and I felt like this disability was bringing me down. But then I remembered what my best friend Justin Hunter once told me, something that will last me a lifetime. "People will only hold you as high as you hold yourself."
In May of 2009 I created a group on facebook called "Living with Cerebral Palsy and Fighting the Incurable." This was a group created for anyone who has CP, knows someone with CP, or supports the fight for a cure. It is a group that spreads and believes in optimism.
Our optimism comes from each other. This group and the stories I hear from people all over the world are what keep me going. I have made countless friends who help me deal with these everyday challenges. Whether it is Karl Cremen, who shared the story about his son Oscar calling him daddy for the first time using technology, which helps him communicate with others.
Or Tom Samson from Scranton PA who has joined the group to help his best friend deal with CP, and lets not forget John Phistner, from Dunkirk Illinois who has helped me organize this group in hope to someday find a cure for his daughter. We are 730 members strong, and still growing.
We each travel our own journey but together we know that nothing is impossible! This is my journey in which I have traveled for 19 years. It is one journey among thousands. But with your help, if we keep spreading awareness combined with optimism, I along with many others can reach my destination before another 19 years pass.
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