CAUTION:You might actually learn something

So OD has been flahing alot of ads about the  hurricane relief effort.  One of these ads is United Cerebal Palsy. (UCP). I clicked on it a couple days ago to see if I could learn anything. (EDUCATE THE MASSES, BABY!)

 What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development; before, during, or shortly after birth; or during infancy. Thus, these disorders are not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves. Instead, faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain disrupt the brain’s ability to adequately control movement and posture.

"Cerebral" refers to the brain and "palsy" to muscle weakness/poor control. Cerebral palsy itself is not progressive (i.e. brain damage does not get worse); however, secondary conditions, such as muscle spasticity, can develop which may get better over time, get worse, or remain the same. Cerebral palsy is not communicable. It is not a disease and should not be referred to as such. Although cerebral palsy is not "curable" in the accepted sense, training and therapy can help improve function.

Are there different types of cerebral palsy? Yes.

Spastic cerebral palsy. In this form of cerebral palsy, which affects 70 to 80 percent of patients, the muscles are stiffly and permanently contracted. Doctors will often describe which type of spastic cerebral palsy a patient has based on which limbs are affected, i.e spastic diplegia (both legs) or left hemi-paresis (the left side of the body). The names given to these types combine a Latin description of affected limbs with the term plegia or paresis, meaning paralyzed or weak. In some cases, spastic cerebral palsy follows a period of poor muscle tone (hypotonia) in the young infant.

Athetoid, or dyskinetic cerebral palsy. This form of cerebral palsy is characterized by uncontrolled, slow, writhing movements. These abnormal movements usually affect the hands, feet, arms, or legs and, in some cases, the muscles of the face and tongue, causing grimacing or drooling. The movements often increase during periods of emotional stress and disappear during sleep. Patients may also have problems coordinating the muscle movements needed for speech, a condition known as dysarthria. Athetoid cerebral palsy affects about 10 to 20 percent of patients.

Ataxic cerebral palsy. This rare form affects the sense of balance and depth perception. Affected persons often have poor coordination; walk unsteadily with a wide-based gait, placing their feet unusually far apart; and experience difficulty when attempting quick or precise movements, such as writing or buttoning a shirt. They may also have intention tremor. In this form of tremor, beginning a voluntary movement, such as reaching for a book, causes a trembling that affects the body part being used and that worsens as the individual gets nearer to the desired object. The ataxic form affects an estimated 5 to 10 percent of cerebral palsy patients.

Mixed forms. It is not unusual for patients to have symptoms of more than one of the previous three forms. The most common mixed form includes spasticity and athetoid movements but other combinations are also possible.

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Why would I bother posting all this? It seems so boring to read about! Well I posted this coz I don’t find it boring and I hope someone out there will atleast skim and absorb some of this. I was born with Cerebal Palsy.  I have mixed forms of Spastic and Ataxic CP. My muscles are tight and hard to control, I have poor balance  and a slow reaction time. I use crutches to walk. In addtion to my legs, my right arm is affected. I have no coordination in my right hand and hate to use it for anything. Occasoinally, I get  tremors in my legs, if the musles are overworked. The right side of my body is weaker than my left.

I don’t make it a point to outrightly mention my cerebal palsy in my diary. I just don’t see it as  that big of a  deal. It doesn’t really effect me. I don’t know if anyone can understand what I’m trying to say. To me…CP is not a condition…its just a part of me. I helps make me who I am…like eye or hair color. I’ve never been any other way, I adapt to my environment the best I can and just live life. My CP is fairly mild compared to some and I count myself  very lucky.

Although it is hard sometimes. My family raised me  to be very independent and never treated me any differently than anyone else. So when I went out into the world, I was not prepared. I was an immediate outcast. Elementary school was hell. I was shunned one day and the center of cruelness the next day. All because I looked and moved differently. Highschool was even worse.I went to a very chilque school…everyone belonged in their groups…I just didn’t fit any where. The only people who would talk to me were the "octcasts" and being seen  with them didn’t help my status. I tried not to care about all that shit. After all shool doesn’t last and doesn’t matter in the long haul. But it hurt to have my peers look at me and turn away without a word because they figured I was "mental" Hello?? if I was stupid or mentally damaged in some way, how was I maintaining a B+ average  in a top-rated educational system! Grrrrrrrr! I was the only one who was physically "challenged" in my entire school. The only one. Talk about lonely.

And you think people’s attitudes would improve as I get older. NOT SO! American socitey never changes. I’m insulted nearly everytime I step out the door. People often talk about me as if I’m not even there…asking  Kim questions about me even though I’M right in front of them! Or…they speak to me slowly and loudly and only in one syllables as if I’m 5 years old! That’s the worst!!!!

I guess all I’m trying to say is, just because someone has Cerebal Palsy, that does mean they aren’t worth your time. Just because I  didn’t get enough oxygen to my brain during birth, that does not mean that  I lack intelligence. People with CP are  SMART. Repect us accordingly.

I walk with crutches. Big deal. Get over it.

*end rant*

~M~