Battles Aren't so Big Afterall- Fighting Cerebral Palsy
Most of you know Cerebral Palsy comes with its own challenges. I fight daily to prove to doctors and others that I can do more than be a vegetable. I have fought and won the right to drive and obtain my first college degree as a teenager. To you all, Cerebral Palsy seems like a big enough challenge to tackle on its own, but Cerebral Palsy doesn’t even come close to the challenge I continue to fight since November 16, 2017 when I had rods placed in my legs to make them straighter. I was told this would improve my quality of life and I could stand the next day.
Life After Cerebral Palsy Surgery
Three months later, I spent a month in the hospital, left college for 6 weeks, returned home to go back to college, and had many unexpected appointments in the beginning of being home. I was also told I could no longer crawl to get around as I had done for 20 years because crawling on my knees could cause the need for more surgeries. I still can not walk independently.
At that point, I was losing faith. “Will I be successful at school with all of these appointments or will they take school away from me again?” “Will I find a way to be independent or will I be dependent on others to do things for me for the rest of my life?” “ Were the doctors right?” “ What did I do to deserve this?” These are all questions and thoughts that yoocan members have asked at some point in their lives. I have and had every right to feel this way.
Why yoocan stories inspire me
Surgery did not go the way I planned and now I have to learn things all over again in a different way. I can feel sorry for myself by not trying to do the things that I used to do or I can inspire others with overcoming unexpected challenges as they have done with their yoocan stories. I do not know my final grades for this semester, but thankfully yoocan stories have inspired me to continue to give all of my assignments my best ability even if they seem impossible. I hope what I thought was once impossible inspires you in knowing that your current impossible can be overcome.
