Josiah Angel
This is my wonderful, amazing, loving son Josiah Angel; he has Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, Microcephaly and Schizencephaly. Josiah is wheelchair bound, nonverbal, and g-tube feed. However, nonetheless, he is a very happy boy! Having a child with cerebral palsy is something that no parent wishes for their child. We have been through many physical and emotional struggles on this journey.
This is Our Normal
However, one thing I wish other parents would understand is that we do not walk out our door with a “cerebral palsy” sign on our backs. This is our normal, and it is not until we notice other people staring that we understand we are perceived “different” from typical families. My son is funny, silly, smart, defiant, kindhearted, and determined. He is not defined by cerebral palsy, and neither is our family. The joys of raising my son with cerebral palsy are in the little things. The little achievements, the precious smiles, the utter joy at watching him accomplish something he couldn’t do yesterday. We have never had an “easy” day, but even when I feel weak and sorry for myself, I know he is strong enough, and he will do things no one ever expected him to do. It is a privilege to raise a child with a disability, to be picked out of all the parents to do this special job. Not an easy job, but always an interesting one. I don’t know who I would be exactly if I hadn’t been given this opportunity.
