Personal responsibility is something that we all lay claim to as adults – responsibility for our own health, safety, choices, decisions etc.
As an adult with a physical disability this can be more of a challenge. This is not because we don’t want to do so, but because sometimes the people we rely on for assistance feel responsible for us.
Yes, I know it’s meant to come last in the order, but it’s almost the holidays, why not put it second? And for my second act of rebellion … ‘automobile’ is strictly defined as well a car, but I don’t drive, nor do I have any entertaining car stories. I do instead, have some interesting wheelchair stories from a misspent youth, so we’re going with that okay?
If you want to run away you need a better get-away vehicle
Read more: Planes, trains and automobiles: Part 2 – Automobiles
They say this cerebral palsy thing isn’t progressive. I would say that, while the initial brain injury isn’t, its impact can be. As you get older, things become harder, even things you do everyday. Moving was much easier when I was younger. When I was younger, I was also swimming once a week and having physio twice a week.
’Til I was about sixteen, it seemed like keeping that part of me in check required complete devotion. It was boring and monotonous to me, especially as I felt young and indestructible. Around that time, I started cutting back on exercise and physio in favour of school and other less mundane things.
I’m a woman and I have cerebral palsy. Those are two facts that haven’t always played well together and sometimes they still don’t. I might, for the most part, have a positive outlook. I might be well aware of what really matters. All of that aside, I’m still a typical woman and, sometimes, I don’t like what having cerebral palsy has done to my body.
I’ve had surgeries that have left me with scars and, in some cases, bones or muscles parts missing here or there. I have unique body postures that have left certain parts equally unique. I have my mother’s chest, but I certainly missed out on her legs. I’ve always wanted nice girly shoulders, but, I as can lift my body weight with my arm, the chances of nice narrow shoulders were always well, pretty slim.
Freya
Welcome to freefall… I'm in my late twenties. My great loves are the creative arts, particularly music and creative writing. I have cerebral palsy (CP). In my case it means that I can't walk very easily - I use a chair most of the time. More about me…
