Connect-Ability

Hello Connect-Ability ,

            I’m working at NYSUT this summer .  My first job is to get ready for the August 10^th workshop.   Have you read the book Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper yet?  I have and I thought it was really good.  I could totally relate to it.  I don’t have the same type of Cerebral Palsy (CP) as Melody, the main character has.  I have Spastic diplegia .  It’s historically known as Little's Disease, and is a form of cerebral palsy (CP) that is a chronic neuromuscular condition of hypertonia and spasticity — manifested as an especially high and constant "tightness" or "stiffness" — in the muscles of the lower extremities of the human body, usually those of the legs, hips and pelvis.

               Spastic diplegia accounts for about 22% of all diagnoses of cerebral palsy, and together with spastic quadriplegia and spastic triplegia make up the broad classification spastic cerebral palsy, which accounts for 70% of all cerebral palsy diagnoses.

               But to get back to the book we’re reading for our next writing workshop. It’s a story about a girl with CP. I could relate to Melody’s accommodations at school.  I used to get extended time for test taking as well. 

               But I also understood how she felt when people looked at her funny and they still look at me funny sometimes.  Truth be told, I don’t like that. Instead people should smile and be friendly because that’s what I do when I meet someone.  I am looking forward to interesting conversations and discussions about CP at our next workshop

 

                                                            Theresa