Cerebral Palsy and depression

[Nick]

I have a different relationship with God than you do; I don't subscribe to an organized religion, I take elements of Buddhism and eastern philosophy, I'm communist (which teaches that total utter faith in anything, God or otherwise, with no real outer analysis separate from it, is bad), and I consider cerebral palsy God's special challenge to me, sort of a "let's give this kid his soul and this extra little thing and see what he does with it!" I've probably had many past lives, an old soul, but this is likely the first time CP has entered the fray. It's an interesting journey! And ever since the nerve surgery and accompanying relief from spasticity, it's lost its hatefulness and gained my fascination; I want to see where I take myself and how it plays its part! God did indeed make me like this for a purpose; S/He wanted to see what I'd do with it! And I'll accept that challenge. I'll treat this as the gift it actually is. Hope you all might get to that place soon too. Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy helps it along. www.rhizotomyfilm.com

[Steven]

It's only on this forum that I understand that there are so many people with cerebral palsy just like myself. I must say that the emotional struggle that comes along with cerebral palsy is as much as the physical struggle that we went through in life. since there is nothing we can do about it, I guess I can only faced it and try not to think too much. Being depressed and feeling bad only make myself suffer. I used to get very depressed often and my life is like daily suffering with the accompanying anxiety disorder. I guess I can only face it and try to be positive as much as possible.(=

[Meg]

maggie wrote:

<quoted text>
Hi Chelle, that's interesting because i have mild cp as well. i always thought it made me different, but i think it has made me stronger. i know what you are going through. i think that god is using this for a purpose. in my life i can see how i can either use it to make me better as a person, or allow it to bring me down.

I also have mild CP, which has made me different from most people I know... It does make you a tough person. But at the same time, it is difficult to help others understand. They don't know what it's like and they come down super hard on you when they think you can do as much as them physically/athletically, or as quickly as everyone else. That's the main conflict I find. The pain and discomfort I have lived with all my life, I gradually found ways to adapt and ameliorate how much I can. It's a therapeutic process, with stretching, physical therapy, coping, and dealing with things on your own. I've found a few good people in my life who make a strong effort to understand, but most people don't want to know, or have a hard time with it.

[Meg]

Steven wrote:

It's only on this forum that I understand that there are so many people with cerebral palsy just like myself. I must say that the emotional struggle that comes along with cerebral palsy is as much as the physical struggle that we went through in life. since there is nothing we can do about it, I guess I can only faced it and try not to think too much. Being depressed and feeling bad only make myself suffer. I used to get very depressed often and my life is like daily suffering with the accompanying anxiety disorder. I guess I can only face it and try to be positive as much as possible.(=

Hi Steven,
I think I can understand your pain. Please know that there are many of us out there that struggle with you too. It's a difficult process for me learning how to improve my condition, since I never had enough family support regarding CP in my case. Everyday I have to stretch out for 30 min twice a day to even function. It's a good idea to find true friends, even just 1 or 2 who have the patience to understand your plight. Most people are uncomfortable learning the details what we actually endure everyday. But God is my strength and the only reason I am still here. He is the only one who truly understands. Keep working on improving your condition, no matter how hard it is. I'm rooting for you.

[nick]

if you want solutions, check out this surgery and the film i am making on it.

wwww.rhizotomyfilm.com

i could use your help and possibly, also participation.

[nick]

michael, i don't agree with the argument for Jesus or God as a cure for supposed weakness. If anything, these disabilities make both body and soul stronger, not weaker.

I also think that that take on religion is itself absolutely evil and detrimental to soul-development, in the name of good, and I feel very deeply sorry for the spastic diplegics and other similar CPers who insist on taking this view of not only the world of other CPers generally, but also themselves, with and within their own bodies. It does not help-- it's abuse in religious garb.

[sande]

info cerebral palsy www.ulzibat.com

[nick]

Erica Dawn wrote:

Nick How do I e-mail you??

Erica, if you still check this board, I REALLY would like to speak with you about the film on selective dorsal rhizotomy i am making. you can find out basics at www.rhizotomyfilm.com but you and i personally really need to talk.

thanks

nick

[Bebe]

Since there have been so many posts on here about the topic, I was wondering if you all could answer me a question. I am actually researching CP. One stat I need is a hypothesis.

It is Hypothesized that people with Cerebral Palsy (mild with no mental retardation) have been on some Psychiatric medication before the age of 30.

I personally don't believe this but was wondering if any of you could let me know anything about the psychiatric side of CP.
Bebe

[John]

I have been reading some of the comments posted and I think a lot of us have the same kind thoughts. I am 21 years old and have mild CP only affecting my left side. I have tried living a normal life, playing sports, going to college,but it is getting tough to keep having to deal with the same crap everyday. I honestly don't know how people can keep doing this.

[John]

nick wrote:

<quoted text>
Erica, if you still check this board, I REALLY would like to speak with you about the film on selective dorsal rhizotomy i am making. you can find out basics at www.rhizotomyfilm.com but you and i personally really need to talk.
thanks
nick

Nick how could I contact you more about this I was just on the website and I think I would be very interested to hear more. I am 21 with mild spastic diplegia, it affects my left side, but I can walk and run, I even have strength in my left side. Please contact me my email is [e-mail]

[nick]

John wrote:

<quoted text>
Nick how could I contact you more about this I was just on the website and I think I would be very interested to hear more. I am 21 with mild spastic diplegia, it affects my left side, but I can walk and run, I even have strength in my left side. Please contact me my email is [e-mail]

as you might have seen by now, i emailed you a response. this is just to ensure that if you don't see that, you see this, so then you go check it. cheers.
n.

[Erica Dawn]

Hi Nick and others,:)
I'm doing pretty good. I am little by slowly begining to accept my CP and the fact that I can no longer run and fall alot more often. In a way it has been a good thing because it has given me more detrmination to persevere no matter how hard it gets.
Also people in my small town (Some strangers &/or elderly) tell me I inspire them to keep going and that keeps me going. Maybe I have CP to inspire others to keep going when times get hard??
Have a good evening and Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I wil be praying for those who may be struggling with their CP. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!
Take Care,
Erica Dawn

[nick]

Erica I need your email address. Please email your email address to me. I wanna talk to you about my film, please. kikodawgz at riseup dot net.

Erica Dawn wrote:

Hi Nick and others,:)
I'm doing pretty good. I am little by slowly begining to accept my CP and the fact that I can no longer run and fall alot more often. In a way it has been a good thing because it has given me more detrmination to persevere no matter how hard it gets.
Also people in my small town (Some strangers &/or elderly) tell me I inspire them to keep going and that keeps me going. Maybe I have CP to inspire others to keep going when times get hard??
Have a good evening and Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I wil be praying for those who may be struggling with their CP. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!
Take Care,
Erica Dawn

[andrewt]

Interesting that I came upon this thread. I am 42, and have had mild CP which affects my left side. The stories I have read here are very familiar. I am finally in therapy and on antidepressant medications after suicide attempts and a lifetime of depression, in which it took sometimes no more than an awareness of my limp to send me into a spiral. That being said, along the way I have been much harsher on myself than others have been regarding my disability (not counting public school, of course). In fact, most people had never really noticed. I have since learned to come to some acceptance that, no, I won't become Jimmy Page on guitar or be a snowboarder but I have a great career doing something creative, I've dated some great girls (who I subsequently drove away with my relentless self-pity) and can still ride a bike half decent and do the weight machines and such at the gym and so on. Now I'm paying a bit of a price physically for my asymmetry with bursitis and back pains, but overall I really can't complain. Re: cannabis, I found it did help but I overdid it and decided to pull back. Like alcohol, a small amount is all you should really consider as a "medicine", after a few puffs it becomes mere indulgence. All this to say to the younger people that it's far from over. But do yourself a favor and be upfront with people about it and how it makes you feel. Don't deny your feelings.

[nick]

andrewt, it sounds like your condition is really mild, and i'm sorry that you've tended to have "relentless self-pity" in regards to it, because there are spastic CP people with approximately your same spasticity who do all kinds of artistic movement, dance, theater, guitar/music, etc. i'm surprised that you've been mired in self-pity. you probably would have done well to meet other creative CP people around you, ones similar to yourself, ambulatory, active etc. if what you say is all that you have, then i was worse than you, and my condition has always been moderate at absolute most. you might wanna look into inclusive-arts scenes around you if there are any. there seems to me to be no reason why mild CP affecting your left side should be the source of such frustration for you or should drive all your girlfriends away. www.thegimpproject.com

[Erica Dawn california]

although I am not completely comfortable giving my e-mail since I can't private message here, I'll do it.
here's my e-mail: [e-mail]
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

[nick]

erica, you didn't really have to give your email out-- you could have just emailed a message to the email i listed on here! but what's done is done, and you'll see i also sent you an Earthlink Spam Filter Allow Message at Earthlink's request.:) hugs!

[cpdub]

Erica Dawn california wrote:

although I am not completely comfortable giving my e-mail since I can't private message here, I'll do it.
here's my e-mail: [e-mail]
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

You should get the admin to delete this erica is unfair on ya.
Ps best beatles song is tomorrow never knows

[EricaDawn]

How do I get in touch with the admin? I've never been on a site like this??