Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day

There are huge strides in cerebral palsy awareness here! On Monday, when I got home from work, I was pleasently surprised to find a letter from another parent. It was addressed to the whole school letting everyone know that is was Cerebral palsy awareness day and to wear green on Friday! (It’s was officially on Saturday.)

Friday, I got a picture from Colleen’s teacher with the caption, “green for Colleen,” with her and her classmates. We also received a green bracelet, and definitely may have to buy more. 

I’m hoping that since it’s technically Spring now, the weather will improve and Colleen can start walking more. She’s been using her walker more at school and is coming home exhausted. Not a horrible thing by any means, I’m just hoping that it’s just a case of building her stamina. She has strength and determination, that’s for sure!

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Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month!

March is cerebral palsy awareness month, and I wanted to share a little bit more about Colleen. She was officially diagnosed January 2013, and I will admit, I was in denial. As a baby, I remember the first time she rolled over. Without knowing what to expect, it was my moment of “See! She will be okay.” But it was a long time before she did it again. And that has continued much of her life. She is capable of doing some things a few times, then we don’t see it for a long time. Colleen is significantly delayed, and a lot of it has to do with her muscle strength.
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term the refers to a person’s ability to move. It can affect body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. It is a permanent condition that can improve or worsen over time. (https://www.cerebralpalsy.org.au/what-is-cerebral-palsy/ )
Colleen is level 2 out of 5. At the moment, she uses a walker and a wheelchair to travel long distances and for transportation to and from school. She was starting to stand on her own, but as I said earlier, it comes and goes. She will spend a night where she stands up as much as she can, then she’ll go weeks or months without trying again. But, I think she’s getting stronger. She makes me proud every single day, and I know she’s capable of so much. Time will tell what this little lady will do. ❤