National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day - March 25, 2014

It was 7 years ago this month that I heard the words "Cerebral Palsy" in regards to my own child. Talk about feeling like I had just been punched in the gut, only to leave me without breath. (I think it was about a year and half before I was able to breathe deep again. And as I sit here and type about it I find myself tearing up and gasping for air.)

It had been a long road to answers with much criticism and skepticism (on the part of many, including myself as I questioned my own insanity) along the way. But, then in March 2007, I sat, just me and my precious, soon-to-be, 19-month-old, little blonde-haired, blue-eyed, cherub-esse, boy with the very first pediatric neurologist we saw – only there “to rule anything out".

Well, at that visit absolutely NOTHING was ruled out; only to be replaced with a whole new set of questions, concerns, and fears. A new journey was just beginning!

At the time I thought our world was ending – so ridiculous of me. As I write this, I remember the beautiful poem “Welcome to Holland” (if you haven’t read it I HIGHLY advise you google the title and sit back and read these poignant words) that many of us who learn our child has special needs tend to stumble across and find ourselves sitting, with tears streaming down our faces, totally realizing how much in love we are with our child because the diagnosis doesn’t define him, but only strengthens our awareness of how amazing he truly is. My son is my greatest teacher, and along this journey I have been so inspired, my heart has been completely opened to so much more then it was before his incredible debut. Then I learned that he was such a fighter, so resilient, even before he was born, making me all the more enlightened and inspired.

I share this little blip in the journey with you today because of what today is recognized as: National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day. I am always raising awareness for Childhood Stroke and will continue to do so daily.  Cerebral Palsy is one of the many diagnoses that Brendon received as a result of the perinatal stroke.

Cerebral Palsy was the very first diagnosis we received which led us to seek further answers which followed over the next few weeks, months, and years.

Today I ask of you to look at the picture of my child 8-year-old child, who loves animals, writing stories, imagining he is a Viking, playing basketball, loves to read, loves to sneak cookies when I am not looking, who has a great sense of humor, who worries about everyone he loves, who is a leader, who is more forgiving than anyone I have every met, and gives the best hugs of love and comfort, EVER. He is one of the millions of faces of Cerebral Palsy.

The more you are aware the more you will open your heart to the gift of WONDERFUL PEOPLE!