Saturday, March 7, 2015

An Introspective Day Part II


Yesterday, because I couldn't find any of my regular tv shows, I watched a couple of episodes of QI, which is a British game show.  QI stands for Quite Interesting, and it is.

At one point during an episode, they were talking about this new innovative technique that doctors were using to assist women who were giving birth to breech babies. It worked like a corkscrew.

I turned to Sarah K and explained that I had been a breech baby, I started to come out bottom first and  the doctor had to turn me around so that I came feet first. There was a theory that because it took longer for me to be born that this caused me to have a lack of oxygen that caused my CP (Cerebral Palsy).

I elaborated on my story and told Sarah that I had been diagnosed with CP when I was one year old. This had been a shock to my mom, but she looked at me and thought, "Well, nothing has really changed. She is, after all, still my Annie!" With this kind of positive attitude my mother searched out other parents of kids with CP. Interestingly enough, my grandmother had a next door neighbour, and that family's daughter had CP.

It's funny how things work out. The support group my Mom joined was called, The Parent Counsel, and years later this group founded Participation House Markham, which was a group home for people with disabilities. Residents could either live their permanently or stay for short periods on "parental relief". (I detest that term!)  In earlier posts I am sure people have heard me refer to Particaption House as a "hell hole", which it was.  I'll probably harbour feelings of anger and hatred towards it forever.

The Parent Counsel later set up apartment buildings in Thornhill and Markham that had onsite attendant care. People with disabilities could have a life of independence. I was one of these people.  Sure, it was a big improvement from Particiption House, but I soon learned that there were still many flaws.

My point is to say that I life is kind of like s game of dominos, knock one down and a series of events happen. What would have happened if Mom hadent joined The Parent Counsel? Would we have just muddled through on our own? And, sure, I hated Particiption House and found their onsite attendants to be lacking in many ways. However, both experiences gave me the insight to deal with whatever came my way.

I guess what I'm trying to say is you can do your best to steer you life in the direction you want it to go, but sometimes life just spins you around and you have go go through some rough shit. The trick is to learn from that shit and come out the other side in one piece.

No comments: