I go to therapy twice a week. And, I just work as hard as I can. After a while your legs get pretty tired. That’s probably the hardest part getting used to doing all your exercises. I mean, I’m used to it, but every once in a while my legs still get sore from doing all the exercises and from working so hard.
Madison, 10
I can’t jump really high
I can’t like jump really high or I can’t run really fast like other people. Or I have a hard time going over stuff, like climbing. But I just get used to it. I just need to struggle with it and just go and do it.
Olivia, 11
Accepting yourself
Personally, I think the most difficult thing about having CP is being accepted, learning how to accept yourself, and accepting others. I don’t think the pain of surgery is as bad as not being able to accept the life you are given.
Stephanie, 14
Tying my shoes
I mean not tying my shoes is really hard because like, I’m on the track team and that does require sneakers and stuff like that. And I’m hoping that one day they invent a running shoe that requires no tying.
Ruby, 15
I wanted to ride a two wheeler bike more than anything in the world. I was around nine years old and of course riding a two wheeler, as much as I would like to pretend that it is possible, it’s really not. It’s all about balance and balance is tough. I mean, I just tripped on the way to the cafeteria this morning. I remember all the neighbor kids in my cul du sac used to ride their bikes and I use to have to stay inside because I couldn’t I was too ashamed to ride with training wheels.
Ruby, 15
Sometimes it’s really hard
There was a period when I was 13 when I stopped walking, and I lost my ability to walk for three years, and that was really hard. CP is not degenerative, so it doesn’t progress over time and get worse, but now I had this whole non ambulatory aspect, which was new and different, and I didn’t know where it came from, so I was kind of dealing with that in three years. It’s hard having cerebral palsy sometimes because I get spasms and my arms and my legs get really tense. My mind wants to do something and my body wants to do something completely different, and I hit myself sometimes, like involuntarily I’ll hit myself. Sometimes it’s really hard, especially because I love dancing, so I’ll listen to music that I really like and want to dance to and I’ll want to get up and dance, but I can’t really.
Emily, 18
I stand out with my limp
The most difficult thing is to stand out when walking. I stand out with my limp. I am still a little ashamed of walking with a limp but there’s nothing that I cannot set my mind to and do.
David, 18
What is tough is speaking on the phone with a job recruiter because of my slurred speech. The recruiter might think I need too much support on the job and they might want to avoid me. If I get an interview, I have to go in that room and give a good impression and that’s a hard thing for anybody. As I said before, I have slurred speech due to CP, so I take it slow, clear my voice, and answer the interview questions the best I can.
Kartik, 27
It’s not curable
Cerebral Palsy had prevented me from doing any activity that required balance such as ice and roller skating. It also prevented me from riding a bicycle. I would need support from an adult. These are things that I cannot do alone.
I think the most difficult thing about having cerebral palsy is that it is not curable, so I might not able to 100% walk properly straight, talk clearly and normally, write clearly and fast on paper or get to do things that require balance like riding a bicycle or ice skating ever in my lifetime. But these things do not stop me enjoying life such as hiking, bowling, or hanging with friends.
Kartik, 27