Types of Cerebral Palsy

Hello there!  Today I would like to talk to you about the different types of Cerebral Palsy and the what each type means.  Cerbral Palsy ranges quite vastly like a lot of divesities do!  Like,I said in previous blogs, you can meet a person with Cerebral Palsy and you can barly know they have it.  You can meet  someone  who isjust right smack dab in the middle of the Cerebral palsy scale.  With this type, they can do most things, but you can still  tell that they have it.  Then, you move on to Severe Cerbral Palsy, where there is sever muscle spatisy, and they can't talk, and they're in their chairs almost of the time  Like every other divesity, it's crazy how Cerebral Palsy differs.  I'm lucky that I have so much movement and can do so much, but other people with Cerebral Palsy have a higher muscle tone and can't do  as much.  My muscle  tone is quite high, but not high enough to keep me from moving or to cause me any pain, fortunatly.  When I was at the Children's Hospital one day, the doctors showed me a chart of the diffrent types, and where I was, and I think I was right smack dab in the middle, whitch is quite good!   They tell me I have something called Anthoid Cerebral Palsy, whitch I will explain  later.  I also think I have a bit of Spastic too. I'm quite tight, but I have high muscle range and can do a lot for myself.  So, today, I am going to give you the definition of what Cerebral Palsy is and explain what  the diffrent types are.  I did some reasearch, so you don't have to.  You can just get the information right here.  There are tons of diffrent types, but I only chose four so, hopefully this wil be  another blog that is a bit shorter.  So, here is a bit of a report on four types of Cerebral Palsy.I hope you learn something!

First, lets start of with the main definition of Cerebral Palsy.  Basically Cerebral Palsy on a whole  is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movements and muscle coordination.  Cerebral means the cerebrum part of the brain, so that part of the brain was affected.  Palsy means a differ in movements and posture.  Cerebral Palsy is  basically a brain injury caused at birth.  Now, lets move onto the different types.

1. Spastic-  This is the most common type of Cerebral Palsy.  80%  of children born with this conditionend up with Spastic Cerebral Palsy.  This just means that muscles are preety tight, whitch results in some uncontrolled, stiff, jerky movements .  The main diffulcuties people have here are moving and holding and letting go of objects.  I have a bit of spasticity in my legs and in lefty, but not near as much as some people.  Some people, their muscles are so tight they can't walk and you can hardly get there hands open.  I wonder if they are in pain?  Sometimes, I struggle going to sleep because my muscles are so tight and I can't relax.  I wonder if it's even more of a struggle and even more painful for them? I'm lucky my muscles arn't that tight!

2.     Athetoid-  I was doing a speech about Cerebral Palsy one day in grade six for school, and I checked what my Cerebral Palsy was called and in my school file it said that it was called Anthoid Cverebral Palsy.  I never knew that until then.  Anthoid Cerebral Palsy is caused by dammage to the cerebellum.  10% of kids are born with it.  They struggle with doing smooth coordinate movements.  Theystruggle with posture, feeding, reaching and grasping. I am constantly being reminded to stand or sit up straight.  When I was first born I was fed through a tube.  Mom got preety tired of that so she started feeding me normally.  Sometimes I struggle with swallowing but I went to the Chilldren's Hospital and did a test for that and they said that everything was going down properly.  For grasping with my left hand, it's hard to get to hold on to something and then its hard to let go.  They say sitting up is an issue for some.   I't's not for me now, maybe when I was youger I couldn't sit unsupported.  Some have low muscle tone.  I have quite hight muscle tone, not too high though.   They also struggle with speech. They have what is called disarthric speech, whitch is what I have.  I've talked about about my speech before.  I show quite a few signs of Anthoid, but I still think I have some  of Spastic because of my left hand and my legs, but who knows?

3.  Ataxic-  Ataxic Cerebral Palsy is quite rare.  People who have it have low muscle tone and poor muscle coordination.  The look unsteady and shaky when they walk.  They have a more wide gait than usual.    The websidte says that there shakes sort of looks like little tremors.   they also place their feet far apart when they walk. I think this is what a few people with Cerebral Palsy that I know have.  They might be the ones that are diffucult to pin point that they have it.  That might be kind of hard,  because peopl look at you and they know your a bit off but the canttell why.   At least they can do most of what they need to do to be sucessful in life.

4. Mixed-  This combines all three types of Cerebral Palsy.  This would be the hardest one, I think, because there are more limits to what they can do.   However, they are still  happy and enjoying llife the best they can and they are healthy.  That is all that matters!

So, ther are the maun four tyoes of Cerebral Palsy.I didn't mention all of thembecause there are alot.  The main thing you need  to nknow about people living with Cerebral Palsy is that they want  to be treated equaly.  They struggle but they are doing the best they can to live the best life that they ca.  I know this blog isn't as exciting as the other ones I wrote, but I just wanted to give you some information on what Cerebral Palsy is and the diffrent types.  If yo want more information go to www.about-cerebral-palsy.org/definition/spastic-athetoid-ataxic.html

Cool inventions for People with Diversities

Has anyone been watching the Olympics? I have been keeping track a bit. I had an amazing time in Vancouver when I went to the Vancouver Paralmpics and I wish I could go to another one. If any of you live in London or are able to travel therer to attend the games, you are lucky ducks! I have been watching the games on T.V. Usually, I don't like watching sports on T.V. but I figure the Olympics is pretty exciting so I should take part in viewing them. The opening ceremonies were amazing. The queen was even there. She flew out of a helicopter to get there! Paul McCartney sang that night. That was pretty cool. He sang "Hey Jude", which is my Mom's, Judy's favorite song so she was preety excited about that. I've been watching some of the sports. I like the swimming. In just heard from a friend on facebook that the Canadians won gold in womens swimming. Thats great! It always makes us canadians proud when our country wins a medal. I think the olympics is awesome. Some people say it cost too much money,but I think it's worth it. The Olympics and the Paralympics are for countries to be proud of who they are, and for the athlete to work hard and reach their best potentials! The Olympics are awesome! Go Canada Go! Anyway just a bit of an update on the Summer olympics and what I have been up to. Today, for this blog, I am going to write abou ten cool inventions that people with diversities use to make their lives a bit easier. I use quite a few of these inventions that I'm about to mention here, and they have opened up wide doors for me and have led me to some preety amazing adventures. I will also mention some inventions that I have seen that I think are really cool. It blows my mind how far we have come in including people with diversities and how much aparatisus and technology there is to help us get further and further in the world. People with the most severe diversities can do the most amazing things! Just take a look at the scientist, Stephen Hawking! We have come a long way, that is for sure. Here are ten inventions I've heard of or seen that have helped people with diversities get where we are today! 1. Computer- Isn't tecnology amazing! It has done wonders for lots of people with diversities. For me, it just helps me get assignents done in school, and has taught me how to type with one hand, whitch is something I love that I am able to do! For others though, it has made a world of a differencein their daily lives. Some computers help kids talks. My friend Oliva from camp uses one of those. She doen't use it to much at camp, but I think it is awesome that that it has given her a voice. She can be heard now, and I think that is one of her biggest wants in life, so it's pretty cool she has that option. There are Programs like Dragon Speak for people who can't use there hands. You just talk into the computer and and it types it out for you. Grace uses that as well as a keyboard that is on the screen of her computer. She clicks on the letter she wants to type and it types it for her. Where would some of us be without some technology. Things have chaged a lot since the olden days, true, some for the worst, but definetly some for the better People depended on these types of technology and it helps them be the best they can be. 2. Outrider- I have wrote about my Bugaboo trip and how amazing it was. I think I've shown you what the outrider I used looks like. Its like a big seat with wheels to get you up a mountain. It was a lot of stuff for me, probably more than I needed, but i still loved iit. I felt like a princess in it. The guys that took me up there were so friendly and helpful, and willing to do whatever it took to get us up there. It was preety heavy for them with me in it, but they did it. Ofcourse I got to walk up some, whitch was my favorite part, but I think I should advertize the outrider, because it is preety cool and can lead people with diversities to places they never thought they could get to. A friend of mine, who also has Cerebral Palsy, but has it quite severe and can't walk at all, has been up a mountain with an outrider. An Outrider are one more thing that shows people with diversitities that there are no limits, only amazing possibilities! 3. Sitski- I have talked a lot about my sitski and the sitsking program that is happening in my town. It's gotten kids out for two hours, once a week on the hill, something they never thought they could experience. I know I thought that before my first time skiing, and now look at what I do with my sitski. Grace has just begun to start her program in Fernie, B.C. For her, shes says, she has never felt this much freedom. That preety much says it all! Speeding down the mountain, with the wind blowing on their faces, you can tell that these sitskiers are having a blast. Freedom. Thats about the only way to explain the experience. Freedom. I can't wait to get out their this winter and start to ski again. People don't like hearing me say I can't wait for the winter but I don't care. I love skiing! 4. Cutting Board- Paige made one of these for me that I have at home. It helps me spread stuff like jam on toast. I just pop the bread in the toster, place the toasted bread in between the guards on the board and start spredding! I also have one in cook training. I think they bought it for me. It's a board with plastic guards and nails to sick whatever you want to cut on it. Using the toaster and the cutting board at home just makes my day go so much smoother. I don't have to wait for Mom to make me breakfast or just have plain old cereal for breakfast. With kitchen tools like thesae, meal options are endless. With these tools, and taking things one step, I'll be able to live on my own in no time. 5. Swings- I saw these on facebook. They lower to the ground and you just push a wheelchair on there, and just start pushing. There very cool! I'm not sure if elctric wheelchairs can get on them. They might be a bit heacvy, but, but it would be great for kids with manual chairs. I can get up off my chair and go sit on a swing. I love to swing! When I was little, swings were one of my favorite things. They were about the only thing I could do with no supervision. I could climb on the playground, but I needed someone with me the whole time. I could be all by myself on the swings. Some kids with diversities can't even go on on the playground at school. If these swings got put in at some more primary or elementary schools, it would intregrate children with diversities with all the other kids on the playground. Being equal means everything to kids with diversities, especially when they're little. If we can build some more equipment like swings for them in schools and in parks, there would be a whole bunch more happy kids ariund! 6. Shopping Carts- I think Costco in Calgary where I saw these. They were shopping carts with pieces of velcro or a belt attached to them. Someone in a wheelchair could just put the straps around them, or have help putting them around them, and the cart stays with them so they can just go shopping. I want to try one of those. I would be in my chair in a grocery store if I am shopping by myself. I could just strap the cart on and go! Simple stuff like that that enables me do something like shopping, just makes me so happy. I just conquered some new. I've done it once this summer myself and it felt awesome. Shopping is a daily chore that everyone needs to get done, so, these shopping carts would make people with diversities feel like they can funtion in the real world as much as anybody else can, whitch is what one of our biggest dreamms are! 7.Head comtrolled Remotes- In Novemer of 2009, Grace and I got to go to Ottawa to speck at the Senate Chambers on the "National Day of the Child" celebration, a day that celebrations all children and the diversities we all have that makes us unique.Grace and I went there to talk about Cannasisat, the group that invents diffrent technical apparatisus for diverse people to make their lives easier and to improve their independence. That was an awesome trip. It was probably one of my favorite things we did with SET B.C. Ottawa is such a beautiful province with lots of history. We'd walk around town and see all sorts of statues. I loved that trip and we went with a preety special group of people. Anyway, while we were at the Senate Chambers, we were showing all these kids diffrent tools that people with diversitties can use. One of them was a remote control headband. Someone with a diversity could strapthes headbands to there heads. These headbands have a remote inside them and a lazor. You set this remote to your T.V or lightswitch. Then all you have to do is point your headband at these things and it turns them on. Also, there is another cool device that is more for kids to use. A man named Darcy introduced this. He introduced it, saying imagine your a little kid who loves stuffed animals that talk, but can't play with them because you can't use your hands to turn them on For this problem,Cannasist invented a box that can flash. It's connected to the stuffed animal, and when you bend your head, so that the headband touches the box, the animal sings or dances or talks. Grace and I got to try these out. They were pretty cool. I think we got all three stuffed animals going. Kids love stuffed animals. When your little they're like your best friend, so these boxes give kids with divesities best freinds too. As for turning on light switches and stuff, the headbands just make it that much easier for a diversw person to strive for independence, whitch again is what they value. IT'S FREEDOM! 8. Ipads- I have an Ipad. My sister and I share it. We got it from our Mom. It has been easier for me because it's light and you can acess everything on it just like a computer. I'm writing this blog on my Ipad right now. You don't have to wait as long for things to load. It's just right there with the touch of a botton. I do everything on this. I write these blogs. I go on Facebook. Everything! It's easier for me because on a computer, I lean over a lot so it kind of hurts my back. I sit up straighter with these. I have a wireless keyboard that I use to type! It's great! I think they also can be used for school work too. When Grace and I were in Ottawa, we didn't have an Ipad,we had an adaptable Ipod. It had a big button attched to it, and each time you pressed it, it would do somethiing diffrent. It would turn on, turn off, switch songs, pause songs. It was the big hit of the day. We were showing it off, and one boy yelled out, "I want one of those We loved it when he did that. It was great advetising for Cannasist! Everyone wants to have fun! These tools help Diverse people do just that, because that's we really want! We just want to have fun! 9. Velcro- Oh my god! Isn't velco awesome! You just strap it over and away you go. I have had a lot of tye up shoes and I've had to ask for help, but with velcro,I can do it myself. Velcro shoes are hard to find, and usually the colour is just plain white. Recently, we have managed to find some purple and black shoes that are lace up and velcro. To get them on, all I have to do is do up the straps and try to tuck the laces in. It's a beautiful thing, velcro! In Cook training, Paige made me an apron with Velcro. I had a bit of a time reaching around and grabbing both sides with velcro with two hands. i have accomplished that now though. It's one more thing I can check off my to do list! I tell ya,Thank God for Velcro. 10. Bike- When I was about three in a half, maybe four years old, I got my first special bike from the Cerebral Palsy Association in Calgary Alberta. I didn't use the bike for to long. I think I grew out of it preety fast! it was neat though. It had four wheels to help with balance. It had a back support and a seatbelt for the seat. It also had straps on the pedals to strap you feet on. My feet always slide off things like bike pedals, so the staps on these kept my feet secure. I loved my bike. I could ride like all the other kids. I brought it to school for show and tell to show off how cool it was. I didn't use it for long, but I sure enjoyed it! A few years after I out grew my bike, I really wanted a new one. They were expensive though, and now I have my chair to get around downtown. The bike would be good for excercise for my legs but I do that stuff at physio too. The bike was fun. I was sad for a bit when I couldn't use it anymore, but I'm sure glad I have my chair though. With my chair, nothing can stop me! So, there are some inventions I have used or have seen or heard of. Simple things people do to tweak an object so it can be used by all, really can make a huge diffrence to someone. They can go anywhere they want or do anything they want! For people with diversities, adventures never stop, bigger and better ones just begin!

The How To Manual on Living with a Diversity

Hello, Hello, Hello!  Here we are again!  Another blog, another story, some more adventures!  ha ha! Today, I`d like to talk about the stuff that I have had to learn how to do myself  and some of the stuggles I go through with diffrent tasks.  I feel like I learn new things almost every day.  Every day is a new adventure.  Figuring out how to do certain things can be kind of challenging and frustrating because they are mostly simple things that I have to learn that everyone else can do but I struggle with.  That doesn't stop me though.  I want to learn as much as possible, no matter how easy or difficult a task it sounds to everyone else.  I  actually kind of enjoy getting excited over learning the small stuff!  It makes me feel proud of myself and happy that I can check one more thing off my to do list that I have to  complete before I move out of the house.  So, here are ten thing that I have had to learn or still have to learn to  to make my life a little easier and to be more independent.  If any of you blog readers out there have Cerebral Palsy like me, here are some tips on how you can do some stuff too!  I hope this helps you guys.
1.  Putting shoes on-  Since I wear leg braces, I have to find big enough shoes to fit over the braces.  it`s hard to find the right size of shoes and ones that look good!  It's getting easier though and they have more variety.  We used to be able to find just plain white ones but now we've found some with some colour so that's nice!  Most of the better quality shoes are tye up and I can't tye with one hand so mom has to help me with that, but I can do everything else myself.  I've been experimenting a lot with putting on shoes.  I can get my braces on super easy.  I just slide my leg in there and do up the straps.  Shoes are more off a challenge though since I can't just slip them on with my braces and it's hard to lean over and put them on.  I've tried two methods for putting them on.  One was to lay down with my feet up and wiggle the shoe on.  That was difficult and not very lady like! ha ha!  A while ago I figured out a new method.  |I put my brace inside my shoe and slide my foot in.  The only struggle is I have to reach inside and do my leg brace strap up and you have to make sure you find the loop for that.  Other than that though, I have a much smoother time with my shoes now, and it`s quicker so I can get out of the house faster, which is something I love!  I canjust get up and go!

2.  Type-  In school, all the kids have to be able to type properly.  They can`t just hunt and peck for every key.  The proper way to type is with two hands, but of course I only have the one that will cooperate for typing.  However, there is still a proper way to type with one hand.  When I was in grade five, Kathy from Set B.C. came to my school and showed me this program calle Five Finger Typist for five finger typers.  I loved it!  It was kind of frustrating to learn at first.  My aide at that time, Sheila Fitzpatrick, really wanted me to go slow and learn it properly.  So she would make me redo lessons over and over before I moved to the next one.  It was tough not being able to move on to the next lesson right away, but it was worth it because now I am a much more confident typer.  I still keep practising.  There is a typing course in high school so I will take that and also practise a lot in English and classes like that.  I feel the computer is going to be a huge advantage and a  handy tool for me.  Even though I love to print, typing will make me go further and further in school and university, which will help me get one step closer to making my education dreams come true!

3.  How my wheelchair works-  My wheelchair has opened up all sorts of doors for me.  I can go downtown without help.  I can ride home from school myself.  It amazes me how much it actually has done for me.  I get asked a lot about my chair and how it works.  It is run on a gel cell battery, which makes it very heavy to lift.   You can`t really push it unless you put it into manual, but we`ve never tried that before.  Anyway, all it take is the push of a button and the movement of a joist stick to get me where I want to go.  At school, I have to ask a lot of teachers  to move my chair closer to me, so sometimes I need to explain it t them.   I suck at explaining things so it`s a little difficult.  A lot of teachers have done it though, not just me and my aides, and I joke that by the time I graduate, everyone will know how to drive my chair.  Isn`t that a scary thought?

4.  Control Lefty-  This is a tough one.  Lefty is always moving around, and sometimes he tires me out.  I`ts difficult to get him to calm down.  Sometimes I have help controlling him.  I get little reminders to put him down and relax, or someone just kind of holds him for a while.  Doctors have talked about a brace for him as well.  I used one when I was little.  My tone has gotten a little bit worse now though, and doctors say that if I wear the brace, lefty will just fight it and it might be painful.  They also say that  the spasticity I have in my hand is not so bad because at least it`s moving around and it has function.  Some people with C.P have hands that are crippled up all the time and it causes skin break down, so I`m lucky lefty isn`t like that!  I guess he`s not that bad.  I`ll keep him.

5.  Relax-  Sometimes it`s hard to relax my whole body, not just lefty, because my muscles are so tight.  At school I have a board that I rest my feet on to help them relax.  I need help sometimes remiding or  helping me relax.  It`s not all because of my diversity.  I`m just one of those people that likes to go go go and doesn`t like to relax.  I`m getting better though.  I enjoy it more!  What can I say?  I`m a wild and crazy kid!

6. Showering-  I used to bath all the time!  I loved it!  However, as I got older it became more diffuct for my mom to help me.  A few years ago, we installed a hand held shower and put a bathing seat in my tub.    I still have to get over the ledge, but we have a grab bar and mom helps me with that.  I get in and I can grab the hand held shower and use it just like that.  When I go to university,  they have a lot of walk in showers and accesible stuff, so that will make life a lot more easy.  It`s going to be great when I can just get showered up and ready for the day on my own.  That is my main goal in life, to live by myself, so the closer I get to reaching it, the betteer.

7.  Carry stuff at school-  Being in a wheelchair, it`s kind of diffcult to carry all the suppiles you need from class to class.  I remember my first year of highschool, I would carry stuff and drop them half way down the hall.  Then , my helpers got me bags that I could put all my stuff in.  That made everything easier.  I could jst grab it and go.  I could even bring it home with my homework.  When Sheila came to highschool, she actually made me a bag.  She is a great sewer and loves to make that sort of stuff.  I can fit my books in the bag and my pens and small stuff in the smaller pockets.  It`s made out of jeans!  Its really handy!  Shelia has alway looked out for me and discovered new things for me to make my life easier!  She is quite the lady!  Thanyou Sheila!

8.  Textbooks-  Everyone uses textbooks in highschool.  For most classes, they are what most of the cirruculum is based on.  Sometimes, for me, it is diffucult to handle textbooks.  I need a little extra space on my desk to get some stuff organized.  Sometimes I need two desks.  I used to have a big desk in elmentrary school with an easil and a big desk attached at the side to put my computer on.  I couldn`t take it to highschool though.  I like using the normal desks in class.  I`m at the same height as all the other kids whitch makes me feel good.  It does take extra organization for me though.  I have a small easal that the wood working shop made for me that holds my textbooks up.  That makes things easier. I don't have to struggle to hold them up and read.  All I have to do is flip throught the pages.  You can use textbooks on the computer, but I`d rather have the physical one. it got a little complicated on the computer.  I always sign two textbooks out at the start of the year for me so that I can leave one at home for homework. I don`t always have to pack a heavy textbook back and forth.  That`s great!  It works really well for me.  I am so happy that I am integrated in the regualar school program and can graduate and move on to bigger and better things and these small things just help me get that much closer to achiveing my goals!

9.  Cooking-  My cooking skills are getting better and better all the time.  I`ve really benifited  from the cook Training class in school.. I`ve learned so much in there and am doing almost everything myself with just a liitle help.  I can carry dishes to from the sink to where they need to be with my walker that has a seat on it.  I can grab stuff from the fridge.  I can deliver fruit to classes with my chair.  I call it meals on wheels. I have a lot of diffrent adapted tools I use.  I have a special cutting board that has nails in it to hold the food.  It has sucton things at the bottom so it sticks to the table.  I have a chopper.  I love to practise cutting food, but  for the hard stuff and for making specific types of cuts, I use my chopper.  You put a blade in a slot in the tool that has the shape of what you want your cut to be like.  Then you just put the food  on the blade and press down the lid.  It takes a lot of muscle but it is handy and makes me stroger.  Everybody hads to wear aprons in class.  They are tye up, so Paige made me a velcro one.  Gotta love that velcro.  I had to practise stretching around and getting both straps in each hand.It was tricky but I eventually got it    It has been an awesone experience for me and when I an at home my mom can tell that I am getting more confident with cooking.  In the summer, Patti and I work on microwave cooking.  We do small meals that I can do myself.  Paige made me a cutting board that has guards to hold bread or something in place and a hole in it to hold the what I am putting on it.  I can be preety independent in my kitchen at home.  It`s great that I can just get up and make myself a snack when I`m hungry.  I don't have to wat for someone to do it for me.  It`s one more step to living on my own.

10.  Traveling in a plane with a wheelchair-  I`ve taken my  electric chair on a plane before.  It's diffucult but I`ve done it.  Electric chairs have a gelcell battery so they can go in a plane.  The flight attendents just have to store it in a special compartment of the plane.  It`s kind of a tricky process, so we don't take my chair often, but it`s great to know that I can have the option to have the  same independence here as well as half way across the country.  It`s preety cool!

So, there are some things that I`ve learned over my years.  It`s awesome how far I`ve come and how much I can do now.  I will continue to try more and more things and get stronger and stronger.  I hope this helped some people with Cerbral Palsy reading this who want to do more themselves, but arn`t sure how to get there.  I  have a long way to go still, but I definetly will get there, one step at a time!

My Week with Grace

I finally made it down to Fernie to see Grace! I was down there for almost a whole week. Like I said, the bus wasn't running last Monday so on Tuesday my mom and her friend from work drove me down to the Cranbrook mall. Moms friend Kaitlyn is a very nice girl and it was nice to travel and chat with her. Also, I always get excited for people to meet my friends, especially Grace,so they can see how cool she is. Anyway, we met Grace and her family in the mall. Grace loves to shop so we were there quite a while. I stink at shopping so I just followed Grace around. I am getting better though. I bought my first pair of shorts yesterday without anyones opinon. That was good! So, when we finally got grace out of the mall, we went to medichair. Medichair is the business that gets wheelchairs and stuff for diverse people to make their lives easier. Grace had to get her seatbelt on her chair tightened and I got to get some new bearings and some air in my tires. This was unexpected! Two guys were there and they just did it right then and there. My mon and I love those kind of people. We also got to check out diffrent things divese peaple can use. Some of the stuff is really cool and would make my life a little easier. So, Mom's got some christmas present ides. ha ha. I also got t to try a relaxing chair that might relax my muscles. Mom couldn't get me out of that thing. There is all sorts of stuff in there. Mom left me at Medichair with Grace and her family and when Grace was done, we drove to Fernie. I brought my chair as well so I could zip around with grace. So, we had two wheelchairs with us, whitch is diffrent. They usually hace a scooter for me to get around in because my chair can't fit in Graces van. This time though, they took the front seat out. Graces tyedowns were up front where she sat and we bought some extra tye downs from Medichair for my chair. So, we had two heavy chairs in the van. It was tricky for us to fit in and it was a very heavy load for Graces mom Janice to drive around in, but we did it! Besides seeing Grace and Janice, I also got to spend a bit of time with Graces older sister, Tabitha. She was very funny and was a great girl to talk to and spend time with. Grace has an awesome family. There's her mom and three other siblings and her crazy dad ,Buddy. They all make me feel like I'm part of the family. Grace has a very cool house, that is very wheelchair accessible. She has an elvator to go back and forth from the first level of the house to the second. She has a huge bedroom with a walkin bathroom. She has a walk in bathtub that is fit for a princees. She has a sink that you just have to put your hand under and it turns on. She has a tracking device that can carry her places. It is a very cool house and even though I can walk, I do use some of her stuff like her elevator and bathtub. It is a huge treat for me. I can get around great in her house. So, the first full day I was in fernie, Grace and I got to go downtown in our chairs. We could walk to town and Janice would meet us there. It is preety incredible that we could do that independly. We would go anywhere. The only problen is that Graces chair goes too fast for me. ha ha. Grace would keep walking and I'd be way behind her and she would forget about me. Then when she remembered, she would turn around and look at me and yell "C'mon slowpoke. Is that how fast that chair can go. Medichhair has got to make it faster!" We both love to tease eachother, and one thing Grace always teased ne about is being a slowpoke. So, we would go for walks, to the liabrary, and out for lunch. The times that Grace and I were alone were special. Her mom had to be with us a bit, whitch was great because I love spending time with the two of them. However, those moments where Grace and I were by ourselfs talking about life, teaching eachother lessons and laughing, are very very special. So, the whole reason, I came down to visit Grace this week was to help her out with the day camp for special needs that she works at. This camp is run out of the middle school in Fernie. Grace used to go there. That's kind of cool We didn't go every day, but it was nice for me to see how things work there and how Grace helps out. She is amazing with the kids. She keeps good tabs on them and tries to open up to each one. There was one little boy there with preety severe autism, and he was halving a bad day. He got sort of stressed out so Grace sang him a song to calm him down. I got to help too! It worked! Grace really knows how to help those kids. She knows what does work for them and what doesn't. She tries to get to know them and break there sheilds of fear. She really tries hard and cares about the kids. You can tell that the fact that Grace has a job is really important to her as it will be to me when I get one. I want to do something like this so watching Grace and the other cousillors was good for me to see what I have to do. The first day of the daycamp, we went to the local postofffice. The kids got taught how the mail carriers sort the mail into the mailboxes. The kids got to put letter in peoples boxes. That was a good chore for them. Watching that, I thought that doing that job would be fun for me because I love to sort things. We also did a couple crafts with the group. They made picture frames and then Grace introduced a new craft. You get a painting canvas and hot glue a bunch of crayons to the top. Then you heat the crayons with a blowdryer so the wax from them drops down on the canvas. Grace brought a sample she made at school. It was quite a neat craft. I helped a camper with one and also made my own. We also went to the lake with the summer progran as well as with Graces family. I got to swim in the lake for the first time this summer whitch was great! I always love the first dip in the lake each summer. So, those were our two days at daycamp. It was awesome to see how everything works and meet all the kids. It is definetly a potential career choice for me to do stuff like this so it was good experience. For the last two days of the week, Grace and I just hung out together. We watched movies, walked downtown. We just hung ou. Graces ski program got finalized so that it is now a society. That was exciting! Grace is a go getter and has worked really hard to get this going so I was was really proud of her when she was all finished! Good goin Grace! It was another fabulous week at Graces. I always love to come there to take a break from reality and just hang out. Grace is the only kid other than my sister who I can talk about anything with. She is a special friend. We get sick of eachother by the end otf the week. Were always being silly and at eachothers throats. We love eachother though. Thanks for the awsome week you guys. I had a blast. I'll come anytime!

Misconception about my Cerebral Palsy and other Diversrsities

I leave for Fernie tomorrow! I was supposed to leave today but the bus that I was going on had to cancel because there was a huge mudslide close to where I live. Fortunaly, no one was hurt but it did do a lot of damage! It was huge! So, Grace and I have to wait one more day to see eachother, which is ok because it makes the excitement that much more greater when you wait longer, I think. Anyway, today I wanted to talk about diversities more,and talk about some misconceptions that people make about us sometimes. It's hard with my Cerebral Palsy because I can do so much, and I look like a typical teenager when I walk, but there is something a bit off about me. Especially, when lefty is flying around up in the sky, people sometimes might think I have a learning diversity or things like that. I don't though. I am just as smart as a regular kid in a highschool, all though some people may beg to differ. Anyway, I get questions asked about my divesity lots and so I just wanted to make some things a bit more clear. This entry is going to be a true false blog. It's going to talk about true things about my Cerebral Palsy, because some people hit them right on the nose, but it is also going to talk about some of the false things as well, because some people don't quite get certain things. To help, I did a quiz online about diversabilities, to get some ideas. I did the quiz preety wll. I got a few wrong. So, this will be like your quiz me. Lets see how you do! 1.There are diffrent types of each diverseability- TRUE! It's crazy how one diverseability can range so much. For Cerebral Palsy, you can have it be very mild or very severe. It depends how much oxygen you lose to the brain at birth. I think I lost a far bit but not enough to have much troubles. There are kids that are confined to wheelchairs, can't talk, and have visions problems. I think I am right in the middle. I'm very very mobile! I just have a few little troubles that slow me down but not much! I'm a very lucky girl! You should see the Autism spectrum! Holy smokes, does that range! I just heard about Mosaic Down Syndrome! I've never heard of that type of Down Syndrome before. So, yes, diverabulities can range all over the map. That is another reason why we are chanhging the name to diversabilities! 2. I am in the main stream curriculum at school- TRUE- I get asked this quite a bit; wheather or not I am able to funtion in a normal classrom with other children without diverseabilities! It always makes me pround to say YES! My school is amazing! They are very accomodating to my needs. I know some other kids with diversibilities that can't say the same thing, so once again, I'm very lucky. It does take me extra time to finish school work, so sometimes the teacher gives me extra time to in class or I have a study bock, STS, whhere I can work on homework so my load isn't so heavy when I get home. I have an aide in some classes to help get set up. This year, though, I was in a class without an aide, whitch was great! I need some special equipment in class like computers to help me speed up my writing. I need a book stand to hold my textbooks to give me extra room on my desk. I need a foot board because the muscles in my legs are tight and they fly up some times. The board just gives them a place to relax so I cn focus more easily on school work. Other than those couple of things, I'm free sailing in school. I can write essays. I can do homework. I can do ANYTHING! 3. I broke my legs- FALSE- Because I am either in my wheellchair or walk with braces, people tend to think that I broke my legs. Mostly children think that, but sometimes adults do as well. I am in my chair so I can move around faster and more independenntly. I have leg braces called AFO's (Ankle Foot orthotics) on to keep my feet from turning in while I walk. When I don't have them on, I walk on my ankles and turn my legs in. It can be a bit painful on my ankles when they are turned in like that. Sometimes it's nice to go with just bare feet, but sometimes I feel more comfortabe with braces because my feet are all snug and in place in them. So, they are just braces. They are not my artifical legs! I didn't fall of the hospital bed and break my legs when I was born. Ha ha! Good times when that little boy asked that! Good times! Good times! 4. I can't walk- FALSE- I feel kind of bad about this one. I am in my electric chair a lot more these days either for getting around in school or for getting araround independently downtown. My chair has opened up a whole new world of independence for me. It's amazing. Sometimes though, it means I sit down more. My doctors are always stress that I keep walking and excercising or else I'll lose my mobility! Use it or lose it, they say. I would hate to have come this far and loose it. I know it sounds strange, because I dont walk as much as all of you, but I can't imagine being confined to my chair. Some days it amazes me that I can just get up and go, because others I know, can't. I said it once and I'll say it again. I am a lucky, lucky girl. 5. I tend to bond better with adults- TRUE- I've been around adults all my life with parents and teachers and aides and doctors. it was harder for me to socialize with other children when I was little. It's getting easier but it's still a little hard. I feel a little awkward in front of kids my own age becuse of my diffrences. There are some amazing kids at my school and they are ail so nice to me, but I am still nervous. I have some great adults friends though. I find it a little easier to talk to adults. They are a little more patient, but that doesn't mean I won't make friends with any kids. I'll be a friend to anyone! 6. I don't like to be asked questions about my diagnosis- FALSE- I can't say this for everyone with a diversity because some don't like to talk about theirs. For me though, you can ask me anything. I'd rather people ask questions than stare The more they ask, I feel, the more they feel comfortabe with the person with the diversity. Ask, don't stare. Staring makes us feel a little bit more uncomfortable. I know my diversity is kind of simple, but if you have any questions for me, anything at all, ASk,ASK,ASK! 7. A little bit of lighthearted humour is always neccesary- TRUE- I love to be funnny, especially about my diversity. I have a blog entry of funny things about it. I think that if there is a way humour can be incoorporated into any tough situation, it can help people get through the tough times. Some of my struggle are tough, but most of them are kind of funny, like lefty for example. If you have a friend with a diversity, instead of feeling sorry for them, laugh with them at some stuff! It might make them feel better! 8. I have a disease. I am crippled- FALSE- I don't like it when people think I have a diesease or I'm cripped. Cerebral Palsy is not a disease. It's kind of like a brain injury, because it effected part of my brain. I'm not in any pain. I'm not going to die. I have no symptoms of a diesease what so ever. Cripled isn't the right word ether. I am a bit hunched over when I walk but that is because of habit. My body is not crippled up or anything like that. I am simply a person with a few extra challenges and who is trying her best to overcome each and every one. 9. Inneed a lot of help- FALSE- This is a big one for a lot people I meet. They think I'm fragile and I need a lot of gentle support walking! THAT IS SO WRONG! ha ha. Don't worry about it! But, seriously, all I need is one hand. A lot of older ladies like me to rally lean on them because they are nervous I might fall. I don't need that support though, and sometimes that sort of help can increase the chance of falls. I like to show off a little bit to people about what I can do physically. Folks, you ain't seen nothin' yet! 10. I wabt to have fun too- TRUE- I have a friend who is confined to a wheelchair, and her motto about people with diversities is "All we want to do is have fun". Thats right. We just want to live our lives the best that we can and do some partying along the way. The more activities out there for people with diversabilities like skiing! its amazing! I get asked a lot, what do I want out of life? That's a big questions? There are a lot of complicated answers! The simpliest on is, I just want to have fun! So, how'd you do? You ace it? Awesome! I feel better now that I have confronted some things. Make sure that if you have a question for me or anyone with a divesability, ask! You can always comment here if you know how,or on Facebook, or email me at katers95@yahoo.ca. If anything in those brains of yours pop up, just ask. It may be the start of a great friendship!

Tips on Wheelchair accesibility

Hello! I'm very excited right now because soon I go to Fernie to visit Grace for a week! I'm going to ride the community bus and meet Graces mom in Cranbrook and then she will drive me to their house in Fernie. I've been using the community bus for a few years now. It runs every Monday and Friday. We didn't have that sort of transportation in town before. Now, people can have more options to get to their destinations. I've used the bus a few times before to go to Fernie and for trips with patti, going to Fort Steele and stuff like that. They have a wheelchair ramp and wheelchair tye downs so I can bring my chair with me when i go places in it whitch is awesome. We just have to book it early because my chair takes up a seat, so that means one less person can ride the bus because there wouldn't be room. Even though, I have moms help getting on, ther bus does make me feel a bit more independent because no one has to ride with me. Hopefully I will get to do it all by myself one day! That would be awesome! So, yes, the community bus has definetly opened up my world a bit more. I love being able to travel loke that! Thankyou bus driver for making everything so accomodating for me and for getting me where I need to go! It fees great! So, today, I'd like to do some advocating for some wheelchair acessibility, not just for my town, but everywhere. My town still has a ways to go but has come a long way in the past couple of years. I won't complain much because I love that I can go downtown myself and do things. My town is certainly improving on accessibility, but it can always get better. Like I motioned in a previous blog,, I belong to the group A.C.E ( Access in the Community for Everyone). They have done soome great work in advertising accesibility so far. I'm not the best advocator myself, so this blog is good practise for me. Here are ten ways you can make your community more accesible to all. As for my advocating skills, here goes nothin! ha ha! Just kidding! It's worth a shot! Here we go! 1. Ramps Instead of Steps- This is a big one for a lot of people in wheelchairs. The first thing that make the store accesible is a flat entrance or a ramp going up to the building. I know people that always have to depend to ramps when they go out, or else they cant get inside stores. I'm lucky because I can walk. Ramps make things a little easier for me though because I dont have to do steps. Although I'm told steps are good for me. Anyway, thats besides the point. I know a lot of people who have to have a ramp. Ramps can be used for wheelchsirs, walkers and strollers. They just make things a little easier. I know, it can be hard with some places, but if you are a business owner who wants to build a new restaurant or store, and make it wheekchair acessible, ramps are an excellent place to start! 2. Wheelchair Van Parking- This is an issue for people in wheelchairs travelling or using a vehicle down town. My family has always used the wheelchair parking, even before i got my wheelchair, just because they are a little bit more closer to our destinations and I don't have to walk as far. Whenever we have our van with us though, and I have my chair with me, I need the parking for more space. My ramp comes out on the back of the van, so that is an advantage for me. Grace, though has a wheelchair has wheelchair ramp that comes on the side, so she has to make sure there is enough space for her to get get out and there has to be two parking spaces left open for her. So, wheelchair parking is a huge savour for a lot of people I know. it kind of gives me and my mom a break too, because I don't have walk as far. We can get to where we need to be a bit faster. If you can help out with making someones time at an event last a little longer, because they don't have to struggle finding an alright place to park, you'd be doing them a great favour. It makes the trip that much smoother and enjoyable. 3. Buttons to access doors- I've noticed these have come up more and more over the years, whitch is awesome. Buttons make people with wheelchairs or walkers that much more independent. Some people can't use their hands to open a door so by flinging there arms at buttons, they can get into a place without assistancew. I can sort of manage to open doors when I'm in my chair but it's little tricky. I have to grab the door and then race in the doorway before it closes. Ofcourse, I could always ask for help, but buttons just make things a little bit easier and they make me more independent, witch is what I strive to be. With buttons, the ride into stores and buildings goes so much smoother for us. We're in and we're out. We don't have to waste time with doors. We can just do what we came to do. Yes, buttons do indeed make life one smooth ride. 4. Wheelchair accesible washrooms- it's always nice to have wheelchair accesible washrooms on hand. I can walk into washrooms with assistance, but bigger stalls are nice because I have a litlle bit more space and there are bars to hold on to. In a lot of stalls the bars on the other side of the stall from where the toliet is. There good for standing up and getting in and out, but a bar by the toliet would be nice as well,so peaople don't have to reach far over to hang on. The bar would be right there. When I little I had trouble balancing on a toliet so a bar to hold onto would have been nice. Washrooms are always important wherever people go, so it's great when they can be accesed quickly and easily for everyone. 5. Yellow lines painted on sidewalks- This one is for the visually impared. I have an older friend who is legally blind and likes to go for walks downtown. She has quite a few obstacles to overcome while wakking down there. One of them is not being able to see steps properly. So, she would be walking along and run into a sidewalk curb or a step. She said the thing people can do to help her in that way is to paint a bright yellow line on the step so they are more visable to her. This will prevent injuries and make things a bit more smoother and safer for her. Everyone knowsthat safety comes first! 6. Sidewalks- Oh my gosh! Last summer we had paving down to our road and sidewalks put in on our street. Let me tell ya, that sidewalk was like the love of my life that summer. Ha ha, Just kidding! No, but seriously, it made things go a whole lot smoother for me and my chair. Before the sidewalks, I had to go on this gravel area and it wasn't good for my chair because the gravel got stuck in the wheels and wrecked the bearings. I had to sneak through someone elses yard because their was a sidewalk there. With OUR sidewalk now, I am not an illegal trespasser anymore. No, just kidding. They were very generous to let me go through that way but having a sidewalk by where we live is a lot more handy. A good, smooth sidewalk is so much better than gravel. Just make sure that there is a lip for a wheelchair to get on and off. Sidewalks are also a safety thing for everyone. It keeps kids away from traffic. Another thing that just keeps everyone safe and sound. 7. Lots of space in stores- When I am in a store or a mall in Cagary with my family, sometimes I have to stay outside and wait. Either my wheechair can't fit in the store or it's a little to crowded for me to walk around in. I have to be careful lefty doesn't hit anything as well,but that's my resposibility. It'd be nice though if things were kind of spread out. It would just make things a little easier. 8. Buses- Just like I talked about at the beginning blog, the community bus has been a huge advantage to me, especially with the rammp that comes down. I wish school buses had these ramps so people could take their motorized wheelchairs to feidtrips and stuff. It 's amazing what my van and this community bus does for me. I don't have to hold my moms hand in town and I don't have to out of town either. These buses make life very handy for people in wheelchairs. It's one more thing that makes us feel like we can conqur anything! 9. Bigger Print- Thkis is another thing requested by my legally blind friend. When she gets bills or things in the mail, somtiimes she can't read the font. She always asks they type it out in a bit bigger size of font. This way she won't have to struggle to see the print. Things like this just makes a whole lot of things go much smoother for her. I think my friend would really appreciate it if she could get through something like this withot frusteration. 10. Wheelchair Entry Way- Aside from a ramp for wheelchairs to get into buildings, what makes it even more easy is a wide doorway. This gives a wheelchair room to enter a building without it being so squishy. We don't want our weelchairs to scrape the walls or anything like that. Doorways just give us a bit more room. We get in. The room isn't wrecked! Everyones happy! I know its hard to think of all these things to do when you are a buissness owner, but I feel, being in a wheelchair, it is my duty to make the the world a more acessible place for everyone. When I advocate for my own needs sometimes it leads way to make greater for a next person who comes along! When we start thinking of more things like this, we will start to make a community more enjoyable to everyone! Like I said, inclusiveness is our goal, so let's get going on it!

Changing the Word Disability to Diversability

On my last visit with patti we met with our friend Suiri for quite a bit. I got to read her this blog. I read her the one about my summer program with Patti nd she really liked it! She wanted to tell more of her friends about so that made me feel really good that she was interested in it. The one thing she suggested though is for me to change the word disability to diversability. Siri and a few other peaple in Invermere are creating a movement to change the wording. We want people to look at us as people that are just a little diffrent than everybody, with some special needs, but stiil able to dp anything we want to contribute to ociety and to make our owbn dreams come true. I think this is great! When I meet someone, i alwaysa want to show them all the things that I am capable of, instead of making them think I am a poor weak little girl in a wheekchair and I cant do anything, because thats not tru. I can do anything I want and I will never give up. Thkis doen't just go for physical chalenges but learning chalenges as well. People with Autism or Down Syndorome have some trouble grasping the concept of some things, but that dooesn't mean they can't learn new things. It just means they have to take a little extra time working at them. They have to take things step by step, whitch is something we all should do. We should never rush while learning so ething new. We should tale our time so we learn it even better and so we can have a bigger celebration when we have learned it. So, Siri gave me thisa sheet that states the reasons why the name is changed. I will di a bit odf advertising and copying off the sheet. Therew ate only eight reasons, not ten, sao this bloog will be a bit shorter thann my top ten blogs, whitch might be good because you guys don't have to read as longf! Okay, here we go. Here are the eight reasons for changing the name disability to Diversibility and why it will make the world a better place for all of usa! 1. "The wrd disability is associated with the past and people's negative experiences with institutions. Let's focus on the abilities of people now and in the future. " That's right! Nobody should be put down for want they cant do. They should be pulled up for what they can doI dont like it when people see me in my chair and they think I can't do much. I liketo show people what I'm made of! Have patience and let us show you exactly what we can do. I promise, you will be impressed. You might just learn something new too! 2 "Adopting this word will give the power back to all people with diversabilities" Yes. We do have a lot more power than people think we do. We have the powere to make the world a better place for everybody, not just people with Diversabilities. The ramps and things people build in stores, they arnt just for us, they're for everybody. A wheelchair ramp can be used for mothers who are with babies in stollers. Irt makes it so they don't have to carry a squirmy baby into the store. They can be in there . Seniors have an easier time with ramps. Ramps are just one example of the thing that Diverse people need that makes things easier for everbody. The more we work together and make our communitities accessible to all, the happier we all will be! 3. "If you break down the word disability you get "not able". If you break down the word diversability, you get diffrent but ABLE." This is kind of like number statement number one. Just because peapele with diversabilities have some challenges does not mean that they cant do much. We can do a lot. It might take us extra time but we can do it! Never underestimate anyone! You'll be amazed at what some people can teach you! 4. "People with Diversabilities have they same goals and aspirations as every other person" People with diversabilities wont let anything stop them from being all they can be. I know that I have many of the same goalls as everybody else. I want to go to univesity. I want to have a job. I want to get married. I want to have kids. I want to have as fufilling a life as possible. Grace, she's wants to go to school to become an occupational Therapist. She's not letting her diffrences stop her. Everybody has goals. I will go as far as I can to get where I want to be. Everyone needs to have goals and we should never give up on them, no many what challenges we may face. Lets go forth and face our challenges one step at a time. 5. "By chosing the word diversability instead of disability we change the expectations of peaple with diversabilities into a positive" Whith every negitive thing comes a positive. I've told you many times that I have accepted my diversability and aall the positive things that go along with it. I can walk. I can talk. I'm not in pain. I'm not in a hospital bed. I can do almost everything. I just need extra help. I would not change who I am! There are so many positive things about my life that I can't even fathom them. 6. "In our future, we would like to be recongnized for our strenghts as opposed to our weaknesses. This will make a better life for all" People with Divesabilities don'tlike to be thought of as people who cant do a lot, pr can't do a lot well. We like to be recongnized for all of our strenghs. People with diversities can do some preety amazing things. Terry Fox walked across canada with cancer and with one amputated leg. Rick Hansen did it in a wheelchair. Grace can do so many thigs despite her challenges, you wouldn't belive. I like to try new things every day. Everybody has there own talents. They can be physical talents, like running reallt fast. Some can be emontial, like always being able to make someone feel better. Some can be inspiring like, like a diverse person showing eveybody what there made of. We all have talents. Sometimes they just take a while longer to find. I think, the longer the better because the harder you search for it, the stronger it will be. 7. " Because of Diversability, with the right help and support, we can accomplish whatever we want. So dream BIG!" Everybody needs to have some

Kates's Book Worm Blog

Well, summer has finally arrived. The hot weather is moving in, finally. We have had a rainy May and June here in Invermere, so it is nice to see and feel some sunshine. It's supposed to get up to the high 30's here, whitch will be really beautiful weather. Like I have said I have been having a super summer so far this year. I have been going downtown and buying things myself. I love to be outsdoors so I have been trying to get out as much as I can. Another goal I have this summer is to read a lot. You might remember when I wrote my Newyears resoulution blog, one of my resoulutions was to read some more. I love to read but I wouldn't call myself a heavy reader. When school is in I keep busy during the day with school and only read at night. In the summer though, I try to read a bit in the day time. I have a Kindle now. A kindle is an electronic device that you can read books on. It was given to me by my friend Kathy McCauley, the lady that helps me with electronic stuff, from SET B.C. I love holding books. I love the feel of them. I didn't think I could tranfer over from books to a Kindle but I have gotten used to it and now am quite enjoying it. My friend Patti and I try to read a lot together during our summer program. I like reading outloud and it is good pratise for my speech so I read aloud to her. For the longest time, I couldn't read in my head. I had to read aloud to understand the story better. I read in my head all the time now though and find it relaxing. To help me get piped up for some reading this summer, I thought today I'd write a blog on my top ten favorite books. When I first started this blog, I wrote an entry about my favorite movies. I figured I should show people I am into books too because books are important. They teach us lessons and make our mind make up our own movies. I have head from my teachers that the more you read, the more you know. Books enhabce your understanding of life and your vocabulary as well. I have really enjoyed preety much all the books I have read. There have only been a few that I didnt get into. Today, I'll write about the ones that really stick out in my mind. Here are some great books that have won me over with there stories. Here are some books that I will remember for a long time. In a way, you could say here is Kate's best seller list! 1. Little By Little- Jean Little: This was a book given to me by Kathy McCauley. It's like an autobiography of Jean Little as a child. She was born with a an eyesight impairment. This book tells about her life and her struggles being blind. She wants to be an author when she grows up so it's like the story of her writing her own book. This story has a great sense of humour. I would find myself laughing outloud as I read it. It's funny how Jean talks about things that have to do with her disabulity. There are not many books out there about people with disabilities, so for me its nice to read about them and see that there are authors out there with disabillities. It inspires me to become an author even more. It it also nice that our perspective is put out there foor people to see what its like for us. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has a good sense of humor and who likes a good story that teaches them about life from a diffrent perspective. Little by Little is the story of one girl's determination to find her place in this world. It's an inspiring tale for all! 2. To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee- I read this book as a novel study at school in grade ten. We had to write an essay about it whitch was hard because it's such a complex story and the essay was timed too. We only had two hours to write it. I survived though! It's probably one that most of you have read. It is a classic. It is the story of how African Amaricans were treated in the 1930's I think It's also about the Finch family, a six year old girl Scout, her older bouther Jem and their father Atticus. Atticus is a good man who teaches his children good life morals. He is a lawyer who stands up for an African Amarican. It was a dangerous thing to do back then but Atticus does it and wins everybody over. This is a complex story with a lot of meanings in it. It's about loyalty and true courage. It s hard to get to the meat of this book but I think that this is just one of the books that everyone has to read once in their lifetime. It has a lot to teach. I don't understand rascism. How could oeople judge someone based on the colour of their skin. I appreciate the olden days but some things that got into those peoples heads were just dumb. We are better now but racism hasn't completely vanished. It's still here a little. Everyone should be treated with respect and as 1st class citizens. Some of the things African Amaricans had to go through in those days were appalling. That should never happen. Diversity is a good thing. It is what makes our world go 'round. The more we learn about diffrent cultures, races ,disabiilties, the better off we'll all be! 3. Stolen Lives- Malika Oufkir and Michelle Fitoussi- I read this book this year as a novel study in school. We had to take notes on it and write an essay about it. We had the choice of two and I chose this one. This book is a biography written about a girl, Malika , who lives quite a luxious life in Morroco. She later gets ripped away from her family by the king of Morrocco and lives with him and his daughter in a palace. Later though, when her father is suspected of murder, the family had to go into hiding. It is the story of how someones life can go from extreme wealth to extreme poverty. This book facinated me and taught me a lot. Malika Oufkir is a remarkable person wbecause of all g she went through and how she turned out to be a great peson and having the courage too tell someone her story and have it writtten into a book. This is an Oprah's list book. Now it's on mine too! I recommend this book to anyone who likes biographies, history and suspense. Its a story that will blow you away! 4. The Outsiders- S.E Hinton- A lot of these books I've read in school as you can probably tell. I read at home too but I have really enjoyed the books I have read in school. I read the Outsaiders in grade eight. We got to watch the movie too, after, whitch is quite good as well. It's never as good as the book though. The story is about a gang of boys that are known as "Greasers". They live on the rough side of town. Its about the hard times they all go through, family situations,and how society views them. Through all thatthey go through, they stick together as a brotherhood and help eachother through thick and thin. I usually am not intresterested in gang stories, but this book taught me a lot about life and how a person could look rough on the outside but really be soft on the inside. I would recommend this book to teenagers. It is about true friendship and loyalty. A suspense story and a friendship story all at one. The perfect combination. 5. The Kings Daughter- Barbara Kyle- I read this book on a three week vacationto Hawaii. Good thing I had a lot of time to read because it was a big book! It's about the war between Britain and France when Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary were in power. One family on one side gets in danger with a family on the othe side. It's a book about the times in the 1800s, but is writen by an author from the modern days, so the lauguage was easy to understand, whitch one of the reasons I liked it so much. I love history so it suited me. I recommend this book to all history lovers. You learn a lot about what it was like between the English and the French. It's a good learning book to open up your knowledge about the world around you and the history of it. 6. My Hope Butch- Dave Cassidy- I actually know the author of this book. he is a local here in invermere who wrote a book. It's quite inspiring that a man from a small town wrote a book. Dave is another writing inspiration for me. His book is about his experience with a Golden Labrador named Butch. It's the typical story of how a dog can go from being a trouble maker to your best friend. Butch goes through a lot of medical procedures as well so it's also the story of his journey with them as the furry medical wonder. I like relationship between dogs and people. I think there cute and I like how dogs can be really loyal towards the people that look after them. I recommend this book to all animal lovers. If your looking for an inspirational story about hope and a true furry companion, this would be the one! 7. Sarahs Key- Tatiana Rosemary- I also read this book this year in school. It is a story about a Reporter who is told to do an article about the concentration camp in France for the anniversary of the memoril of it. She finds a story about a Jewish girl Sarah who's family was deported to a concentration camp. The story goes back and for from what the reporter finds out, to back in time with what awful things Sarah had to go through. I like reading books that talk about a diffrennt characters point of view every chapter. You have to be that kind of reader to enjoy this book though. You go from the reporter to sarah and back again. This story is the most moving war story I've ever read. It was terrofying but I really appreciated the story. It looks into the french side of things whitch is intresting too. I could tell you my feelings about situations like this for hours. When I was youger and just learned about war I was worried about it all the time. I couldnt wrap my head around how people could do things like that to others. It's just wrong, wrong,wrong! Lets leave it at that. I recomend this book to history nuts, especially those who are intrested in World War Two. Books like these help us to realize how horrible things were back then and to help to prevent it from ever happening again! 8. Number The Stars- Louios Lowry- My 5th grade teacher read this to us in school. It was my first real war story that I was read too. It's not so scary, as the girl Marie and her jewish friend lived in Denmark wher the situation wasn't as bad. it was scary for me back then though. Marie's family has to take their jewish best friends in to hiding. It kind of shows what the home situations were like during World War Two. I recomend this book to all teachers trying to teach grade four of five students about the war for them to get an understanding of what things were sort of like back then. I think I'll will always remember that story. I quite appreciated it as a young kid. 9. Little Women- Louisa May Alcott- Another Classic! I'm sure a lot of you have read this one. It's a story of little girls growing up into young women, family, sisterhood and true love. I read this when I was in grade 5, independently. Its a simple old fashioned story about the bond of sisters and growing up. I love stories about the olden days. I've watched the movie too! I'd recomend this book to teenagers who are into olden days stuff. It's a cassic story of true friendship. 10. The Help- Kathryn Stockett- I just finished readinng this yesterday. It's another book about the discrimination againgst African Amaricans in the 50's. It's about African Amarican maids that go work for white people, nannying and cleaning and housekeeping This young white girl wants to be a repporter and wants to write on what is is like for them to work in a white persons house,raising white children whoile they don't even get to raise their own children. She gets all sorts of ladies together and talks to them. It's amazing, their stories and things that were said about them and what people did to them. It's a story that makes you think. It was funny at times but mostly serious. It is a good story for showing what it was really like for African Amaricans back then. It gooes back and forth from chartacter to character again. Its good story about friendship and how you should treat people. I think it will go down in history as a book that will be cherished for a long time. So, there are some book ideas for you. I know when I really like a book because I get a little sad when I finish it. I hope you get to read some of these books I've mentioned and if you have any suggestions of good books, let me know! I gotta make that summer list longer and longer each year. Thanks!

My New Friend Andrea Actimychuk

Last summer I met a new friend, Andrea Actimychuck. She is a twelve year old girl from Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Andrea has Cerbral Palsy,like me. She has a few more challenges though. That being said, she's a very sweet girl who is always smiling or giggling. It was quite amazing how we first met. My Mom, who works at the local grocery store, Sobeys, came out of work ome day and noticed a girl in a wheelchair. Seeing someone else in a wheelchair where I live is quite a surprize for us because we live in such a small town ad there arn't as many people, especially people in wheelchairs. So, my Mom just had to investigate. She met up with the Andreas family and followd them all the way out to their vehicle. When they got there, Mom realized that they had the exact same van as we did. It was the same golden van with a Sidewinder sign on it and even a toolie. Sidewinder is a company who makes vans with wheelchair conversions for people who either can't walk or have troble walking, so they can be more mobile out of town. Anyway, Mom was talking to the family thought the similarities between them and us were amazing. After work that day,she came home and told me all about her visit with them and that they were on vacation, staying at Fairmont, a llittle town close by. I was really excited to meet with them, so the next moring we met at our towns local bakary. It was friendship at first sight with Andrea and I. The two of us just liked to smile and giggle at eachother. I got to know the whole family quite well. The parents, Fay and Terry, and Andreas twin sister, Brianne. Brianne and I got to be quite good friends as well. I like to include her in the conversations were having. I like Brianne. She is another good friend to me and a good sister. So, that is kind of how our friendship started. We would meet at the bakary daily. We spent almost evey day with them when they were here last summer. This summer, they brought friends with them so it was harder to see eacother as much. However, we still got to meet up a couple of times. We met at the bakary, as tradition, the first day they were here and we walked around town together. We spent a litte time with them in Fairmont going into the stores and coffee shops there. I met them one last time to go to the bakary and to shopdowntown, as a goodbye visit. They usually come out every one or two years. Fay and Terry are going on a trip to Europe next summer though, so we won't see them for quite a long time. We chat on Facetime, whitch is a app on an Ipad where you can talk to eachother and see eachother online. If you have ever heard of Skype, it is like that but you can only get it on Ipads. So, we will do that and phone eachother and write letters. We definetly want to keep in touch and stay good friends. It was almost a perfect match, Andrea and me. She is a wonderful, happy girl, and her family is really nice too. Andrea also makes me look at my life and the stuff I can do, and makes me feel more fortunate about what I have. Maybe we can go to Saskatchewan one day to see her. It is great when I make new friends. I love hearing about people outthere who are like me. It makes me feel like I'm not the only one with a dissability, because coming from a small town, you feel like that sometimes. Hopefully we will stay friends for a long time to come. You can never have enough friends. They all help you grow as a person. Andrea and her family are just a few more people I can put on my list of great friends that I have met. I hope to see the family again and hope that Andrea and I can be friends to last a lifetime.

Summer Progam

I've mentioned a few times in my blog about a program that I do in the summer time with my friend Patti. This program is for people with diaabilities to spend a few hours a week with a support worker, working on lifeskills and preparingfor adult years. It is good for me because, again, my parents both work so it is nice for me to get out and do something once a week with a friend. Patti and I have worked together since I was four years old. We have been working together every year since then. We think that is pretty amazing. We have just found out that we will get to continue working together into my adulthod whitch is awesome. I love spending time with Patti. We will always be life long friends. We always have fun together abd she always makes me laugh. Anyway, this program is to improve the skills of disabled individuals. It is run out of a town near by, cranbrook. The lady who runs it out there gives Patti and I eight hours a week to spend time together. At the end of every summer I have to write a letter to her summerize what we did and if my goals were met. It is a busy job but it is always nice to reflect on what Patti and I have done. This is a great program that I look forward to every year. On Tuesday we met with a lady named siri to go over what my goals are and what we can do. Siri kind of runs this orogram for Invermere. Patti is able to drive this summer. She didnt used to be able to because of what the laws say in Cranbrook, but this year they have been changed. I am very excited about this. This opens up our world together and means we can go a lot more places and it gives us a lot more things to do. Anyway, today was our first day of the summer together this year. We were very busy. We had some meetings to go to. Then we went to the local bakary for lunch. I paid for my own snack. This is something that we were working on last summer and I am getting better at. We did some shopping. We went to the bank and I bought my first debit card! The guy in the bank showed me how to set it up and everything. I'm excited about that. Now I can go downtown and spend money on my own! Watch out mom and dad! haha. We went to our seniors home in town and asked if I could get a volunteer job helping with the seniors. My mom and I used to go every Saturday to deliver a movie and I have done a bit more work with them in the past. I love that I could potentially have a volunteer job helping with crafts and stuff. Helping others makes me feel really good and I like that I can get out in the work field or volunteer field. The lady at the seniors home took me really seriously whitch I liked beause I felt grown up. The job sounds promising! For the rest of our day, Patti and I came back to my house and read a book. I am pratising my speeech by reading outloud to Patti. We enjoy the reading. It was a good first day. We have planned a few fun activities to do together this year like going swimming, and lots of learning along the way too. This summer has been great so far. I have been getting out myself without Patti or my mom and keeping busy so that is great! I love the times Patti and I spend together in the summer and am thrilled that we get to do it when I get older as well. Our friendship seems to be getting stronger and stronger as well as my independence. We both look forward to this every year. Thankyou Patti and Siri for giving me the chance to spend time with Patti. I look forward to the new adventures we get to conquer every week, together.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends!  It's July 1st already!  Summer time is here!  I'm all done with school and my final exams and on to the holidays!  I'm so glad there over!  I am having a great summer so far! There has been  lots of relaxing whitch is really nice but I also have been getting outside myself doing errands and  going places downtown which is great!  Anyway, today is Canada Day!  A day where we celebrate the beautiful country we live in and everything it has to offer us.  On the last day of June, yesterday there were fireworks This is an annual event as well as the big parade that goes on the morning after.  The fireworks start a midnight!  We didn't go this year because we were just too tired to stay up that late!  We sure did hear them though!  We heard them all the way from our house.  They went on a long time!  Anyway, my family and I woke up this morning and went downtown.  Invermere has a big Canada day Parade. The weather was perfect for it! It felt just like summertine; just like July 1st with the hot weather and all the tourist!  There`s people on floats and horses and big Fire Trucks and candy throwing and lots of cool stuff!  My mom used to work at the local hardware store, Home Hardware, and it had a float, so my sister and I got to go on a float ride and throw candy  for a few  years.  Like I said, there were tons of fire trucks.  Invermere just got a new Fire Hall so thats probably why!  The all looked great!  They were bright red!  They sprayed water to everyone.  We didn't get sprayed but maybe we should have as it was so hot!  Those parades are always fun to go watch.  They get better and have more stuff evey year I think!  The town of Inermere sure takes pride in their country, witch they should!  So, after the parade, everyone goes to spend the afternoon down at one of our local beaches, Kinsmen Beach!  We just had kind of a flood down there.  The water came up too high.  This is unusual for us, but it was fine, and kids were swimming in the lake and we had a great day!  There are a lot of activities and food down there  to celebrate.  There is singing and dancing and facepainting and games.  Its lots of fun for the kids and everyone else too.  This year, I didn`t just go down to the beach  to check things out like I usually do.  I had a job to do!  The special O group was doing some fundraising down there for diffrents sports and activities that our group could do together.  We gave out Lemonade and Popcorn.  It wasn't really a big fundraiser.  It was more to let people know about our organizationn. We didnt ask for any money, just donations.  We all had blue Special O shirts on that showed what our groupwas, which was cool.  We also had some information to show people what it it about.  We got the big popcorn machene from the hardware and two people manned that!  I took care of pouring lemonade.  That was fun!  We had a good day!  We were very busy!  I kept having to keep pouring and pouring drinks. Customers just kept coming and coming!  We kept having to ask for more cups because we were running out!  It was great though!  I think we got a lot of recongnition from customers!  As I have said, Special O is a very special program for a lot of kids and we hope to keep it going for a long time with some more fun sports to do!  Thankyou to all the Special O volunteers who organized it and helped out!  We coudn't have done it without you.  It was a great day, but a busy day!  We were all tired afterwards!  Like I said, another awesome Canada day!  We should all be very proud and thankful for where we live!  Everyone loves Canada!  it is truly a special country!