September

Meeting new teens with CP!

Hey Guys,

I am going to keep this one short and sweet…

The other day I met up with these nice people whom I connected with through Bonner Paddock (www.1man1mission.org) and I had so much fun getting to know this girl Bridget and her mother Linda, because Bridget has CP just like you and me! It was really nice to talk about what it’s like having CP in school, and around friends… It is not always the easiest thing to deal with, but it sure is a lot nice when you know you can relate to someone just like you! Bridget actually has such a great story herself, (from what I gathered the other day) she is even more involved in UCP-OC than any other teen I know! In 2008 at just 12 years old, she was featured in Bonner’s documentary Beyond Limits for her money raising efforts… I think she raised nearly $1,000 just at a lemonade stand by herself! How awesome is that? Well anyway, what I am really getting at–with or without CP, we can all help a cause we are passionate about. Even though Bridget and I are both teens with CP (Bridget is just starting high school, wish her luck!) all we really want people to know that is that CP is not something that defines us; rather, it is just another thing we sometimes consider our insecurity….and by turning our insecurity into a positive by raising money or spreading awareness, we can totally impact someone else’s like who is going through the same thing!! I think that is really what supporting a cause is all about. There are definitely days when I feel down and frustrated with having CP, but then there are moments like these, when I meet people just like me doing something even cooler that really help to put everything into perspective. Life can truly be lived, without limits! Can’t wait to get to know you more Bridget, you are awesome and will have so much fun in high school!!

Talk soon guys, I am going to do a movie night at Soka soon featuring Bonner’s climb to Mt. Kilo–I can’t wait to see my classmates’ reaction.

Happy September, wow!

-Katy

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August

A little distraught these past few days…

Hey there,

So I am about a month into college (but yet to begin the fall semster–next week) and I’m feeling just “okay”

There is so much going on ALL THE TIME that I am a bit exhausted… with my core class that is intellectually challenging and with all the new adjustments to be made, I feel like a crazy person! Thankfully, I am surrounded by wonderful people, and campus is surrounded by a beautiful canyon, and that just makes morning walks so enojyable. My walks have been helping me with some of the stress because its just a great way to feel good, be alone, and take in some fresh air. (I took this photo yesterday morn–pretty huh?)

BUT

My right (non -CP) foot is a bit on the injured side, and has been for the past week…I think I strained a tendon or something when I was doing some stairs last week. SO bummed. Right when I was ready to kick it up a notch with the cardio, my body fails me…sound familar to any of you TeenCPers out there? It is so frustrating because I can’t really take a break, my right foot is my dominant side, and I rely on it to be in good health…but this past week it has felt like I’ve had a limp on both sides…I hate feeling so weak!!! I went to the sports med coach and she just said time and ice and the right shoes will help… but I feel as if it’s only going to get worse because my right side still does so much of the work, physically. What do I do guys? All this walking up and down stairs and hills really takes its toll on me… Any CP college advice givers out there?

My worries aside, I hope everyone is enjoy the last few days of summer that linger on, or are happy to jump into school mode again!

Bye for now, gotta go pull myself together to write an essay on filial piety… good topic, but SO at a loss for words right now…

-Katy

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August

[Attempting] SUA College Soccer with Cerebral Palsy

Hi Guys!

I’m pretty proud of myself for getting back on here within the week haha

Alright, Alright….So what I had promised you all in my previous post is that I would talk about last week when I had the best of intentions to play on Soka’s womens soccer team. Last weekend I was down in the weight room and was approached by the coach asking anyone and everyone who was a female student if they have any experience playing soccer…and so of course I blurt out, “well yeah if 11 years of AYSO soccer counts toward anything” and a half hour later I was on the roster to practice the next day. I was stoked! What freshman who wasn’t recruited (CP aside) gets asked to play on the team. Anyway, I was also a bit nervous going into it…I am a bit out of shape, not nearly enough in soccer shape with the whole lack of balance and coordination that CP joyously brings along. Long story short, I pull out my old cleats and jog it out with the team (all of 13 girls–hardly enough to qualify as a full college soccer team) I knew they were just looking for anyone who had knowledge of the game and could be a body on the field or a sub on the sidline…but after 2 days of 2-a-days my legs were ready to scream bloody murder. Not only that, but the walk back to my dorm room and all over campus was brutal… I was way in over my head, and this pace of game was just too physically demanding of me, I felt. I spoke with the sports medicine trainer and the coach and we decided it was best that I get myself in condition to play soccer and maybe next season I will feel more confident playing alongside these girls. Not only that, but physically, I felt like I could easily injure myself because my ankle is pretty unstable right now. It is so nice though, all the soccer girls still make me feel included and still want me to come out to all the games. So yeah, that was my breif but very intense intro to college sports! Haha…kinda crazy, and I am glad i gave it a shot at least. Part of me wanted to stay on the team just to prove that I could do it, but that is just my stubborness talking and I didnt want to end up hating the game of soccer.

Have any of you played high school/college sports? What was your experience with that, with having CP and everything? Did you feel hindered by your CP at all?

Well I must get back to reading Western Philosophy–Plato! Last week it was Confucius and Lao-tzu…lovin every new bit, it makes me think!

Take Care TeenCPers.

-Katy

Look its little Katy

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August

Going to College with Cerebral Palsy

Hi Guys!

Am I allowed to say that I’ve missed writing to you all? Well in any case, I do! I feel like I’ve been out of the loop for so long, and my life has had a dramatic uproar these past two or so weeks. I moved out into dorm life, I started class yesterday, and I attempted a few days of college soccer all in this short amount of time! It has been a bit rough, and I feel fortunate that I can come on here and talk to you all about my CP issues because I know you will understand.

First– it is interesting to me to realize that I am having to explain my CP to an entire new group of people all over again. Every new place, new stage of life brings this all to the forefront again and it is overwhelming to say the least. I feel like Soka is probably the best, and healthiest place for me to be in right now, as I transition from a high school student to a college student because everyone is so accepting, so tolerant and so free of judgment. It is refreshing and eye-opening all at once. Everyone, including the faculty is so incredibly nice, I’ve wondered at times if this is all an act since we are freshman here on campus. BUT, while everyone is so welcoming, there is always that lingering question–”are you alright, what’s wrong with your foot, are you hurt, why are you walking like that…” I’ve noticed, now, as a first impression– is a time when people learn how capable I am, in the physical sense because I think they fear they may say something wrong to hurt my feelings, or do something that they may think I can’t do because of the way I walk. So far, I have appreciated everyone’s concern when they see me walk, but it is tiresome having to explain myself, or simply acknowledging it day in and day out to each and every person who comes along. It will always be something I need to work on, because openness and acceptance of having CP is rough at times. When I walk, I see the curiousity in people’s faces even before they ask, so some of the time I just respond with, “yes I fine, it doesn’t hurt, its called Cerebral Palsy and it just makes my muscles tighter on my left side so I have a harder time getting around” but I make sure to end it with–”but I’m all good!” because it just puts people at ease I think, when trying to understand. Do you think that I am going about this okay? Any opinions fellow TeenCPers? And yes I know this is something that will go on for the remainder of my life here, but I guess I just need to mentally prepare myself to be okay with all the looks of wonder and such. I will say that I feel so lucky to be at Soka because everyone is so friendly and only here, they only look for the best in people. College is definitely a nice vacation–a nice new start– from the chaos of high school teenagers.

So please, what I want you to take away from this is…. if you are facing some adversity in your life right now–know that it gets easier with time, with age, and with maturity. Both for yourself, and for those around you. Even the other day my roommate goes “okay so I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but today I forgot you had CP” and really, that warmed my heart. I love that she feels comfortable enough to talk openly with me, and I love that she treats me as her equal. After only 5 days of being together, that says a lot about her maturity level. It’s a comforting feeling knowing I am surrounded by people who think very little of my CP.

I want to come back to you all later this week on trying out soccer as a sport in college athletics…so stay tuned! My internet connection here in a foresty canyon in South OC is a bit difficult on parts of the campus, and as of today we have to get our dorm room outlets have to be fixed..so if I dont get back on here within the week it’s not because I dont want to! I have so much more to write…but now its dinner time and I dont want to overwhelm you all with info. Cool? Cool! Bye!

I hope you all are doing swell and dandy!

I took this photo last night as I walked back to my dorm! What a beautiful place to live!

-Katy

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July

Euro Photos Galore (for your enjoyment)

Hey TeenCP! Here’s some photos I pulled up for you (a few of about 1,000) Let me know what ya think!

Happy Friday.

-Katy

The view from our room in Wasselone, France

Friends and Baguettes

Arch du Triumph!

Macaroons, yumm!

Cannons of 1914 in a German WW1 Bunker

WW1 Trenches

Brussels, Belgium

So hip, I couldnt help myself

Le Tour Eiffel

The Mona Lisa

My favorite spot in Paris, Montmartre

: Marie Antoinette’s Garden

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July

TeenCP reporting from homebase :)

HELLO!! Ah it’s so good to be back…..although I’ll admit it was a nice little hiatus from cyber space and my phone…who knew life could go on without constant connection? :p Haha, anyway…How is everyone?? I hope you’ve all been enjoying your summer months. Whats new? Any cool vacations, or individual break throughs?

I guess this is the time where I talk to you all about EUROPE! It was, to say the least– phenomenal! I had the time of my life over there with my sister and french friends. I’ll put up some photos so you can all see what I am talking about… I think what I loved most was just the amount of history to every place we went! If you put it into perspective, the States is a baby country compared to Europe. They have a good couple centuries on us! The architecture, the momuments, the art, the food, the people…it was all so surreal. Every place I went was something new to take in and think to myself, “wow, I am actually standing here seeing this!” Over three weeks I was able to stay with my friend in Northern France near Strasbourgh, (the capital of Europe) visit our friend in Belgium (and spend a day in both Brussels and Bruges) go to an amusement park in Germany, trek through a German WW1 bunker (complete with trenches–wow talk about All Quiet on the Westernfront!), go to a Nazi concentration camp and hear about the French Resistance, visit a memorial for the Battle of Verdun, and a WW1 American Cemetery, milk a mama cow and feed her calf…I also (very hesitantly) ate: escargot, duck liver, two year old moldy cheese, and frog legs!! And LASTLY, we went to Paris for a few days and toured the Louvre, Montmartre (my fav spot in Paris, the art district) saw the Eiffel Tower in both day and night, walk along the Champs Elysees (and have a 9 euro diet coke, gah!) saw Jim Morission’s and Oscar Wilde’s gravesites, and visited the Palace of Versailles and Marie Antoinettes Garden. Oh, and ate lots and lots of bread and nutella, of course I wasn’t one for trying too much of the beer and wine, I suppose alcohol is a very acquired taste haha. Drinking and smoking cigarettes is a very casual, cultural thing in Europe for people my age, which is just such a foreign thing to me… They almost laughed when I told them how uncommon (dont forget illegal) it is for my group of friends to drink and smoke. Anyway, you can see that I was pretty busy the whole time I was there! (in a good way, of course) Everyday I was in awe of all that there was to be seen, and learned, and tasted. Thankfully, I was well fed (maybe a little too much haha) by my friends father who just so happens to be an amazing french chef! Overall, it was a trip I’ll never forget, and dont worry–I journaled the whole way through But, if I had to go back and change one thing, it would be to WEAR BETTER SHOES. Stupid me, wore converse sneakers just about every day and by the time we got to Paris and walked along the old, uneven roads, I thought my toes were going to snap off, the soles of my feet were going to be permanently bruised, and my knees were going to ache like that of an 80 year old for good. I had never felt so much discomfort in my feet and legs before, it was weirding me out. I mean, I’ve walked around cities before in regular shoes, but Europe was constant constant constant. After each day I worried for the next that my poor feet werent going to make it. But nevertheless, I made it, and the 14 hour travel day home helped rest my feet almost completely. I need to be better about realizing that I need to take things slower and wear more supportive shoes. I get caught up in daily life, and that’s when my CP catches up with me! Oh well, That’s the way it is–always has been and always will be. There’s always that part of me who ignores my CP in spite of wanting to be “normal” but then I just get myself in trouble… I’m sure some of you guys know what I am talking about…

It’s nice to be home near the Pacific Ocean and my family and friends though. There’s much to be done before I move out in 11 days! Eek, that’s crazy, exciting, and coming fast! And if you’re wondering, I have not packed a single thing nor have I gone dorm shopping…yay for procrastination! Or maybe I’m just prolonging my denial of the fact that I am actually moving OUT of my childhood home. Now that this is all out in the open, maybe I shoud think about packing…it’d be a good start haha. Where to start? Good think I am not too far–about half an hour away from the beautiful Soka Univeristy of America. Go lions! At least theyre giving us a month before the fall semester to map out classes, meet people, and take an intro course to Soka curriculum and meaning. I am excited to get to know my roommate too! We met breifly one night, and she seems really cool! Shes a beach kid like me from Dana Point, closer to Soka so itll be nice to feel a little in sync with our lifestyles.

Alright, well I am off to hang with some friends–we are in need of bonding time before I head off to college! I still have much more to say, so Ill be back

Take care everyone! (PS. TeenCP is two years old now, wow!)

-Katy

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July

Europe Bound, TeenCP Style!

Hello Hello!

Happy 4th of July!! (well, almost) I hope you are all outside enjoying summertime with family and friends–I sure am!

Well, it’s time…I am off to Europe tomorrow morning for three whole weeks! I actually still need to pack, yikes, talk about procrastination! Before I do go, I want to leave you all with something interesting to ponder over the time that I am gone… this film was brought to my attention by a young woman, Elizabeth, who is interning at UCP-OC. It’s called Certain Proof: A Question of Worth and I’ll post the trailer here to see for yourself because I’d love to explain it to you in depth, but I have yet to see it myself! When I have some downtime before college begins, I’d love to watch this, but since I can’t right now, maybe you can fnd a copy yourself! (Or maybe it’s in independent theaters, I don’t know haha…) Here you go! Let me know what you think, because this has always been, and probably always will be a controversial issue for CP kids in public schools. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ2qzMZDzoE I am intrigued by the description quote, “How do you communicate when the world just does not understand”…. this is so true with CP! Of course I do not have CP to the extremity than many people, but I am sure many of you out there can relate to this quote…. It is hard to explain that CP does not affect the brain’s intelligence level. I have been doubted a few times before, so I realize the truth to this powerful question.

Alright guys, I NEED to get packing!! This is a serious problem. It’s about 5:30pm my time…. I got this! I’d love to write more about what has been going on and all that and talk to you all about some ideas I have for a new direction for TeenCP, but I’ll let the anticipation sink in some more Have a fantastic July everyone! I will be taking a short leave in case I can’t get internet access… if not…pics will be posted!

Oh and, TeenCP’s 2nd birthday is coming up July 26th, how exciting, can you believe it?

Goodbye for now my TeenCP friends! Happy travels, relaxing times, whatever you do with your July, I hope it treats you well.

-Katy

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June

1, 2, 3, — A, B, TeenCP!

Hi there!

Hmm, so I’m contemplating 3 things….

A) What to write (which almost never happens)

B) In which direction to take TeenCP this next year of its existence, as I have one year left as a teen AND it’ll be TeenCP’s 2nd birthday is coming up on July 26th, aw! and WOW!)

C) What type of fundraiser to do for OMF (www.1man1mission.org) *check out my first post in the blog section!* (Something that is a little more original than a fun run with sponsors)

So, with my thoughts layed out on the table, I want to hear from you guys, my readers, TeenCPers, supporters–what should I do?! I think it would be great to get some ideas flowing…think of this post as a suggestion box. Because with part C, if I decide to collaborate with one or moreof your ideas, I say we all work together on fundraising somehow! That way we can all be a part of TeenCP as a team. Rather than just me, putting all my words out there like I normally do. I’d love to create TeenCP into a name that’s not just recognized as a blog…. it could become a club, a team to OMF… I think that would be so cool, but only if you guys think so too. I have to have all you guys on-board if I make changes to TeenCP!

For now, I’m preparing for Europe, laying in the sun, going to the gym, and enjoying my summer! I hope you’ll do the same Take care, stay happy and health this summer season!

PS. This pic was taken in the early morning…I was in awe!

-Katy

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June

TeenCPers, I’m baaack!

Hello Hello! It has been much too long, my fellow TeenCPers, but I have a valid reason…. final exams, end of school activities, graduation… it was all too much fun! I am glad things have slowed down, andit it officially summer as of yesterday! My favorite season of the year Congrats to any TeenCP grads this year, how fun! 2011 is a great year so far. I hope things are low key for all of you guys on summer break. And if it’s not, I hope you are off traveling or doing something adventurous and memorable! Now is the time in our lives to be doing something worthwhile (or even doing a whole lot of nothing while we can!)

Hmm so what is on the agenda for July, everyone? Any plans? celebrations? vacations?

I will be spending my 19th birthday traveling around France and Belgium with my sister and friends who are kind enough to show us around. How cool is that? I’ve long antcipated this trip, and it is finally arriving! We leaving LAX on the 4th of July, have a layover at JFK in one of my favorite cities (NYC–too bad we cant stay for some fireworks!) and then we wll be crossing the pond right on into Paris Any suggestions as far as places to see in Paris beyond the given tourist attractions? I love little local cafes and vintage stores…

Today I am writing my first blog entry on the OMF website! I am so excited to be writing even more–especially about being a teen with CP and spreading awareness about the true needs of a teen with CP…let’s see how many people we can reach through TeenCP and OMF combined! A little side note, the OM Foundation www.1man1mission.org is a non-profit organization founded by Bonner Paddock (a local OC friend with CP!) OMF is currently working on several projects to create centers for childrens with disabilities around the world. Let’s go help them make that more possible by raising money and awareness for these kids! Any fund raiser is appreciated–a lemonade stand, a fun run with sponsors…you can make a difference too!

On another note, I hope all you fathers out there had a great time with your little ones… My family and I went up to Santa Monica/Venice for a nice hike in Will Rogers State Park, which is near Topanga Canyon for those of you who may be more familiar with that name. It was such a great hike…except sometimes I forget how useful a walking stick would be… it gives ya that extra push if one side is a bit weaker. And not even exclusive to having CP–they are just so helpful if you struggle with hills or balancing. A quick question–do any of you have the outside of your foot get really sore after a strenuous work out? I really don’t know how to shake that feeling off…I’ll post some photos…because believe it or not, I brought my camera! (that’s a first :p )

Well, I am off to do a bit of thinking for OMF… let’s hope the sun comes out so I can hit the beach! June gloom, YUCK.

Take care guys, and I’ll be on again soon now that I am school free for a few months.

-Katy

My bro matt and me, when I got tired

Twins!

Overlooking the Pacific Palisades.

The fam (minus two) on fathers day.

graduation day! love them.

We did it Sara

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June

Five Things

1. I did not make the cut to speak at graduation… (mixed feelings?)

2. I did, however get interviewed by the LA Times for a poem I wrote on Social Injustice…. Had to mention TeenCP…..(yay!)

3. I have one more final exam, two more days of school, and seven days until I graduate…. (crazy, surreal, busy)

4. I went on a ten mile bike ride without foot straps for security….. photo above is the trail (great experience, bad idea)

4. I urge you to check out my friend’s new album Beyond Reason under HOW2 available on Itunes. Taylor and Tanner Howe are locals to HB, and they formed a band in the recent years…. they are so talented…. take a listen! They both are active singers in our schools and community and deserve to be known beyond our little circle of friends.

-Katy

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Meeting new teens with CP!

A little distraught these past few days…

[Attempting] SUA College Soccer with Cerebral Palsy

Going to College with Cerebral Palsy

Euro Photos Galore (for your enjoyment)

TeenCP reporting from homebase :)

Europe Bound, TeenCP Style!

1, 2, 3, — A, B, TeenCP!

TeenCPers, I’m baaack!

Five Things