Hi all,
This is a pic my lil sis took off of Main Street facing the beach and HB pier. Love ittt!
Hmm, so not much goin on this week….finals are coming up so there’s a chance I’ll be MIA for the next few weeks… this is last semester that REALLY counts for my college apps!
Although I do have a favor to ask any and all of you out there with CP…. this aspiring author (or should I say well established writer, now that I know a bit more about her!) Caitlin contacted me wanting to know if she could get some insight into how life is like with Cerebral Palsy. Her main character has CP and she wants it to sound as realistic as possible. So here is an (optional) questionnairethat we would both very much appreciate that you fill out! It is a bit extensive, so maybe set aside a few minutes when you can really focus on it. Thank you! I think that this information will really help Caitlin in creating her character. Oh, and by this upcoming Friday, the 14th would be great!
First of all, if you are participating in this interview, I must say a huge and sincere thank you to you! I am writing a novel whose main character is a teenage audiophile living with Cerebral Palsy. I know that your kind help will give this character life. Please feel free to be blunt and honest! No holds barred! Also, if any question comes across as dumb or offensive – I apologize – I’m coming into this with limited knowledge, and I really wanted to start my learning with those who knew CP best. I am hoping your answers will be the biggest antidote to my lack of knowledge and will help me create a character that is multi-dimensional and rings true on the page! Thanks again and here goes:
Name: (first and last, or just first name only is okay, I just need names so I can thank you properly in my acknowledgments!)
Age:
Tell me a memorable moment from your childhood connected to your CP. The first thing that pops in your mind.
How would you “rate” the level of severity of your cerebral palsy? In what ways is your condition mild or severe?
What is the most annoying question people ask you about your CP? Why is it annoying?
Do you use mobility aids to help you move? What do you use? If so, what’s something you do in your daily life that someone without those aids would never have to do? Like, something you always have to think about that someone without mobility aids would never have to think about?
How does your CP affect the way you speak (if it all)? Walk? Play sports?
Describe how you feel physically when you wake up in the morning. How about at the end of the day when you fall asleep at night?
What is (or was) your high school experience like in general? Do you like school? Do you have a large group of friends or a small one? Do you feel your CP has affected your social status? If yes, how so? (Sorry, that was like ten questions in one!)
Have you ever had any surgeries or extensive physical therapy? Why? What was it like? What were the effects?
Tell me a funny story connected to your CP, the first thing that pops into your head.
What’s something that having CP has given you that no one can ever take away?
What’s one thing (or more) you wish people knew about what it’s like to have CP?
Tell me something frustrating about having CP.
Tell me something liberating about having CP.
Is there anything else I should know? Any detail I could include that would give this character credibility? Anything more you would like to tell me?
What’s a question you wished I would have asked? What is your answer? (if the above question didn’t cover it)
Whew! I am kind of a demanding interviewer! Thanks for enduring that! I did focus extensively on questions related to CP, but if you want to share anything else about yourself, I would love to read more! I am so grateful you took the time to share these answers with me and I really cannot tell you how essential your assistance is to the integrity of this story and this character! Thank you and good luck navigating the teenage waters! You have a lot to look forward to!
All the best,
Caitlin Biljan Wezeman
So if you would please just take the time and effort to copy and paste these questions into a word doc, or an email directed to cgwezeman@gmail we would be ever so grateful. 
If you would like to remain anonymous, you can send the completed questions to katyfetters@teencerebralpalsy.com (that is also where all the emails go on the contact us page in the upper left corner of the webpage.) I am about to fill out this questionnaire myself and I feel like these are all great, very thought-provoking questions! Time to be self-reflective. Take care, can you believe we are already a week into the new decade? Wow!
-Katy
