Gifted and Talented Child

Forum for parents of injured who are seeking information from other parents or people living with the injury. All welcome
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by Carolyn J »

MY "2 Cents" on this,
I agree with EVERYTHING Kath said above PLUS..when outsiders[outside BPI Family], I prefer others to say "Your Injured Arm" when referring to it.
HUGS,
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI,age 68 & proud of it!
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
User avatar
brandonsmom
Posts: 1401
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:43 pm

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by brandonsmom »

Wow Kath and Carolyn,
What you said is very interesting....I agree with Christy too about "BLACK HUMOR" when it comes from the person who is injured. Brandon makes a crack once in a while about his arm and we all laugh, but watch out if someone makes fun of him. Here's Brandon's story of the week. Some kid asked him how he got the scar(FROM primary) on his neck....we still haven't figured out how he noticed it is not at all noticeable...anyway.....Brandon my little 8 year old prince charming told him it was "AN OLD" football injury. Don't ask me where that came from...but then he offered to show him his other scar(FROM MOD QUAD) Kids are too much !!!! BTW....Weird is never a word that I Want used for my childs arm, but to each his own!!!! GAYLE
Kath
Posts: 3242
Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
Location: New York

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by Kath »

Gayle
I am ROTF... LOL... Brandon is so funny.
What a great sense of humor!
He's and 8 year old comic... LOL..

Kath adult/robpi
Kath robpi/adult

Kathleen Mallozzi
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 19873
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:59 pm

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by admin »

You guys,

My KID refers to her arm as weird and she is totally comfortable with that. She uses the word with humor, kind of aware of the absurdity of worrying about it...

My use and my daughter's use of weird is also very much colloquial, common to the area where I live, where everything is "weird". Just like I write "you guys", in the South I probably would have written "You all."

Besides, can't you guys see the love and pride of my original posting? And the use of weird is totally contextual: If I encountered any person with a disability or even among my friends themselves or with family disabled, I would never refer to their disability or injury as weird...

Otherwise, I sincerely apologize to anyone that I may have offended in using the word weird. I believe that the BPI is a very serious injury, and with that injury comes a process of acceptance and then some humor. My child and I definitely have our ups and downs with the BPI, but in general I find that our lives are more productive and content if we cope with a lots of humor*. Also my kid has a pretty board perspective on things. Becuase of her injury and treatments since her first three months of life, she has been among some children of extrordinary injury and disability. Even she understands that she is relatively fortunate...

* I want to talk more about humor. Well before my child was born, I worked with severely head-injured adults. Most of my clients had their "dreams" snatched from them by freak accident. Depending on the severity and difference of brain injury, many would attempt suicide as an unfortunate step toward acceptance of thier very much revised lives and dreams. On our staff, I was assigned to evening watches over the suicidal. I would stay up all night, usually on the floor -- becuase they were not safe in their wheel chairs. Every night I did the same thing, I read to them, and while I read I made fun of what I was reading and of myself. I told them crappy jokes the whole night. Twenty years later, I was surprised to find a Newsletter from that institution with an update of how "clients" were doing. Took a while for me to find my scrap book, then I discovered that all of my clients were leading content and productive lives.... Life is hard, humor is in a package for everyone that is waiting to be opened...

Kind regards,

BPI Mom
CW1992
Posts: 860
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 12:41 pm

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by CW1992 »

I just want to apologize _ I was offended by your words but your child is not and of course you know her best. I basically had no right to judge you and I am sorry. Each family is different and for me I would hurt my daughter very much if I said "weird arm" (it would hurt her soooo much - she only wants to fit in and I do not want to ever make her feel different because she is not) but your daughter is fine with it and that is what matters. If I said that to my daughter it would surely make her more aware about what already is a struggle for her and she has enough to deal with already and to me she is perfect. You know your daughter best. I guess our daughters have such different needs and personalities. I am sorry if I offended you!
Sorry again,

Christy
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by Carolyn J »

Hello BPI MOM,
You are Right On!! You have got IT!!

Christy,
You deserve a "Hazzaw", & 3"Cheers" for your apology. We can learn from that. It takes a big person to do that. BTW, I am just learning to do that with my son...yes.., I goof up alot!! Can you believe that?...LOL.
HUGS y'alll,
Carolyn J
"68 & thinks she knows it all"
Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
Marydroz
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:02 pm

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by Marydroz »

Guest,
Your post made me laugh!
You were joking about the "reaching" thing, right?
That's funny!
CW1992
Posts: 860
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 12:41 pm

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by CW1992 »

Thank you Carolyn!! I'm glad that things are going better with your son. I goof up alot too!!!! We do the best we can! :) LOL I would never want to hurt anybody that is just here for support.
Hugs right back at ya!!!
Christy
claudia
Posts: 1241
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2001 12:21 pm

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by claudia »

As for black humor... my son who has epilepsy is a riot. One day when he was about 8 (he was diagnosed at 6) we were out to lunch. I ordered a CESAER SALAD and he said "Hey, that's me! A SEIZURE SALAD!!!" We about fell on the floor. It was his right to make of himself. Not mine.

If bpi's have some dark humor... well all's for the better!

claudia
CW1992
Posts: 860
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 12:41 pm

Re: Gifted and Talented Child

Post by CW1992 »

Claudia, your son sounds like such a great kid to be able to see the humor!!!:) That was funny! But yep - it's his right and not anybody else's.
Christy
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