The small article about the little boy who was the pitcher.
I cried so much I do not know for joy or sadness and worry.
I was so happy to see a bpi child to succeed in sports. In our family sports is very common for weekend activities. we love our local nfl,nhl and baseball teams. I am not that type of mom who is crazy about her children playing sports. It would not bother for my 3 yr bpi child to follow in grandma's and great grandfather's foot steps getting art degree's as long as he loves it.
But, if he loves sports and would dream of playing, I would love to see him play. But, as the article read other parents would come up his parents and say how much of an inspiration he was, most importantly the umpire who was ignorant said saying "could not play he will get hurt" the coach spoke up for him and he played. that is wonderful if you have such great coaches. What if they would not let him play and he had to fight to pursue his dream/ at that particular facility. he will have to learn to fight for himself. I am terrified of these up coming situations that would not have even been a question if bpi was not involved. I am trying to think positive and really i know that i should. i am really looking for advise from some people who have also been through the difficult task of dealing with people who in charge of decisions pertaining to their child. for example, teachers, coaches, doctors.
i am positive in front of family and friends but deep in my heart i am terrified and angry. does any one have stories about how you dealt with other people and the ignorance of some?
Article in winter UBPN
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marieke
- Posts: 1627
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:00 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
no external rotation against gravity, can only go to 90 degree fwd flexion, no hand-to-mouth
1 surgery at age 14 (latissimus dorsi transfer). In 2004, at age 28 I was struck with Transverse Myelitis which paralyzed me from the chest down. I recovered movement to my right leg, but need a KAFO to walk on my left leg. I became an RN in 2008. - Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Article in winter UBPN
Teach them, simply put. Give them the info and if they take it and learn from, great, if not, then they will stay ignorant.
I still come up against questions and looks and pre-made assumptions (not just for the BPI I have, but for the TM I now have too) and I explain to people what I have and that I can do just about anything I set my mind to. A few people have been teachers I have had in nursing and some are family memebers. Some choose to listen to what I have to say and learn from it others continue to doubt me and choose to question me every step of the way. So be it, YOU cannot force someone to understand and learn, but by giving them the options to do so you have a better chance of educating not only them but others around them.
Yes, you may have to fight for things at times and yes it can get frustrating and annoying and maddening and make you feel sad and angry, BUT when you do find someone is willing to learn from it, it's worth it.
Marieke (31, LOBPI and TM) former figure skater and futur nurse!
I still come up against questions and looks and pre-made assumptions (not just for the BPI I have, but for the TM I now have too) and I explain to people what I have and that I can do just about anything I set my mind to. A few people have been teachers I have had in nursing and some are family memebers. Some choose to listen to what I have to say and learn from it others continue to doubt me and choose to question me every step of the way. So be it, YOU cannot force someone to understand and learn, but by giving them the options to do so you have a better chance of educating not only them but others around them.
Yes, you may have to fight for things at times and yes it can get frustrating and annoying and maddening and make you feel sad and angry, BUT when you do find someone is willing to learn from it, it's worth it.
Marieke (31, LOBPI and TM) former figure skater and futur nurse!
Re: Article in winter UBPN
Hey Mlynn,
I so understand your concerns. Our family too is all in to sports - but things have been great! I loved that Outreach article too, Eric is such an inspiration. I just wanted to tell you that there will be ups and downs at what they try but they will find that sport that works for them. Parents will ask questions like "did the arm break and you didn't have it fixed? ....GRRRR) but MOST are sooo supportive, some just need an explanation and then they understand. Brittney did dance (didn't work out well - she got frustrated), t-ball- she didn't like it, soccer - and people would ask me what was 'wrong with her arm' sometimes, but the response after the games was great. People from the other team and even the refs would say how much they admired her and how great that she played. On the swim team she was definately NOT the fastest and it hurt to see her come in last when I knew how hard that she was trying but I was sooo proud that she had the courage to get out there!!! Her swim team coach helped her with ways to do butterfly and backstroke and so on, by using her legs and holding her breath and her friends all cheered because they were amazed at her breath holding skills and her "legs of steal"! She got DQ'd in butterfly and the coach ran up and told them "she will NOT be DQ'd, everything she did was legal and she has an arm injury!" We finally found cross country, track, (her favorite and best and (toot toot - she blows by her peers because she trains daily)and she is also playing Competive soccer now instead of rec. She can beat us all in basketball, learned from early on how to shoot 'her way' and takes us all down. Oh and she can throw a football farther than any boy around. Her Dad and I and have always instilled sports into our lives and she just does what she knows. Her soccer team puts her on the left wing (she's good!) because they know that works better for her and she never throws the ball in because that gets hard, never goalie position, but is tough out there.... coaches love a kid who TRIES! She teases her teamates and says, "if we are losing I could always fake a trip and show the ref my arm (Look what she just did to me!!) and get a yellow card on them!!"
I am scared that she might get hurt out there just like you with your child, but that is what she loves and who she is and was meant to do and I will not hold her back from trying anything. Also she is an awesome skier! Way better than me! Blows by me!! (: There are even more sports that she does but I'm getting carried away here - just let your child try anything and let them figure out what they love.
I understand the fears when they are younger - but things just seem to work themselves out!
Sorry this was so long, I wasn't trying to brag on my child but wanted you to know our experiences and for you to not have to worry so much - things will be OK!!
Christy
I so understand your concerns. Our family too is all in to sports - but things have been great! I loved that Outreach article too, Eric is such an inspiration. I just wanted to tell you that there will be ups and downs at what they try but they will find that sport that works for them. Parents will ask questions like "did the arm break and you didn't have it fixed? ....GRRRR) but MOST are sooo supportive, some just need an explanation and then they understand. Brittney did dance (didn't work out well - she got frustrated), t-ball- she didn't like it, soccer - and people would ask me what was 'wrong with her arm' sometimes, but the response after the games was great. People from the other team and even the refs would say how much they admired her and how great that she played. On the swim team she was definately NOT the fastest and it hurt to see her come in last when I knew how hard that she was trying but I was sooo proud that she had the courage to get out there!!! Her swim team coach helped her with ways to do butterfly and backstroke and so on, by using her legs and holding her breath and her friends all cheered because they were amazed at her breath holding skills and her "legs of steal"! She got DQ'd in butterfly and the coach ran up and told them "she will NOT be DQ'd, everything she did was legal and she has an arm injury!" We finally found cross country, track, (her favorite and best and (toot toot - she blows by her peers because she trains daily)and she is also playing Competive soccer now instead of rec. She can beat us all in basketball, learned from early on how to shoot 'her way' and takes us all down. Oh and she can throw a football farther than any boy around. Her Dad and I and have always instilled sports into our lives and she just does what she knows. Her soccer team puts her on the left wing (she's good!) because they know that works better for her and she never throws the ball in because that gets hard, never goalie position, but is tough out there.... coaches love a kid who TRIES! She teases her teamates and says, "if we are losing I could always fake a trip and show the ref my arm (Look what she just did to me!!) and get a yellow card on them!!"
I am scared that she might get hurt out there just like you with your child, but that is what she loves and who she is and was meant to do and I will not hold her back from trying anything. Also she is an awesome skier! Way better than me! Blows by me!! (: There are even more sports that she does but I'm getting carried away here - just let your child try anything and let them figure out what they love.
I understand the fears when they are younger - but things just seem to work themselves out!
Sorry this was so long, I wasn't trying to brag on my child but wanted you to know our experiences and for you to not have to worry so much - things will be OK!!
Christy
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brandonsmom
- Posts: 1401
- Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:43 pm
Re: Article in winter UBPN
Mlynn,
My family too was big into sports. My dad played Semi pro baseball and my brother played PRO FOOTBALL. When I had my son I Called to tell everyone the news, when they found out that his arm didn't work the first thing out of their mouths was, oh, no what if he was meant to be an athlete. Who cares. At that time I didn't care if he ever played sports, just that he was alive and would make it.
He is eight and has never asked to play sports. He plays with his friends and does fine. His gym teacher uses him as team captain on a daily basis when they play team sports, because he can do just like the rest and has a positive attitude.
As for people making comments, most don't in our case, because after two surgeries it is hard to tell that his arm is different. But when they do, I simply tell them the story and then Brandon turns from being the little boy with the arm that doesn't work to the little boy that is so inspiring and so good. GO FIGURE !!! You have to work with your child, you have to buy the toys that make them want to learn. He was about 12 months when I bought him a fisher price t-ball for toddlers. He loved it till he started to use the bat as a weapon on his siblings.....LOL ! I don't think that all people try to be rude, they just don't know what to ask or how to ask it and I find myself being a little sensitive.
GAYLE
Message was edited by: brandonsmom
My family too was big into sports. My dad played Semi pro baseball and my brother played PRO FOOTBALL. When I had my son I Called to tell everyone the news, when they found out that his arm didn't work the first thing out of their mouths was, oh, no what if he was meant to be an athlete. Who cares. At that time I didn't care if he ever played sports, just that he was alive and would make it.
He is eight and has never asked to play sports. He plays with his friends and does fine. His gym teacher uses him as team captain on a daily basis when they play team sports, because he can do just like the rest and has a positive attitude.
As for people making comments, most don't in our case, because after two surgeries it is hard to tell that his arm is different. But when they do, I simply tell them the story and then Brandon turns from being the little boy with the arm that doesn't work to the little boy that is so inspiring and so good. GO FIGURE !!! You have to work with your child, you have to buy the toys that make them want to learn. He was about 12 months when I bought him a fisher price t-ball for toddlers. He loved it till he started to use the bat as a weapon on his siblings.....LOL ! I don't think that all people try to be rude, they just don't know what to ask or how to ask it and I find myself being a little sensitive.
GAYLE
Message was edited by: brandonsmom
Re: Article in winter UBPN
Hey Gayle,
I always love hearing your comments and Brandon is definately a strong boy. I agree completely that people do not try to be rude - just don't know what to say or how to say it....
Your stories of Brandon always make me smile!
Christy
I always love hearing your comments and Brandon is definately a strong boy. I agree completely that people do not try to be rude - just don't know what to say or how to say it....
Your stories of Brandon always make me smile!
Christy
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brandonsmom
- Posts: 1401
- Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:43 pm
Re: Article in winter UBPN
Christy,
Thanks he is my inspiration...don't know where I would bve without him. He always has a funny for me when my day is BAD GAYLE
Thanks he is my inspiration...don't know where I would bve without him. He always has a funny for me when my day is BAD
GAYLE