My sister Chelsea


 



She loves being an Aunt..



Understanding that there are completely different ends of having C.P. I can see why some think its not that bad. Some have CP as slight as a limp, others are completely crippled up. I've grown up with my little sister being extremely sick. Sometimes not being about to cope with it. More often then not, I choose to ignore it. I choose to act as if everything is alright. But I will always know that she will never be out of pain until the minute she passes away and goes to heaven to be with God. I don't know which part is harder. Knowing someone so close to me is sick, living every minute of thier life in pain. Or the fact that she will never get to know what it feels like to have someone love her. That she will never get married, grow old, or have children. Granted I will never be sure what tomorrow holds. I may die before her, many many years before her. I will always have to know that she never got to experience going out with friends. Going to parties. Ever experiencing the real world. When I think about all of that, sometimes its bittersweet because she wont be hurt. She wont ever get robbed, ripped off, trick, or manipulated. My sister is only 18 years old, she turned 18 in August. Shes one of my best friends that I have in this world. I try to stay positive because its not me who has CP, its her. It can be hard to put yourself in the situation of trying to "let" it be okay.

I should probably tell you a little bit about Chelsea so you can see where im coming from. Shes 18 years old. Shes full of life, and has the most wonderful heart. Shes a good christian girl and loves being and Aunty to my little man Channing. She was just fine until about the age of 13, thats when she started having most of her problems. She was put into John Hopkins University Hospital for over three months. She had a total of 13 surgeries that summer. She almost didnt make it out...God was and is watching over her. Her body started tightening up more and more every single year. Now her legs are stuck together, criss crossed. Her arms are bent over making them into and L shape. The say she not only has scoliosis she has lordosis. Her body is said to be shaping into that of a Sea horse. She cannot lay on her back, her legs wont go straight at all. I try and image the pain she is in. One day I even tightened up all of the muscles in my body and held them there all crippled up. It is not comfortable. Can you image what that would feel like if it were doing it naturally? My poor booboo. Although her body is contourted. Her brain seems to be quite normal. She can play on the internet, on her DS, she likes to draw, write little short stories.

Her mind went a little bit sour since this past November. She has a seizure on the morning of Thanksgivings. I was in visiting from Kentucky. She was so out of it she was in a coma for over three days straight. She couldnt talk, she couldnt hardly even look at you. I thought she was going to be out of it for the rest of her life. Luckily she has regain most of the use of her brain, and is doing much much better. She is improving every day. Whether its a good thing that she is aware of what is going on or not, I cant answer. But I do know she isnt living in a vegitative state and gets to enjoy some of the simple things in life.

Research can help you in understanding what its like. Its even better to have someone you know that is going through a similar situation. 

If any one needs any help in coping with this disease I urge you to look up or even write to me. Im more than willing to lend a open ear.