Who Chloe Is vs What Chloe Has

When I think of Chloe, I think of everything that she is, everything she teaches me, that big beautiful personality that simply exudes joy!



I think of how much sunshine Chloe brings into the lives of every single person she meets. She shines so much light!



I think of how happy and how beautiful she is.


March is Cerebral Palsy awareness month.



Sometimes I forget that Chloe has Cerebral Palsy. Chloe is just Chloe to me, she is not defined by her diagnosis. Not in my world, anyway.


However, because of Chloe's diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, we have been strengthened. We have learned more about love and faith and hope than I ever thought possible.


We have learned to depend on love and faith and hope -- because it's all we have AND it's all that really matters anyway!



Thank you to everyone who loves and supports Chloe and our family through our journey with Cerebral Palsy.

Please take a moment to learn a little bit about Cerebral Palsy. Just a few things that I think most people don't understand about it:

• People in our world frequently refer to Cerebral Palsy as CP.
• CP is not contagious (I've been asked that several times, if you can believe it!)
  
• It's an "umbrella" diagnosis. In other words, there are many specific diagnoses that fall under the umbrella of CP. Cerebral Palsy includes a neurological deficit (usually damage on the cerebrum) that causes any type of movement disorder. So if you know someone who has Cerebral Palsy and wonder why Chloe's physical limitations are so much more severe than the other person you know, well it's probably because their "real" diagnosis is actually very different. Make sense? Chloe's specific diagnosis is West Syndrome -- although that has more to do with symptoms than cause, but it's the closest thing to a diagnosis we have.
  
• People with CP are awesome! You should get to know them!
• When you see someone with CP, or anyone with some sort of movement disorder, as you pass them, don't frown. Everyone is always frowning at Chloe as we stroll her around in her wheelchair. How sad! I know they just feel bad that her body doesn't work the way they think it should. I get it. But it's sad to go around seeing people frowning all the time! Chloe is always smiling and I wish that everyone would just smile back at her -- and everyone like her!
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• For all other factoids about Cerebral Palsy, go here.
• To show your support, wear a green shirt or ribbon throughout the month of March, specifically on March 20th, and let people know why, because....