I'm With KOKO

People always ask me what the hardest part about living with Cerebral Palsy and being in a wheelchair. They are always slightly surprised when I answer. People tend to assume and rightly so, that it would be the big stuff, like not being able to walk, not being able to use the toilet, and have to rely on everyone to do everything for you. Sometimes, that is true. It is difficult, but it is something I never had the ability to do, so I don’t know what it would be like to walk. I have no experience, so I do not know what I am missing. Therefore, the hardest part is the little stuff. The stuff that everyone else can do, but I can’t because of a little tweak in the system. The tweak could be the fact that I can’t look in the fridge to see what we have to eat. Certainly, I could ask someone, but it would be nice to look on my own. Another tweak is when I can’t go see a movie. For example, this week I wanted to see Shutter Island - but because of “MY” Cerebral Palsy I have reaction to being surprised. So, if something scares me, makes me jump, or catches me off guard, I can seriously hurt my back. Since, my back was already hurting, I didn’t want to take the chance with this movie. It is this uncertainity that makes me angry and what would seem to be the simplest thing for the average person, is the most difficult to me.
With adversity comes triumph. You can’t have the good without having the bad. Overcoming a struggle can dissipate the actual struggle. Success in the face of insourmountable odds is what keeps me going and that is what the Keep On Keeping On Foundation is all about! Taking a situation and making the best of it!
Please join us on Thursday, March 4th for our March Forth Celebration of Perseverance. This will be our First Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner. Click on the link for tickets!
http://www.keeponkeepingon.org/events.html
I’m With KOKO are you???
Mike Berkson