8th June was not just election day, it was also the day I finally passed my driving test! 4 years after beginning to learn how to drive, and 8 tests later, I never have to go through one of those 40 minute examinations, ever again.
My test was quite relaxed, and I had a friendly examiner which really helped. He let me nervously chat about whatever I wanted, including the government’s PIP benefit that may mean that I am at risk of loosing the very car I was driving, which would be immense as I need my car for independence. It has the adaptations I need, which are very expensive (over £1000 O.o ) I couldn’t believe he passed me, it was so surreal and I didn’t believe him at first, I thought he was joking!
I don’t think I’m the most confident driver, and I know I have A LOT to learn. Today, I did tackle the motorway with a professional instructor, I’m quite proud as I thought it would be a lot harder than it was! Though I have been told that my areas motorway is the quietest and best to enter in the entire country!
In other news- I was chosen to be one of CP Teens Ambassadors! So happy to be a contributor top the charity and hopefully I can help some people!
If I think of anything else to update you guys with, I’ll post again!
I’ve re written so many blog posts over and over, but never posted. A lot has changed in recent months. Undoubtedly, the biggest being my tendon transfer on my wrist in March. It has put my wrist in a more functional and aesthetically pleasing position. I have more use of my wrist now, but that doesn’t mean to say I know exactly how to use it. I still need to train my brain and my arm to realise each others existence, in order to help me harness my new abilities (yes, I’m aware I’m kind of comparing it to a superheroes powers 😉 ).
Before and After results of Tendon Transfer
The second recent change in my life is that I am no longer in a relationship. Yes, I’m devastated, sad and felt like I was in a soppy break-up chick flick movie, but now I’m realising it was probably for the best, and I am miles better off without him. In some ways I’m lucky, my first EVERYTHING happened all at once. I fell in love, I lost my virginity in a committed relationship, rather than another way that I could now regret. Although, it devastates me that I know have to come to terms with the fact that I will have meet someone new, and put the ‘Hemi Cards’ back on the table, it’s refreshing to know, that I after meeting one accepting person, I’ll obviously, eventually, meet another. So, for now, I’ll learn to be single again and enjoy the upcoming events in my life.
Me and the lovely owl Luna
July should be an exciting month for me too. Last November I attended a taster session for a camp called ‘Breathe Magic’, which involves teaching children with hemiplegia, aged 7-19, adapted magic tricks whilst simultaneously providing intense physiotherapy in which the participants would be required to use both hands. It was this taster session, and the prospect of my then upcoming tendon transfer, that prompted both my parents and I to raise the £3,000 funds for me to attend this 2 week camp. I’m excited at the prospect of doing a little magic, which even my friends may not be able to do!
Being that I am 19, this is my final chance to attend this course- and we’ve done everything we can to fund it. And I WILL be attending in July, as my parents have given up our family holiday, and we’ve self funded. However, my mum will be keeping the GoFundMe page open afterwards. She’s made various types of Toffee and Fudge, and even agreed to take part in a local coastal walk along with family friends, who have agreed to donate their sponsor money to us. Even Primark- my employers, want to help in any way they can! We’ve done raffles, and even have an upcoming one!
My Tendon Transfer and my break up has seemingly brought about new changes in myself. Before my tendon transfer, I wore very little make-up- usually due to lack of confidence in my ability to actually put it on myself- so if and when I elected to wear any amount of full face make-up- my mum did it for me. But now, I’ve been experimenting and gaining in confidence to actually do my make up in the morning-(I got some great help from the lady at the Urban Decay Counter in Debenhams). Make-up has always been something I’ve LOVED, but usually from afar or in awe of somebody else’s. I’m aware I’m not perfect like the Beauty Guru’s of Youtube, but the more I practice (or should I say experimenting!)– the more comfortable I’m feeling.
With everything that’s happened, I’m starting to feel like me again, finally.
I would say I’ll post again soon- but the amount of time between my last post and this one, proves otherwise!
I know I said I would write some posts associated with disability (which there certainly will be upcoming posts), but some of this post involves the long struggle I’ve had with the way I view myself, and how others in the past saw me. However, I’m feeling pretty elated currently (the past few months)- and it’s mostly due to one person in particular.
I first met my boyfriend at my 18th Birthday Party, where, despite the intended joyful occasion, I was drunkenly sobbing, for most of the evening… Most of my guests had turned up half an hour early- and I was still getting myself presentable (what happened to turning up fashionably late?), so it was then that I began drinking and of course was already drunk by the time the party was in full swing… I should also add that this all took place in our NEW house that my family had only been living in for 1 month. It was around 8:30 that I received a phone call from a guest who was due at my party- and he was asking if I would allow a second +1, and I was to drunk to say no, so low and behold- the second +1 also attended. You can probably guess that this was my now boyfriend of 6 months, (and I have drunk me to thank for that, otherwise we’d of never of met as in the new year they ceased being friends ;)).
Flash forward to their arrival- and visibly distressed There were people that were uninvited or even strangers- drinking and eating the food my mum had prepared- it was chaos! My mum had to stop someone from removing their underwear upstairs! I only interacted with Stevie (my now long term boyfriend) once in this fiasco of an evening- and that was to give me a hug as I was crying. Relatively soon after I calmed down, but my parents had seemingly had enough shouted for EVERYBODY. TO. LEAVE (at half 10 or before)…Then I cried even more because people were leaving (and stealing my birthday present booze..)
The day after the party, I check Facebook, upload photos and browse all the embarrassing things I or others did. Then of course I do the usual thing that people do after a great night and add everyone I recognised as a friend- to which Stevie happened to be one of. I did’t interact with him until his birthday (8th January), when I wished him a ‘Happy Birthday’, then message him to ask him how it went. We got to talking, and just clicked, but time passes and we stop talking for awhile due to the friendship issues he faced… I was devastated as I looked forward to his messages- and even got out my phone in lessons when he contacted me(I never did that for anybody) I decide that I wasn’t going to allow other people to make a judgement on a person for me, and I began messaging him again. It happened that the evening ‘inboxed’ him, he was going out and therefore asked for my number so he could text me instead! A few more texts fly between us before we made the decision to meet up (me still being unsure of whether he liked me or not..) I don’t want to go into too much detail (admittedly there’s quite a bit already), but we hit it off practically immediately, and met up two days following. We’ve not been apart since…
He’s made me the happiest I’ve ever been, he saw me for me- and I him. Never once did he see the Cerebral Palsy Left Hemiplegia as an issue. I love him.
I know I said I would attempt to post weekly, but I also said I couldn’t make any promise to the fact.
On Monday, I attended an Independent Film, with the working title ‘Lovely Lucy’, to be an extra in the background.
My boyfriend, Stevie went with me as I’m a nervous wreck on Public transport and I needed helped with the clothing I needed to take. On arrival at the Club (Suede Bar), Stevie was immediately pulled aside and asked if he would consider being a ‘named part’ who would have three drinks thrown in his face one after the other. He was to be the ‘cheating boyfriend’, and since we have ‘natural chemistry’ (duh), they had me be the ‘other woman’. My role was to kiss my own boyfriend, on camera, in front of everyone which is surprisingly awkward (we did it in one take though!) and act disgusted when I essentially find out I’m the other woman, and he’s cheating on his girlfriend of 8 years.. (he’s 18 and the other actress was 23… dating since age 10 😉). I should add that neither of us look 18, so everyone else looked so much older than us! After a few rehearse shots with no water in the glasses, the crew decided to go for the real thing, which was done, luckily as he had no change of clothes, in one take!
After our filming was done, it was time for a 30 minute break where we were told our roles were complete and that they’d get in touch when they had finished the film and it was time for a cast screening (We’re even going to get a copy of the film). I really enjoyed myself- and Stevie joined my agency for free for being a ‘good sport’ 🙂
I’m Cat and I have Hemiplegia. I’m 18 years old and have just finished my A-levels. I have decided to take a gap year in order to give myself time to rest as I am, by my own admission, a stress-head. Another convenient purpose for my gap year is the likely possibility of surgery. So during this year (and hopefully during University, if I decide to go) I can document my life, with a few rants along the way…
I hope to post at least once a week if not more, but no promises. Some of my planned posts will concern disability specifically, and the rest will just be my thoughts, opinions, and life events.
Cat has Hemiplegia... 