My Early Years

             Hello everybody!   Once again, thank you for the tremendous feedback that I have received.  It means a whole lot to know that people are actually enjoying my posts!  Not to mention, the positive response is motivating me to continue posting. Thus, as promised, I’m back writing for this month’s post.  Instead of skipping to the present, I thought it would be a good idea to just continue writing about my life a few years at a time.

Those who read my last post know that I had just finished up discussing my mom’s pregnancy and entry into this world. This left my parents in a tough position as nobody knew what to expect with my development.  All that was certain was that I was home, alive and well.  I have to add that, for what it’s worth, being able to do things that people don’t expect me to be able to do is something that keeps me going.  Nothing is better than showing what I can do and experiencing the surprise of others!

 After I was settled in at home, I began therapy and rehabilitation.  First, I was in an Early Intervention program. Early Intervention is a system of service that helps infants to learn basic skills such as crawling and eating.  Once I had learned the basics,   I was shifted to a main stream approach.  Essentially, I was grouped with my peers.  At that point, I was enrolled in the “Co-Op”—The Barbara M. Tufts Cooperative Pre-School.  This was one of the most enjoyable experiences in my life.  At the Co-Op,   I was welcomed with open arms, and even had my first encounter with my trusty tool, the computer! 

After completing my time at the Co-Op, I was called up to the big leagues—Meadowbrook.  My Meadowbrook years went by really fast.   I learned so much and made many friends.  At Hanaford, I continued to grow and became active in the school. My last year in Hanaford, 6th grade was one of my biggest years as I won the Student Council Presidential Election. I was very lucky to have great teachers who really cared about me and my development.  One of the great things about living in a small town like EG is that you get to know everyone. The familiarity helps me to feel more comfortable in my own skin.

During these years of my life, I had a lot of different therapies to help me with my CP.  I was given physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.  I have to say that I wasn’t always excited to do all the therapies I needed but they really have helped me. 

Next month, I will blog about becoming a teenager.  Like I said, I would blog more, but my homework is keeping me busy. It's all good though.

 Thanks again for the continued support!

Michael