First Post

After reading blogs for months now, I've decided to start my own. I first thought of the idea a couple months after returning home from the hospital with my broken leg. Originally, it seemed like a good idea to document my recovery. A journal that I could look back on when times were better and remind myself how far I had come. As my leg got better and I became busier with life as a new mom (with some physical challenges) I kind of forgot about the idea.

However, within the last couple of weeks I found myself thinking about it again. My son Bennett was recently diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Suddenly rather than searching the Interent for information about broken legs and what to feed a one year old I found myself looking for cerebral palsy. There's a lot out there - most of it scary - wheelchairs, seizures, learning disabilties, pain, surgeries, etc. What I didn't find initially was hope when unfortunately, that's what I was looking for. Hope that somehow this terrifying diagnosis wasn't the end of the world - hope that my son - my perfect, gorgeous, happy little boy - could have a "normal" life - whatever normal means.

Eventually, I did find some hope on the computer. Not in the form of official cerebral palsy agencies, medical websites or scientific articles. I found hope in the blogs. Blogs of parents who deal with cerebral palsy and all the challenges it brings every day. Each blog is different because each child is so different. What they all have in common is that they love their children and cheer them on as they learn to live with challenges most of us can't even imagine.

So why did that inspire me to start a blog? Once again I wanted a journal that I can look back on and remind myself of where Bennett started and how much he accomplishes - I know there will be great things. I also wanted a place where family and friends can keep up to date on his progress with thereapy and cheer him on (ok - and maybe cheer me on too). Maybe along the way, we can give some hope and comfort to someone else.

Life goes on - one day at a time. And today is Monday.