Transfers + Adaptive Sports

Dear Nicholas,

Thank you for being patient in waiting for my reply the last couple weeks. I have been very busy with soccer. First, we had an international tournament with teams from Canada. We all had a lot of fun. You can read about our international tournament if you want to. Then, we had more games against a local city. I had to play some games and even coach my Division 2 team all weekend. It has been a lot of fun, but also exhausting!

When I get into a car I need to have someone carry me from my wheelchair to the car. Most of my friends have vans that have ramps built-in. In these cases, I can drive my wheelchair up the ramp. There are spots in the vans to tie my wheelchair to the floor, like seat belts for the wheelchair.

At a fair it is very similar. Most rides I will need my friends or family to carry me on or off. Some rides have spots for wheelchairs to ride. They will have a ramp leading to these spots. This is more common on a large merry-go-round.

I cannot lift a bowling ball because it is much too heavy for me. At bowling alleys, many of them have accessible bowling. There is a piece of equipment they put at the front of the lane. It looks like a big ramp! Someone puts the ball at the top of the ramp and then I can position the ramp to angle it to hit the pins. When I'm ready, instead of throwing the ball, I push the ball off the ramp and it rolls down the lane!

There are many ways to adapt or change a sport for people with disabilities to participate. You just need to be creative and inclusive!

hi its nicholas how do you go on rides in a fair or bowling and how do you go into a car.

Immigration

Dear Kaylee,

I can't imagine how difficult it is for you and your family to have your father deported. You are a strong young girl to share your story with me. Thank you.

Communion

Dear Windeliz,

Congratulations! I hope you had a great time at your communion party. It sounds like you were expecting a lot of people from your family to come support you. It's always so much fun for me to get together with my family, and I hope you enjoyed yourself.

Lawyer v. Policy Analyst

Dear Zachary,

I am not a lawyer. I am a policy analyst. It is sometimes difficult to understand the differences between the two, but I will try my best to explain:

A lawyer defends the law.
A policy analyst evaluates if the law meets goals.

A lawyer will try to preserve people's rights by convincing a judge that laws were made for the purpose of those rights.
A policy analyst will think about the laws and decide how they could be written to do a better job of preserving people's rights.

A lawyer may advocate to change certain laws.
A policy analyst will write drafts of new laws.

I have specifically worked to analyze the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug program. Medicare provides health insurance to older adults and some people with disabilities. Their new program to cover some costs of some medications was considered not good for a lot of people. I collected data on the program, analyzed the data, and made recommendations to the government to change parts of the program. The government agency that administers Medicare liked one of my ideas and made those changes.

Right now I work on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for my local city government. I help to make sure the city web site is accessible and follows the law for providing access to people who have disabilities (such as the blind, Deaf, and people who cannot use a mouse or keyboard). I also work on emergency preparedness and response programs for my city. I was involved in a large team of people who evaluated all of the programs we have for providing assistance during a disaster (including the alarm systems, shelters, and evacuation transportation). I was able to help draft the new policy that will tell the city how to create emergency services that are accessible to all people.

Immigration

Hi Kendra,when my father came to this country he was an ilegal person. He came with no papers so he had to go to court. But he was scared to go to court. He went to the place were people get their plates the cars. One day when I went to school and the police came for him. My father got debordid back to his country it has been 2 years that I haven't seen him.
From,
Kaylee

First Communion

Hi Kendra,
It is Windeliz. This Saturday at 9:40am I have my first communion and after my communion I am going to have a party can you belive that $600 to rent a place for the party and $300 for the cake. Later that Saturday I am singing with my grandma,brothers, and cousins for all the mothers aunts and grandmas at 6:00pm at church. From Windeliz,

disability laws

Dear Kendra,

Hi,this Zachary. A little bird told me that you're a famous lawyer, could you please tell me some laws you made in the past in California concerning disablities.

P.S. The little bird is Mrs. Crozzoli!
P.S.S. I forgot what I was about to say!





Sincerely, Zachary!

Life Is Change

Dear Cherokee,

Survival in life is based on the ability to adapt to changes. Everything in your life will change. You begin as a very small infant and grow into a toddler. From there you become a child, pre-teen, teenager, adult, and grow into old age. Through out the journey of life you are changing both physically and mentally. You may also change where you live, the clothes you wear, or your friends. If we could not adapt and accept these changes, we would not survive.

Having a disability is another form of adapting to changes in life. At one time I could walk. Then it became painful and very challenging. I adapted to this by using a wheelchair. When I first got my wheelchair, I could walk a little and could be independent with things such as getting in and out of bed or taking a shower. Now I cannot do those things alone and I have adapted by hiring attendants to help me.

Perhaps you can call this "getting used to" my disability. It is my life and it is all I know. I have adapted and accepted these changes because I value living my life with the highest quality. I must find ways to adapt to changes so that I can work, play power soccer, and be with my friends and family.

Even though I have adapted to my disability and my personal situation, there are some days I think about the past. It isn't always comfortable to wait for someone to help me use the toilet. I wish I could have the privacy of using the restroom alone. It's also difficult to sleep in late on weekends because my attendants work on a schedule. I love sleeping, so I miss being able to wake up late on Saturday morning. I can still do these things, just in a different way. I miss the times when I didn't need to rely on others for the little things.

ADHD

Dear Danny,

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not a "mental disability." A "mental disability" does not exist. There are mental health disabilities (such as depression, anxiety disorder, or schizophrenia) and cognitive disabilities. Cognitive disabilities affect the intellectual functioning (brain development) and often times physical behavior development. Physical behavior development means a delay related to the ability to learn basic physical tasks such as caring for yourself.

Some people think about ADHD as a cognitive disability. This is because doctors believe ADHD is related to different brain functioning that also affects the ability to control your behavioral activity. With ADHD, the behavioral activity level is very high and this is why you may experience challenges with sitting calm for long periods of time. Participating in sports sounds like a great way for you to channel the extra energy you find from your ADHD!

The majority of people with ADHD, however, do not think it is a cognitive disability. They call it a learning disability. Having a learning disability does not mean that you cannot learn. It means that you learn in different ways than most people. Individuals with learning disabilities can be extremely smart people! For example, the following is a list of historical individuals who were diagnosed with ADHD:

Pablo Picasso (Artist)
Vincent Van Gogh (Artist)
Emily Dickinson (Poet)
Edgar Allen Poe (Poet)
Wolfgang Mozart (Musician)
Bill Gates (Microsoft Founder)
Christopher Columbus (Explorer)
Jim Carrey (Actor)
Robin Williams (Actor)
Albert Einstein (Physicist)
John F. Kennedy (Former U.S. President)

However you want to personally define your disability (cognitive or learning) it okay. The label is not important. What is important is that you recognize and accept your disability and get the appropriate accommodations. It sounds like you are doing a great job with finding your accommodations by seeing a therapist and being active in sports!

living your life

Hi Kendra,
My name is Cherokee,and i have been meaning to ask you a question about your disability and your life. Since you have discovered that you have had a disability, have you gotten use to having it? And if you haven't can you tell me what part about it that is painful to you and or something yo can't stand?




Sincerely,
Cherokee Henry!

Disabilities

Hi, my name is Danny. My brother Nick has a mental disabilitie to.He has ADHD. My brother is a very smart kid but but he needs a little self control and so do I but i'm working in it with my thearapist, my parents and Mrs.Crozzoli. Can a mental disabilitie such a ADHD be related to a physical disabilitie? Me and my brother are very athletic kids and love to use up energy.

Thank You,
Danny

Change in Thinking

Dear Bailey,

I'm glad that you are learning about people with disabilities, and that you believe you are a smarter person because of it. I'm not exactly sure what question it is you wanted to ask of me. I will do my best to attempt to answer what it is I think you wanted to know.

I stopped walking when I was 14 years old right after my spinal surgery. However, I got my first wheelchair was I was 8 years old. I used this wheelchair to play outside with my sister and friends, but when I was inside I would walk around. This is because my muscles would become very tired from walking a lot, so it was helpful to have a wheelchair outside where the games often involved walking, running, or moving around a great deal. Before I had my wheelchair, I had to think about how far I needed to walk and if there were places I could rest along the way. I had to keep in mind that I fell down a lot easier than other kids and couldn't play some of the same games, such as tag or sports.

When I got my wheelchair, and even now when I am able to use my wheelchair all day long (outside and inside), I don't need to consider the length of travel. I could roll down the sidewalk in my wheelchair without getting tired. I could play tag with my friends because I wouldn't fall down if they tagged my arm too rough.

However, now that I am a wheelchair user I have to think about other things: Are the places I want to go accessible? Does the bus have a ramp or lift to get me on? What accommodations will I need to ask for? Will my friends who are blind or Deaf need accommodations or special access, too? How can I ask for these accommodations? I didn't have to think about these things without a wheelchair.

Most of the change in my thinking is related to accessibility and disability. It is easier for me to think about these topics because I live it every day. I hope that with Disabilities Awareness Month and this blog you all will begin to think about accessibility and disabilities more often, so that all people with be accepted just as who they are and we will all be equal human beings.

thanks and thinking

Hi Kendra! My name is Bailey. I would just like to say thank you for blogging us. I have learned so much about you and disabilities.It has taught me to be a smarter person. I appreciate all you did for us.I would like to ask you how you thought before you used a wheelchair and now? Or if it hadn't changed at all?

Birthday & Sleep

Dear Olivia,

Happy belated birthday! I love birthdays. On my birthday I like to eat cake and have a party with my friends and family. My birthday is in July and I love to swim, so I try to find a place to go swimming. I like to go to the movies or a restaurant. Sometimes I will go dancing. One year my husband brought me camping in the woods and we went swimming in the lake. Another year, we went skydiving! I don't think my disability has limited what I do for my birthday.

There isn't a special way in which I sleep, but I do use a special bed. I do not move my legs very often, so my muscles and joints become stiff and painful. My bed is made of a very soft material that is designed for people with disabilities to help cause less pressure on my joints. My bed also adjusts to sit up and bend at the knees, so I can choose to sleep in a different position. I will use a pillow under my knees to keep my legs bent. Laying completely flat for too long will cause more pain so my adjustable bed and pillows help to bend my legs so I can sleep comfortably.

Some people with disabilities have beds that also elevate from the floor. This feature helps them to transfer on their own so they can stand up from the bed without too much difficulty when it is raised up, or get into bed easier when it is not raised.

Things I Do

Dear Emmanuel,

I can do almost everything any other person can do. Sometimes I do these things in a different way, but I can still complete the task. For example, I may not be able to walk or run using my legs but my power wheelchair can walk for me. I can go very fast in my wheelchair and it is similar to running. Most people with disabilities use technologies for assistance. These things are called adaptive equipment. Adaptive equipment helps us to adapt to situations when our bodies cannot do it alone. Many people with disabilities also use other people for help. We hire them to meet us during the day to do things with us. These people are called attendants. My attendants help me to move from my bed to my wheelchair, dry my hair, reach things in my kitchen cabinets, and help me in many areas of life.

One thing I can do that the average person cannot do is play power soccer! You must have a disability to play power soccer.

I usually entertain myself in ways similar to you or your friends. I like to use the Internet, text on my cell phone, hang out with my friends, and listen to music. Remember: people with disabilities are people first. We have similar interests as non-disabled people and enjoy the same kinds of activities.

When I go out, maneuvering through crowds can sometimes be difficult. People often do not see me because they do not always look down. You are not very tall when you sit down all the time! It's also difficult to see where I'm going when there are crowds everywhere and I cannot see over their heads. I will have my friends or husband help me by asking people to move out of my way.

Power Soccer

Dear Arielle,

My local team is in Berkeley, California. We are sponsored by the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP). We are called the BORP Bay Earthquakes. We chose this name because we live near the bay and are known for having a lot of earthquakes in the area. Our cheer is "Shake them up, Earthquakes!"

My team has three women, including myself, and four men. We are all between 22 years old and 37 years old. Some people have been playing power soccer for over 20 years, while others are new to the sport and have played for less than one year.

Each year power soccer has four regional tournaments and one national tournament. The top three teams from each regional will go on to compete in the national tournament. The BORP Bay Earthquakes placed second in the Western Regional Tournament last month. In June we will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana to compete in the national tournament to try to win the title of best local team in the country!

Hi Kendra

Hi, I'm Olivia
I was curious about how you sleep. Since you are limited to some things, I was wondering if there is a special way you sleep.
Also, since you had this disability for a long time, i was wondering because my birthday was this week, if your disability limited things you can do on your birthday.

Hi, its Emmanuel, I was wondering what things can you do that the average American can do, and what can you do that the average American can not do? Also, I was wondering how do you sleep, travle, and entertain yourself? Most importanly, how do you get through tight spaces and/or crowds?

power soccer

Hi Kendra it's Arielle I learned a lot more about people with disabilities during Disabilities Awareness Month and it was a lot of fun. Then when Mrs.Crozzoli told us that you did a sport and told us it was called powere soccer and I thought that was cool and we also now know what your team is for the national but what is the name of your local team?

Your Friend,
Arielle

Spinal Surgery

Dear Nelson,

My SMA causes my muscles to be very weak. The muscles around my spine were weakened and my spine was not able to hold itself up straight. My spine started to curve. This is called scoliosis. I had the option to have metal rods placed next to my spine to try to straighten it or do nothing. If I did nothing, my spine would keep bending. The twists and curves in my spine caused a lot of pain and made it difficult to breathe. When I was 14 years old I decided surgery was the best option for me. The metal rods have helped to make my spine more straight.

Scoliosis can happen in anyone, not just people with disabilities. When your doctor asks you to bend over to touch your toes, he is often looking at your spine to see if there are any curves. Many people do not have spinal surgery to straighten their back from scoliosis. As long as you and your doctor believe you are healthy and living a high quality of life, you may not need to have surgery at all.

Reaching High Things

Dear Chrisheena,

You asked me a great question! Reaching items from my kitchen cabinets or even at the store when I go shopping is a daily challenge that most people don't think about. In my kitchen I am unable to reach the cabinets. I keep a shelf in the corner of my kitchen that carries necessary food items. This shelf is on the ground and about three feet high. I have a second shelf that holds my plates, bowls, and cups. In this manner, I can be independent and make myself food when I'm home alone.

In my kitchen cabinets I keep extra supplies or items that I cannot cook by myself. My husband or attendants will help me to reach these things when I need them.

When I am shopping, store employees are helpful and assist me to reach things on the top shelves. If I cannot find a worker, there are usually shoppers nearby in the store that I ask for help. Most people are very nice and will help me.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

Dear Nicole,

I have a disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This is a genetic disability and means I was born with it. SMA is a progressive disability. That means the effects of SMA show themselves more as time goes by. For example: I have been a person with a disability my entire life, but didn't notice it until I was about seven years old. I became more tired as I walked and eventually began to use a wheelchair. Now I cannot walk at all and use my wheelchair for mobility all the time.

My SMA is unique to me. That is something very interesting about disability. Not everyone is affected in the same way. I have friends with SMA that did not notice symptoms of being a person with a disability until they were over age 30, and others who were born without the ability to walk.

Not all people are born with their disability. Some people acquire their disability later in life. This can happen from an accident that causes injury to your head, neck, or spine. This is why it's important to wear your seat belt in a vehicle and protective gear when you play a sport.

Format of Our Blog

Dear Mrs. Crozzoli's Fifth Grade Class,

Thank you for writing three posts to me already! I am thrilled that you are participating in what will be a great dialogue.

Let me take a moment to emphasize that it is important to spell check and re-read your work before you post a blog. You may even want to review your post two or more times to make sure that your ideas are written in a way that makes the most sense.

Regarding the format of this blog:

I will create a new post to respond to each student's questions. I will try my best to answer your questions in the order they were received and as quickly as possible. I may also post to the entire class once in a while when I have exciting news to share.

Speaking of exciting news, tomorrow will begin the first day of Power Soccer Team USA Training Camp #2! If you have been following along with power soccer, the United States will compete in the World Cup competition in October 2011. Twelve (12) power soccer athletes were chosen to be a part of the 2011 Team USA to defend the United States' World Championship title, which was won at the 2007 World Cup!

I am so excited to see my teammates again, who live all over the country. We practice by ourselves each week. Every three months, we travel together to train for three days. Our practices are intense since we don't see each other often; and I will be at the gym from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. each day. At 5 P.M. we have dinner together and then have meetings and team building activities at the hotel we stay at until 10 P.M. Since I will be at this training on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week, I will not be able to respond to any new posts until Monday. I will try my best to make photos and share with you fun stories of my training camp.

If you want to learn more about Team USA, you can visit our website!

Hi Kendra, I wanted to now why you had surgery on your back.

From your friend Nelson

Hi it is Chrisheena and i was wondering how is it trying to get stuff out of your cabinets and how do you get stuff off the top of the store your food pantrie.Do you have any thing to ask me .

Hey Kendra it's Nicole. I had a lot of fun learning about disibility awarness month, but I still have a few questions about you. I would like to know when this disability started? Hope to blog you back.

Your Friend,
Nicole.

Welcome to Our Blog

Dear Mrs. Crozzoli's Fifth Grade Class,

I am so excited to hear that you all learned about Disabilities Awareness Month last October! I hope you enjoyed my video as much as I enjoyed making it for you. I understand that some of you may have questions about disability and about me. This is a place for you to ask those questions and I will respond. It is my hope that this blog will help you to better understand disability.

Before we begin our blog, it is important that you all use the Internet safely. Please remember these very important rules when you are posting a blog or chatting on the Internet:

1. Keep your personal information safe. Do not give out your full name, photographs, home or school address to anyone. The information you share on the Internet can not be erased. Anyone will be able to find it.

2. Use proper grammar when you post a blog. It may be appropriate when you're chatting with friends to use Internet lingo, but when you write a blog or publish another type of written work it is essential to use proper English. Misuse of communications leads to misunderstandings.

3. Always be respectful. You will have a different opinion from some people in this world. It is important that we all learn to work together. Let's use our differences to find common ground and work toward common goals!

Lastly, please obey your classroom rule and only post to this blog during school hours. If you have a question for me that you think of while you're at home, write it in a notebook and bring it to class the next day. I will not encourage breaking the rules by replying to anyone who posts from home without permission.

I look forward to reading all of your posts. Happy blogging!