Saturday, January 15, 2011

Defining Noah

I'm sure you've heard the expression that "a disability (insert name of  chosen disability here) doesn't define a person." I've said multiple times before that Cerebral Palsy doesn't define Noah. But at times, it does. In a doctor's eyes, Noah is the boy he is treating with CP. In some people (not Noah's teachers) in the school district, Noah is the boy with CP with an IEP. To the person in the state office, making decisions over what medicines Noah should or should not have, he is just a boy with CP who needs an expensive medicine. To some nosey, staring person at the grocery store, Noah is the loud boy in a wheelchair with CP. 


I'm determined as Noah's Mom to not let it define him but sadly at times in some people's eyes it does in some way define him. It is the reason he doesn't talk, it is the reason he doesn't walk, it's the reason for some of his behaviors and what not. To people who don't know Noah he is the boy with CP. 


But to those of us who are lucky enough (really, we are lucky and blessed) to know and love him, he is so much more than a boy with CP. There are so many words that describe and define Noah: baseball player, mischievous, loud, quiet, outgoing, shy, dare devil, Momma's boy, Daddy's buddy, pet owner, reader, and I seriously could go on and on.


Ultimately, CP doesn't define Noah. It is just something he has. It doesn't have him. 

3 comments:

  1. Love you Noahie just the way you are. You are one special guy !!!

    Love
    Aunt Snowy

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  2. I may not have had the fortune to meet Noah yet, but I love him just the way he is. I know diabetes is not the same as CP, but so often people let a disease define who you are. Your determination to have people see Noah as a HUMAN BEING (what he is) and an adorable little boy is admirable and wonderful. Love you both!

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  3. Love your last paragraph! So true of most people who have a "disability" or label. On the other hand, I do know people who want to be defined by their disability and expect everyone to know how much they can't do because of some diagnosis. Unfortunately, In my experience, it is usually those that are truly able to do so much that want to be defined and allow their label to have them.

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