Growing up not knowing I had cerebral palsy, meant I had no standard or base line, from which I could judge by experiences, or which I could work from.
Not knowing anything about my disability, meant that it was also difficult to explain how my symptoms presented in everyday life, just what people saw and then how they chose to deal with me.
Even through having no standard or base line to work from, that has been far easier than dealing with other people’s attitudes, in my life, what I've had to endure and their lack of understanding and patience towards me with what I deal with, around my disability.
But whatever anyone deals with, whether they have a base line to work from or not, there has to be an element of empathy, tolerance and compassion. If the shoe were on the other foot, it's what others would expect from us.
I imagine that growing up was difficult for you, not least because no one understood the real you and to a certain extent not even you. At least you are now able to tick that box.
As a society we should all exhibit empathy, tolerance and compassion to one another.
Thanks. It was impossible. No one understand the real me because no one wanted to understand or help me. From an early age I understood and would while away the hours working everything out.
I understood too much about myself. That's where the anger and frustration came from. There was no where for the anger and frustration to go.
Even with my own struggles I would never choose to put anyone through what others clearly put me through. Years on and I'm still working through things on my own.