On a Pedestal!

I was born with a disability and I have been through a lot all my life...
So because of that most of my family have and still are putting me up on that pedestal. 
All because I've lived a hard life they think that I need to be treated like royalty, but I don't want to be treated like that I hate it, I just wish they wouldn't do it.
And NO I'm NOT special, yeah I've put up with a lot but I don't want to be known as special, I would love to be known as the person who WENT through a lot but is just an average person!
Apart from being up on that pedestal, I hate it when the close family only remember my birthday and not my younger sisters, when they do that, it's like they're pretty much saying to my sister "oh yeah, happy birthday it's about a month late but you shouldn't have been born". I always get birthday cards early or on time and my sister will be lucky to get two cards (if any) and they are always a week or a month late. 

OR when for example, my partner does my hair and even when I mention what a good job he has done, I'm the only one who gets noticed, they never pass compliments to him.
If I'm in a picture with someone, I include them but I still get all the credit.
It just feels like the people in my life don't matter, all they see is me!

EVERYONE, PLEASE don't just stop and think about what you're doing! I don't want to be the only one who gets noticed, I DON'T want all the attention put on me, I'm JUST the girl with a disability, I just want to step down from being on that pedestal!!!  

Rion Paige Thompson

Rion Paige Thompson

                             

        

Rion Paige Thompson, we all know who she is. A contestant on Xfactor USA, she is a fantastic performer and a brilliant singer, with so much confidence, it puts me to shame haha! 

A 13 year old girl living with a physical disability called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. It is rare, yes, but she doesn't care, she wants the whole world to know how talented she is.
She lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her mum, where she has worked her magic for the locals, now, she will be performing for all people across the globe. 

On the 11th of September 2013, Rion performed Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" and she did it so beautifully that even judge Simon Cowell was struck by her talent, saying, " I think you're literally extraordinary. I really do." Now that is also rare. 

I can remember, my mum saying to me, "Sheree, you have to watch this Rion Paige girl who sung on Xfactor". Well, I didn't have to go far to watch her, nearly all of the statuses on my Facebook NewsFeeds were, "Rion Paige, the 13 year old Xfactor sensation" and below that was a video. I clicked on it and was AMAZED at what I was listening to. I think even Rion is amazed now that she is so popular.
I just went on YouTube and over 1.1 million people have watched this girls amazing talent, there is still more to come Rion.
People have already made a fan page on Twitter and Facebook AND her own nickname, "Rionsaur".

I have Arthrogryposis and like Rion, I have never and will never let my disability get the better of me!

Not only me but I think a lot of younger girls and especially people with disabilities are looking up to you right now. 
Everyone just remember its her voice that is the talent, don't let her disability mask it, she is just courageous enough to stand up on that stage in front of millions and give it all she's got!

In no more then 3 days you have managed to turn the heads of millions across the world.

Best of luck on your journey.
Sheree Clampit 
Xo

Disabled, OR Lazy?

Disabled car parks, they're handy, usually you don't need to worry about a parking time limit and they're close to the location.
You know, they're very convenient when you're in a hurry, aren't they?
Well as amazing as it sounds, disabled car parks are for people who are in wheelchairs and require the extra space, find it hard to walk long distances and SOME of the older generation.
Disabled car parks are for DISABLED PEOPLE, you are required to have a VALID Disabled Parking Permit and you must have it displayed when you park in a Disabled car park.

The Blog Review today is about who IS and who ISN'T allowed to park in a Disabled car park.
There are so many who park in Disabled car parks who DON'T have disabilities. Just because, what? They can't be bothered walking those extra metres to the shops, who think, "oh, I'll only be a couple of minutes". Those "couple of minutes" could have really helped someone else who needed it more.

When there are people like this, it makes it hard for others who are actually disabled because there are judgemental people who think, "oh you don't look disabled, you shouldn't have parked here".

Solution?
When you're about to park in a Disabled car park, just think, "oh, no I won't be lazy, I'll park somewhere else, another person might need this more than me".
It never hurt anyone to walk a few more minutes.
This way everyone will be happy, you won't get abused and the other person will be able to use the shopping car park without struggling.

If you would like to share your opinion, I'd be happy to read it.


   

Stare, Bully, Or, Ask?

This Blog Post is being written because of an incident that happened just the other day. A little boy pointed at me saying ''Mum, look'', and all the mother did was look at me with a smile and reply with a ''Yeah''.
This little boy was old enough to learn.
The only time this is accepted is when the child is no older than three years old.

Now, I wasn't entirely sure if she was being nice to me, embarrassed by her son, or she doesn't know how to teach her son manners when he sees a person with a disability.
If she was being nice to me that's fine!


So the whole reason for this Blog Post is, what would you ask, do when you see a disabled person?

Quite frankly, us disabled people don't mind it if others ask questions, it just needs to be in the right context.
You can ask questions without being rude. There is absolutely no excuse for children/ adults being rude, there are even some children with disabilities that are rude to others and they get away with it because the parents say something like ''oh they have a learning disability they can't help it'', or ''they have a high case of Autism, they don't understand''.
Even adults are rude, when they go out of their way to get in view so they can stare at someone "Different". 
That is UNACCEPTABLE, I apologise if the next thing I say offends anyone but it has to be said.
One day your child all grown up might go too far and break the law, you can't say to the law ''oh they have Autism, they don't understand'', they will NOT care. If not that, something worse could happen. They could say the wrong thing to the wrong person and end up six feet under, now, your excuses for your child can't take that situation back.        
I'm not telling you how to raise your child, but if you're a parent with constant excuses for them, you ARE setting them up for FAILURE. If you teach them that its rude to stare, instead, ask the person a question nicely then you could be keeping them from getting in trouble.

Disabled people/"Normal" people would like it much better if questions were asked.

Would you Stare?
There are two types of staring, good and bad. If you stare while you're walking at the same time, that kind of body language is you trying to say ''Woah, look at that'', so please don't do that.
Then there is good staring, when you look, smile and look away.

Being Obvious?
Being obvious is when you're whispering into someones ear and looking directly at the other person, they know you're talking about them, so why try and hide?

And theres just being plain rude...
When people are sitting there calling another person horrible names, making sure they are talking loud enough. Everyone has feelings!

If you are curious to know why a person is the way they are, just ask but just make sure you ask the question in the context, thats all you need to do.
We love questions AND we love giving answers.

The reason why I've said all that, is because my parents knew that even though I have a disability, I should be treated like everyone else and to be taught right from wrong, I've been through a lot but I know that being rude to other will get you hurt! 

To the positives...
Its a great feeling when someone inspires others to do something in their lives. When people give others compliments when they have achieved so much and deserve everything great in their path.
I absolutely love those people who have been through so much but are still so strong.
When someone makes another person happy.   

Just one compliment to someone could change their whole day.           

I hope you have enjoyed reading and I welcome all haters to express their opinions...

Love "Unique"!

I want all the people that read this to tell me, are you self conscious? And what is it that you're self conscious about? Is it your voice? The way you look? The way you walk?... 

Whatever it is, share with me your imperfections that you have trouble loving.

You are probably wondering why you should Love "Unique"? 

Just thinking about it now, I probably have at least 9 or 10 scars all over my whole body from various surgical procedures. 

It can be hard to hide them, can't it? 

While I was growing into my teenage years, say, 13-15, I would consistently use creams that would mask my scars, pack the make up on and wear clothes so that my body was hidden.

Now that I've gotten older, I don't look like a ''cake face'' and I don't look like a nun but don't dress like I'm wanting to get lucky either. 

I have my family, friends and my partner who love me the way I am.

It helps to be around people who aren't shallow or vein, be around people who appreciate you and remember that your family are always your support.

Pitbull always wears his sunglasses and Bruno Mars always wears his hat in music videos, people wouldn't know them without their trademark.

Treat your imperfections as a unique part of you, hell, they are YOUR trademark, like Pitbull and Bruno Mars, people wouldn't know you without yours. Just remember, you can't let your imperfections control you,  but you can embrace them!                

Raising Awareness.

Sunday 30th of June is Arthrogryposis Awareness Day!

An unborn baby not moving properly during fetal development causes Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. For proper joint development to happen a baby has to move its limbs. When a joint doesn't move for a long period of time, it gets stuck and contracted. Why a baby fails to move its joints? Depending on the type of AMC. In Amyoplasia (a non-genetic type), for example, it happens when the muscles fail to develop. (A genetic type) Escobar Syndrome, the messages that impact a person's muscle movement is affected, when the message isn't able to get through very well it makes it more difficult for them to move! Common joint contractures in Arthrogryposis include: Clubbed feet or vertical talus, extended (straight) or flexed knees, dislocated and/or externally rotated hips, internally rotated shoulders, extended or flexed elbows, flexed wrists, adducted thumbs (stuck-in-palm), fingers fisted or extended! Arthrogryposis cannot be cured, but it is treatable! Usually the goal of treatment is to make a person as independent as possible in activities of daily living (ADL's). ADL’s are those things you do every day to take care of yourself (eating, dressing, ect), without treatment we find it difficult to do these daily activities.
So please spread the word to raise more awareness, so people know what we really are about.

Please wear Blue to show support and to spread the word...

Mother Of The Century

Mother Of The Century.

Now I wrote this a while ago, it was a letter written to the Australian of The Year for this year. I would've liked for my mum to have been accepted. I hope you like what I have said. 

Mrs Lorraine Clampit is a 46-year-old Female, a Mother of two daughters, a wife, a daughter, a sister and a 'Personal Care Attendant'. 
In 1994 her first daughter was born at the Mercy Hospital For Women, but having said that, she was also born with a unique condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. It is a very rare disability which meant that there was not a lot the medical experts could do witj not very updated tools and research sources to work with. Only 1 in 17,000 in Australia are born with the disability. 

   My Mum on the left and me on the right.

Lorraine and her husband Tony were already aware of the disability before their daughter was born but their information was still a little unknown. They were told that she may not make it alive after the birth, Lorraine was told that she had the choice to abort her daughter or give birth to her with the chance that she may be still born. 
Lorraine and Tony decided to take the chance of keeping their daughter and go through with the pregnancy. 

On 11th of March 1994, Sheree Jenifer Clampit was born and miraculously she was alive with terrific working lungs. 
Sheree had many difficulties as a baby, such as feeding, it took 4 hours to feed Sheree because she was born with a hole on the roof of the inside of her mouth (Cleft Palate). Lorraine had a lot to contend with. 

Sheree’s first surgery was at 4 months old and that was to fix her mouth so she could eat properly, fixing her hands as they were bent into the back of her wrists. 
The biggest surgery procedure was straightening her hips and knees as her hips were uneven and knees were turned in towards her back. 
Sheree had plaster from the waist down so every two weeks Lorraine and Tony's mother Jenifer would bathe the plaster off Sheree, then Lorraine would have to drive to The Royal Children’s Hospital so Sheree could get a new set of plaster.
This procedure went on until Sheree was 4 years old and it was hard for Lorraine to keep her in Kindergarten for long periods of time.
While Sheree was growing up, she needed to learn how to walk so Tony and his best friend Craig would always help Sheree with her walking.
Lorraine and Tony had to live separate lives so Lorraine was allegeable for the 'Single Parenting Pension' from 'Centrelink' because they had rejected her from receiving a ‘Carer Pension’. 
On a number of occasions, Centrelink had told Lorraine that Sheree’s disability wasn’t severe enough, even 5 letters from Sheree’s orthopaedic surgeon were rejected.
While Tony moved closer to Melbourne, Lorraine had no choice but to move into Tony’s parents house just to get some extra support because money was hard to make for the both of them. 
In the year 2000 it was time for Sheree to start school and she needed a motorised wheelchair, as she still couldn't walk on her own. 
Lorraine had to fight to get it funded and in time for Sheree to use at school.
When enrolling Sheree at school, Lorraine was experiencing a lot of discrimination and bullying because the school had never had a student such as Sheree and they were scared of liability if something was to happen. 
Lorraine didn't give up fighting for her daughter getting an education and with her strong words she won her fight.
Lorraine had started a job to keep the income flowing in, as Sheree's surgeries were still very frequent. At that time, Tony and his friend Graig managed to get Sheree walking, which, her surgeon was in disbelief that she would ever walk. 
Every month Lorraine and Tony would drive to RCH for a new surgical procedure and of course it was hard to keep Sheree in school. 

In 2001 the family was blessed with another daughter and she was born at the Sunshine Hospital, they named her 'Natalie Jane Clampit. Lorraine got very sick during the pregnancy and gained an under active thyroid and when Natalie was born she was diagnosed with an over active thyroid and was also born with a turned eye. 

With Sheree's hospital check ups and Natalie's sickness, Lorraine needed to apply for the 'Carers Payment' from Centrelink, but Centrelink being the legends that they are Lorraine was denied again and they were both back to square one. 
Five years later, Lorraine never gave up, kept applying for the Carers Pension and by 2006 Centrelink finally accepted the application and Lorraine was receiving the payments she was entitled to. 
As Lorraine was getting payments, she was able to focus on her two daughters. 
Natalie had been taking thyroid medication for quite a while. 
Lorraine had a feeling that Natalie was getting sicker from the medication she was taking, expressing her concerns to the doctor, they told her to keep giving Natalie the medication. After a few months Lorraine refused to keep giving the medication to Natalie and she started getting better. 
In 2007 Sheree started high school and Natalie was starting primary school. 
Sheree was still using the wheelchair so Lorraine knew she would have to fight for a school bus with a hydraulic lift. 
There was another complication and Lorraine was again going to win the battle. 
The local council were going to make Sheree attend another school rather than the one that she wanted to go to. 
Lorraine wasn't going to accept their request and managed to get herself, Sheree, a person from Infrastructure and a bus driver sitting on a bus, that was supplied for Sheree and her wheelchair. 
The local newspaper took a photo and it was published telling people that Lorraine was successful in getting a bus with a ramp. 
When Sheree started at Gisborne Secondary School and the time that Sheree spent in the classroom out of her wheelchair, the school wanted Sheree to wear the required shoe wear but they were too heavy for her, she was born with clubbed feet, so, what the? The school were told about Sheree's issues. 
With the many arguments that Lorraine had with the school about the shoe wear, she couldn't persuade them. 
A few months into school Sheree broke her arm from tripping up from the heavy shoes, the school was never made liable for their ignorance. 
In 2008 - 2009 Sheree was getting 'bed sores' from sitting in her chair too long. 
The high school wouldn't let Sheree get out of her chair because again they were scared of liability. 
Lorraine had to fight the school so that Sheree could get a few hours out of her chair as walking was her physio. 
Late 2009 and early 2010, Sheree was getting bullied from students and even the teachers, most people from that school were unintelligent. 
With the many letters and meetings she had with the principal, the aide co-ordinator and Lorraine’s legal representative the school did nothing to solve the problem. 
In August 2010 Sheree left school and did a photography course from home. 
In 2011 the family moved to Wodonga Victoria for a fresh start. Lorraine found a new job as a Personal Care Attendant. Tony found a job working in the mines in Queensland. 
Sheree attended TAFE studying VCAL finishing her year 11 and 12. 
In mid 2011, Sheree was nominated for a Courage Award, Sheree’s best friend Brooke went on the Pride Of Australia website that was made by The Herald Sun and nominated her to be accepted. 
Sheree had received a phone call from The Herald Sun telling her that she had been nominated. 
In August 2011, Sheree and Brooke went to the Pride Of Australia event in Melbourne, there were many people that had been nominated for all different categories. 
In 2012 Sheree studied Certificate IV in Youth Work. She is now living in Adelaide, SA with her partner Chris, studying Wedding Planning and loving her independent life.
Now Natalie is in year 6 at school and is participating in Hip-Hop Classes and really loving it. 
Although there have been a lot of complications, Lorraine has still had much support from her close friends and family members and that’s what matters the most. 
Because of Sheree’s friend Brooke, the family could not be more grateful for the new people they have met with Arthrogryposis. 
Lorraine is so grateful that Chris came into Sheree's life because now she can live an independent life. Lorraine loves Chris like her own son. Just because they never stopped fighting for the things that are important, Sheree is now going to keep fighting for what she deserves. 
All Lorraine and her family ask is if you (the reader), family and friends support her and just acknowledge the barriers and acheivements she has had to face. 
As Lorraine’s daughter Sheree and the writer of this letter. I’d like to say to people out there, never ever stop fighting in what you believe in, the chances are you could win every time if you fight hard enough.

Yours Sincerely,
The Clampit Family.