Name: Barbara Clark
Location: ???

Hi my name is Barbara Sue, I am 47 years old and was born with CP. I was not however diagnosed until I was 2 years old. My parents noticed I couldn't sit or walk properly and started taking me all around Michigan to doctors trying to find out what the problem was. At first the doctors thought I was mentally retarded. Then after two years of searching for answers the doctor finally diagnosed me with cp.

I started my oddysey of wearing braces then. At first day and night. Then at age 9 the doctors at the special ed school I went to decided no more braces - they weren't doing the job. (walked pigeon toed legs bowed.) So I went for two years with out braces. At age l2 surgery was suggested. At first they couldn't decide whether to do heel cord lengthen or something called eggers procedure. The last was performed in 61. The doctors took a muscle and moved it tied it behind my knee to straighten out my legs. This part worked but the end result was nerve damage to left leg and foot. Now I have a drop foot on my left side. Then cast's were put on too tight - they had to split them after they were put on - this caused circulation damage. Ever since I have walked with the aid of crutches. I now get around pretty good. I have balance problems but can drive and do most things on my own.

As far as academics are involved. I started public school but all the kids tried to do everything for me and I didn't like that so my parents put me in a special ed. school. I loved it there but had to stay during the week because the bus wouldn't go to my parents house to pick me up. I stayed for five years in a dorm with two other girls that were deaf. I was like a mother there. For the most part I loved it there. About the only time I got homesick was right after getting out of hospital from surgery and when they put me in for three weeks to evaluate me for walking. I got really homesick then because I went straight from hospital to my school dorm.

My education, in my opinion, at Rackham was very minimal and I had a very hard time academical and socially when I returned back to normal public education. Rackham tried to ease me back into public ed. by taking us to public school two hours every day for first year. However I nearly failed all my classes in public school and hated it so I was put in basic classes till I finally graduated. By then I was l9 yr old - was held back a year when transferred to public school. Like all teenagers I wanted to drive. At first we had a hard time finding a place that would teach disabled people how to drive. But then we found Ann Arbor school sys. and took drivers ed. My father decided to use drivers ed as a leverage to get me to go to college. No college = no drivers ed. it worked but there again troubles began in college. but I finally graduated from Washtenaw Community college.

I was born in Ypsilanti Mi raised in Belleville mi. I have four sisters of whom I am the oldest. I think my sisters have always been a little jealous of attention I have had but they're now over it, I think - now that we have all grown up. My parents are from Kentucky I love it down there and would love to make it my home someday.

I had a lot of problems making friends but am a outgoing type of person who loves to talk and meet people. My father was very strict on us - I only had one date in high school. Never really dated till in mid 20's.

I met my husband through a computer dating service. we talked for hours on the phone then after a week he came to meet me. He asked me to marry him at our first meeting but we waited 6 wks. What can I say? Hormones I guess! We wanted to live together a while and see how it would work out but my parents gave me an ulta matim; them or him - well I chose him. We got married July l2, l980.

We don't have any children - I can't have any. I think this has been the hardest thing I've ever had to cope with. I love children and wanted a house full of them. My husband was married twice before me and has two grown daughters. The oldest one has three children (7, 4, ll) who I call them my grandchildren. We have tried every thing we could to have children but to no avail. You have no idea how many times I've cried over this disappointment.

Barbara S. Clark (Barbie0647@aol.com)


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