Name: Ryan Layton
Location: US

I was born with mild spastic Cerebral Palsy. I'm hemiplegic, so only the right side of my body was affected. I really don't care anymore, though. I'm not going to be angered by this turn of events, becase there isn't anything I can do about what happened. All anyone with CP can do is overcome it. That's what I did.

I am now 16 years old and a junior in a regular public high school. When I was younger my right leg was drasticly weaker than my left. Now I can't tell a diference in strength between the two. My right arm and hand have always been the biggest problem. When I was younger I always had my hand in a fist and held it up on my chest like the common stereotype of a retard. When I was four years of age I underwent surgery and they cut open my right hand, between the thumb and the index finger, and my wrist to loosen the tendons, which allowed me to open my hand and move it more freely. It took a lot of time to train myself to keep my arm down and to learn how to use my right hand. I remember being called names like 'handyman' when I was younger.

Now I lead the normal life of a 16 year old. I don't ask for any sympathy, and I don't get any. I often forget I even have CP. I am very happy with my life, though, so if you have CP don't ever believe you can't have a normal life. I have a job, a car, I'm in advanced classes, and I have a lot of friends. I've even had girlfriends. So live your life to the fullest and do everything that you want to do. And if there is a man who ever says you can't, then damn the man.

Ryan (ryno9@hotmail.com)