My brother Mark......

Hi there everyone, it's Michael here.  Today I want to introduce you to and tell you more about my twin brother Mark.  Here's a picture of us together.

As I have told you, Mark is my twin brother, except he has something called Cerebral Palsy (CP for short).  CP is a developmental disability that affects Mark's ability to control his movement.   The muscles in Mark's mouth, hands, and legs are affected.  He has to use a wheelchair to get around, and he just loves the freedom it gives him.   He calls it his "cruiser!"


In addition to muscle stiffness, the kind of Cerebral Palsy Mark has can cause muscle seizures.  That's why he wears a helmet.  During a seizure, he might fall out of his chair and hit his head.  Mark say, "I wear this helmet to protect my great brains!"


For Mark, one of the hardest parts of having cerebral palsy is talking, because the muscles in his mouth and throat are stiff.  His words come out slowly and sound slurred, and it is sometimes hard for people to understand what he is saying.  Mark is working with a speech-language pathologist, Ms. J, who helps him learn how to better control his muscles so he can swallow more easily and is able to speak more clearly.


So when I sat down to tell Mark all about the Spread the Word movement and special day (which is tomorrow 3/7/2012) he wanted to hear all about it!

Mark got really excited when I told him about the r-word day.  You see, I've heard people call Mark the r-word, either to him or behind his back.  I know how bad this makes him feel.  Sometimes students do this, sometimes people out in public.  Sometimes it's because they don't know better, but worse sometimes they do!


In fact, I asked Mark about this, and he told me how sad it makes  him feel when someone uses the r-word when talking to him or about him. He said sometimes people are just being plain mean too!


Here he is telling me all about how he feels.  You can see how excited he is!

So please, don't ever use the r-word.  Also, nicely correct anyone you may hear using it too.  Do this for not only Mark, but everyone who had a developmental disability.  It would be one of the best things you could ever do to help them.


Check back again soon.  -Michael

Spread the Word to End the Word (again)......

Happy Monday everyone, it's Michael here.  This week, is the Spread the Word to End the Word day.  March 7, 2012 to be specific.  If you haven't checked out their website yet, the please do check it out.  It is full of great stories, news, activities, downloads and bunches of other stuff.


I told you about Mrs. Jane getting an end the r-word t-shirt the other day.  Here's a picture for you.  I even got to be in the picture!

It's a great shirt, and Mrs. Jane told me she was so very proud to get one for her very own.   Here's Mr. Jay the teacher at the Adult Compensatory Education class at RCCC, showing us the back of the shirt.  Thanks, Mr. Jay for all you do!

If you remember, Mrs. Jane let me model her new t-shirt, but she didn't let me have it.  Bummer!!  Oh well that's all for today.  I'm going to post again this week, to tell you all about my brother Mark, so be looking for that.  Also, Mrs. Jane says this will be a very busy week because some people from CARF are coming to visit us.  They are going to help us with something called "Accreditation."  I know Mr. Rob has been busy helping to get ready, and Mrs. Jane has been really busy with this, so I hope all goes well.  Take care and check back soon.  -Michael. 

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month......

Hey everyone, Micheal here.  Mr. Rob told me I should make a blog post about March being Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.  Thanks to President Ronald Reagan, in 1987 he issued a Presidential Proclamation making it so. 

Mr. Rob said this would be a good picture to post letting everyone know about this.  He said you could find out lots more about this special month by looking at The Arc's website.

In honor of this month, and a special movement called "Spread the Word to End the Word," I am introducing my twin brother Mark.  I will be making a post in a couple of days telling all about Mark.  He is very special to me, and I am proud he is my twin brother.  Check back soon to hear all about him.  -Michael

I went to Knox Middle School......

Hi everyone, it's Michael here.  Welcome back to my blog.  On Friday I got to go with Mrs. Jane to Knox Middle School.  She was going to give presentations on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome to some of the students there.

I want to thank everyone at Knox Middle School for inviting Mrs. Jane, and thanks to Mrs. Jane for taking me.  I learned a lot about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS for short).

Here's Coach Pauley holding me and one of the demonstration babies Mrs. Jane used for her presentation.  Coach is a great guy, and fun to hang out with, but I know he understands the importance in learning about things like FAS.

Here I am sitting in class watching Mrs. Jane.  She did three different classes today.
  

Here I am sitting with a bottle of Vodka.  Mrs. Jane uses this in the FAS presentation, not to drink!!  


Mrs. Jane told us all about FAS and it's effects on unborn children.  It is sad, because this is something that can be completely prevented.  Mr. Rob said if you wanted to know lots more about FAS or FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) to check out the downloads page on the Arc of Rowan's website.  


Thanks for checking in today, and I'll be posting more later.  
--Michael

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(Note:  FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects can include physical, behavioral, mental and/ or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. It is identified by abnormal facial features, central nervous system problems and slowness of growth, and occurs when pregnant women drink alcohol and pass the alcohol along to their unborn babies through the blood stream. FASD can cause physical and mental disabilities of varying levels of severity (including intellectual disability). It is often a hidden disability that is not easily recognizable, making it difficult to provide affected individuals and their families the supports they desperately need.

FASD covers other terms such as: FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome), ARND (Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder), ARBD (Alcohol-Related Birth Defects) and FAE (Fetal Alcohol Effects). FAS is the most identifiable and serious disability under the FASD umbrella, although it only accounts for approximately 25% of all alcohol-related effects. FAE is a term often used to describe someone whose condition does not meet the full criteria for an FAS diagnosis.

The prevalence of FASD is not known. CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) studies have documented FASD prevalence rates ranging from 2 to 15 cases per 10,000 live births. Other prenatal alcohol-related conditions are believed to occur approximately 3 times as often as FASD.)

Children with FASD can have serious lifelong disabilities other than intellectual disabilities, such as learning disabilities and serious behavioral problems. The good news is FASD is not hereditary and only occurs if a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy. In other words, FASD is 100% preventable.

For more information or to schedule a presentation for your class, group, or organization.  Contact The Arc of Rowan's offices @ 704 637-1521 or find us on the web at www.thearcofrowan.org  


Thanks -- Mr. Rob.

Spread the Word to End The Word.......

Hi there everyone.  It's Michael here.  I'm sorry I haven't been posting very much, but Mr. Rob has kept me busy the last couple of months making sure I keep up with my school work.  Major UGH!  


Anyway the last few days I've gotten to go with Mrs. Jane to Knox Middle School for some Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Presentations, and to a meeting with the Rowan Brain Injury Support Group.  I will tell you more about those events in the next couple of days.  I just wanted to explain the new blog look that Mr. Rob helped me with.  


On March 7, 2012, there will be events all over the United States, even here in Rowan County, North Carolina raising awareness about the movement to end using the r-word.  I will tell you more in the next few days.  Be sure to check out Spread the Word to End the Word and read all about it!

Here I am modeling a t-shirt that was presented to Mrs. Jane by the Adult Compensatory Class at RCCC.  


Thanks for checking in today and I will be posting some fun things over the next few days.   --Michael

Another Meeting......

Hi there everyone, it's Michael here.  I hope you have been having a good week.  Last night Mr. Rob took me to a big meeting.  We all got to sit in big comfortable chairs, around some really big tables.  We ate supper, and then all the talking started.  You know, adults sure do talk a lot especially when you feed them first!

Here is a picture of some of the adults eating supper. They didn't  have any cookies for me.  You know how much I love cookies.

I got to sit between Dr. Lyn and Mr. Rob.  They sure did a lot of talking about bylaws (what in the world is a bylaw?), lots and lots of numbers, and just about everything else.  Mr. Rob told me this was the Strategic Planning Meeting for The Arc of Rowan County.  It was where the board members get together to look at the past year, and plan the up-coming year.  

Here is a picture from the back of the room, so you can see how big it is and  how many people where there. Well everyone have a good week and we'll post more later. --Michael

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Mr. Rob here -- The annual Strategic Planning Meeting of The Arc of Rowan County is indeed an important meeting.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for their support and dedication, and look forward to yet another banner year for our agency.  Look for us on the web at:        www.thearcofrowan.org

Thanks, 

Mr. Rob

Christmas Lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Hey there everyone, it's Michael.  I hope everyone had a great Holiday.  I know I sure had fun.  If you remember, I went with the Rowan Brain Injury Support Group to look at Christmas Lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Well the pictures Mrs. Jane took did not do so good.  But Ms. Nadine sent some pictures that did much better, so I asked Mr. Rob to post a few here for you.

Here is a picture of me with the group who when to see the lights. They are a fun group.  Also, there are pictures of the tree they decorated at the Festival of Trees at the speedway.  That was fun too!!  Below are some more pictures.

Many thanks to Ms. Nadine for the pictures.  

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Mr. Rob here with some information about the Rowan Brain Injury Support Group.

They meet the fourth Thursday of each month.   If the meeting is near a holiday, then the group meets a week earlier.   

                                   Location:  Easter Seals Offices, 620 W. Innes St. Salisbury, NC

                                   Contact:  Nadine Cherry, 680-622-7732  email:  NCherry@ctc.net

                                   Mailing Address:  410 W. Garden Street, Landis, NC  28088

Here is the web address for the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina:  www.bianc.net  

Thanks!

Mr. Rob