The story of Skyy
I have a medical birth defect called mild hemiplegic cerebral palsy. I was born prematurely, which caused my birth defect.Cerebral Palsy is an abnormality of motor function, the ability to move and control movements. It comes in different forms, it can be more severe and have different effects depending on the person. My CP is mild and it effects my whole left side. Growing up I walked differently, I walked on my toes and my leg turned inwards also my muscles in my left side were tight.
I never let my CP stop me, I danced when I was little, I did ballet and tap. As I got older my disability made it harder for me to do sports and walk around for long periods of time
In 6th grade, I had a surgery that would lengthen my heal cord so I would walk flat-footed, and it didn’t work ever well. In 8th grade, I got another surgery, and it was a major surgery for me, I was having 3 surgeries done all at once for me.
Femur rotational osteotomy
Medial hamstring lengthening
Tendo Achilles lengtheningAfter my surgery, I will had a short leg cast (which goes a little below my knee) and a brace that goes from my cast up to the top of my leg and a plate and screws in my femur. I stayed in the ICU for under 48 hours I believe. I was outta school for 8 weeks during this process, I was never in a lot of pain, I just got so bored sitting in a wheelchair, and not being able to move. After 3 weeks, I went back to the hospital for a cast/brace change and measuring for an AFO brace that I would receive after 6 weeks. At 6 weeks I returned to have the cast removed and receive my AFO brace, my upper leg brace stayed on until I began therapy, but I was able to take it off and move my leg, which is the best feeling when you can’t move your knee for weeks. Therapy began around week 7. Where I had a morning and afternoon session of therapy at my hospital for 5 days straight.During that week I learned to walk all over again, I’m a very determined person so I pushed myself to recover and not be lazy with it. I, later on, went to a Physical Therapist 2 times. I visited my hospital throughout the year and they told me that I had recovered really fast and I had a great outcome and that they wanted to use my before and after videos as examples to show people who would have the surgery I went through.
In May of 2016, I had a surgery to remove the plate and screws in my leg because it did begin to hurt me. After that, I lost some of the muscles I had gained back. Which I’m currently trying to get back. I have had CP for 16 years and I have always wanted to help people understand and also help people who are going through what I have been through not see it as a big scary thing. I also have wanted for a long time to do something that helps kids and teens with disabilities, I’m not sure what that is yet but hopefully, I get to do it one day. Also, the hospital that I went to was Shriners Children’s Hospital and they specialize in burns and disabilities and they have been so amazing, I love my nurses and doctors who have helped me all these years and I couldn’t be more grateful to get to go there. This is my journey up until now, I am starting dance again to prove that people with disabilites can do anything.