Today I will go to my classes, give a small presentation in one of them, hang out with some friends, cook dinner, study, and watch Fringe.
Seems mundane, no? But what really is significant about today is the date. For one, it is my mom's birthday (happy birthday Ima!!), another it's tax day, but today is also something else. Today is the 12th anniversary of the day I was diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Deficit or CAPD.
12 years ago my world changed. On one hand we had answers for why school and life were so hard for me and on another hand life changed once the label of CAPD was slapped on me.
12 years ago I was a little 4th grader and at that time I had no idea what that label would mean, how my life would change (for good and bad).
The past 12 years have been a mix of new therapies, struggling with school work, figuring out who I am, and some living thrown in there too!
And today, 12 years later, I am 3 weeks away from graduating college. COLLEGE!
CAPD no longer stands in my way, but stands with me. It no longer defines me, but it's part of my definition: who I am and I would never change that.
In the past 12 years, without my knowing it, CAPD has been my GPS, helping me get to where I am today and get me started on the path to where I am going. I have decided to not become a doctor, not to become a marine biologist, not to become a physical therapist, but to become a teacher - a special education teacher.
I will get to help students learn in ways that work best for them, something that most of my teachers didn't know how to do. I cannot wait to help make sure lots of little bumblebees continue to fly even though the LD label they have tells them they shouldn't be able to do so!
12 years... wow... I will always have CAPD, but today I feel like I did it. I did what many people probably thought I would never do. Today I feel like I survived.
I have survived, I have grown, I have changed, I have thrived, and I am still flying!
1 thoughts on the matter:
I blogged recently about that "anniversary". Only mine was at 4-years old when I suddenly lost the rest of my hearing.
I am glad you are able to see the silver lining and to thrive in spite of those challenges.
And hurrah for working in special ed!
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