I Call it My Hockey Puck!

Over the years, I have been through many treatments and a total of five surgeries that have ultimately improved the quality of my life. I am happy to say that I have not undergone any surgeries for two years now. My most recent surgery was to insert what is called a intrathecal baclofen pump, or as I like to call my hockey puck into my abdomen.

An intrathecal baclofen pump is a device in the right side of my abdomen that delivers baclofen ( which is a muscle relaxer) through a catheter directly into my spinal cord. Because the brain and the spinal cord are connected, my brain can work together with my spinal cord to send the medication to the muscles in my legs that are tight because of my Cerebral Palsy.

Today, I had an appointment to refill my pump. I usually have to go for a refill approximately every five months. To refill my pump, I go to the hospital where a nurse freezes the area where the pump is located. After the freezing has kicked in, the nurse uses a syringe to suck the remaining medication out of my pump, so that we can make room for the new medication. Then, she proceeds to inject my pump with the baclofen. My pump acts much like a computer because, it is programmed to release small doses of the medication throughout the day. To be honest, most of the time I don't even know it is there. All I know, is that it has gifted me with a sense of freedom and normalcy that I never imagined I would have two years ago. Since getting my baclofen pump, my spasticity has been significantly reduced. I can now put my socks on independently, walk longer distances, get dressed in fifteen minutes rather than a half hour and, put an elastic in my hair for the the first time.

Below, is a picture of what a typical intrathecal baclofen pump looks like.

One of things that I want people to understand about individuals with disabilities is we may not be the same as others in the sense that we have to deal with a number of challenges and treatments that many people may never have to deal with. While we may appear different on the outside, I strongly believe that we are all the same on the inside. I love to spend time with my friends and read and just like everyone else I have dreams and aspirations for the future. I hope to one day have a career in the field of education so, that I can inspire children to always put forth their best effort no matter what challenges life throws at them, just as my friends and my amazing family have done for me. Yes, I have Cerebral Palsy, but my disability is not who I am as a person.

This is a photo of my friends and I chilling on the swing at the park!