The triplets were three when I wanted desperately for them to be part of an evening activity at our church. I asked how to sign them up and was told that of course they were welcome, as long as I was willing to stay and help. The group just wasn't set up for our unique needs, I was told.
After a wonderful Cub Scout experience in Richardson, Texas, we moved to Phoenix, AZ. I immediately reached out to the local Cub Scout pack. The leader returned my call only to tersely tell me that his pack was not set up to deal with our...unique needs.
I could type story after story of times where the boys wanted to try something, or I wanted them to try something, or their classmates were trying something. I could type story after story of times where we were turned down.
We didn't always handle it well. Some times I stayed and tried to teach those in charge how amazing my boys were. Some times, I hung the phone up and cried. Some times I ranted.
Always, I kept looking for the thing that would include them, the activity that would allow their value to be seen. Some days I look back at their childhood and think I had my fists raised the whole time. And even though we often had amazing people fighting with us, finding inclusion was too often a battle.
Last spring when the triplets graduated from college, I wept times three. I cried tears of pride -- their accomplishments amaze me. I cried tears of relief -- they did what some thought impossible.
And really, I cried tears of thanksgiving. I was so thankful that the boys had overcome, they had knocked down the walls -- the boys had proven that they could overcome all the challenges Cerebral Palsy throws their way. I was so thankful I could put my fists down.
Mason graduated Summa Cum Laude with degrees in Anthropology, Classics, and a minor in Archaeology. He spent summers in college on archaeological dig sites in Mexico, and off the coast of Spain. He has worked in the lab, he has dug in the field. He has climbed endless stairs to housing accommodations, he has slept in hammocks. He wrote his honors thesis that won awards and was asked to present his work again and again.
Mason has not let Cerebral Palsy prevent him from chasing his dreams. He continues to study classical archaeology in graduate school at Texas Tech. He has professors that believe in his abilities.
Frankly, it is my perhaps-biased opinion that he is a rock star. An absolute rock star.
But I need to be very clear that Cerebral Palsy still throws him the occasional curve ball. CP still throws down a road block periodically.
He has been told more than once that a field program can't accept him with his disabilities. He has been told that he can't. He has been told that he shouldn't. He has been told that if he tries, he will have to sign a waiver absolving the organization of responsibility if he gets hurt.
I feel my fists clenching and I want to fight for him. But Mason is not a seven-year-old who wants to join Cub Scouts. In order to chase his dreams, Mason is going to have to fight his own battles, he is going to have to knock down his own road blocks.
And then he will probably have to knock down a few more.
Cerebral Palsy hasn't stopped Mason. But that doesn't mean it doesn't try.
March is CP Awareness Month. And just like every month, we intend to kick it to the curb.
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