Hi, my name is AmyLaura!

AmyLaura
AmyLaura Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
edited March 30 in Families and carers

I wondered if anyone has any advice please, I’m a 35 year old woman with Cerebral Palsy, a history of Epilepsy and depression and although I can walk short distances I’m a wheelchair user. I have been with my husband for almost 16 years and married for about 9 and a half years and we are the same age. Although my husband is physically able there are also challenges he faces. For as long as we both can remember we have longed for a baby and we are aware we would need some support, we have tried many avenues over the years but never had any success. We have both tried to get ourselves to the best place in life possible and this is something we are continuing to do but with our age and a lot of distress, frustration and heartbreak neither of us are willing to give up the fight!

What my reason for this post is whether anyone out there has any information, contacts or links to anything that may help our situation please?

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Comments

  • SwiftFox
    SwiftFox Online Community Member Posts: 826 Championing

    Don't be disheartened Amy by no answers, it's the weekend and things get a bit slow. Someone with some knowledge of your needs will comment soon. In the meantime, relax and enjoy your weekend.

  • Mary_Scope
    Mary_Scope Posts: 4,256 Scope Online Community Children and Family Specialists

    Hi @AmyLaura and a warm welcome to the community from me!

    Thank you for telling us a bit about your situation. You both sound very resilient

    We do have a CP network here on the community and CP specialists @SaraC_Scope @Lucy_Scope @Richard_Scope who offer specialist support and information for people with CP as well as their families😊

  • Lucy_Scope
    Lucy_Scope Posts: 193 Cerebral Palsy Network

    Hi @AmyLaura,

    Welcome to The Community 😊

    It is lovely to hear about your future plans. Have you heard about

    Fertility Network? They may be a good place to get support.

    Best wishes,

    Lucy

  • AmyLaura
    AmyLaura Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener

    Hi Lucy, thankyou for your lovely response. It’s not actually the fertility side that I’m struggling with, it’s more the unknown support from a disabled parent perspective that I seem to be constantly hitting a brick wall with and not getting anywhere.
    With obviously never being a parent before on top of my own disability I’m unaware of what I will and won’t be able to do but currently I have had no success in finding any available help out there. I just seem to get told, wait until the baby is here!

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 727 Connected

    I wouldn't worry too much, OK yeah having kids later in life has been known to cause problems, but my Sister in law was in her early to mid 30s when she had my Nephew, and he's a healthy 18 year old who's going to Worcester Uni in September.

  • SaraC_Scope
    SaraC_Scope CP Network, Scope Posts: 408 Pioneering

    Hi @AmyLaura

    Welcome to the community.

    I'm part of the CP Network here at Scope. I understand the desire to become a parent whilst living with CP and epilepsy and the obstacles we face.

    After years of wanting a family, with no one around me who understood my grief, (No one had died, so why was I so sad and struggling?) my husband and I went down the adoption route, which came with it's own challenges.

    I had to find ways to adapt my parenting style when our two year old came to live with us. I had my family, but no one who understood my personal worries about being a good parent.

    My husband was and is an amazing support. We worked together and over time developed our parenting style.

    I have met many people with cerebral palsy who also use a wheelchair and have become parents. So it can happen and there is support out there. There is a great Facebook page called Cerebral Palsy Adult Advice UK | Facebook with a brilliant community of people who have cerebral palsy and understand. They also have another group specifically for ladies called

    Ladies With Cerebral Palsy UK | Facebook If you have any questions about being a mum or navigating family life, you might like to ask this group of wonderful women.

    Scope also have a

    Cerebral Palsy (CP) Network | Disability charity Scope UK which you are welcome to join. We host monthly online meetings and it's a great space to meet likeminded people.

    If you would like a conversation, please feel free to get in touch with me. I'm happy to listen and share experiences.

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