I am a 12 year old girl and have a few health problems and I would like to tell people out there about how I feel when some people act the way they do around me. I have a heart problem, scoliosis, and the most noticeable only 4 fingers on my left hand. I was born with a little stub of a thumb that actually grew out of my index finger. when I was about 2 I had it surgically removed. I also have had 3 heart surgeries. My left arm only has its ulna and not it's radius so it's curved and shorter than my right arm. I've had seven surgeries altogether and all under the age of 9.
Now that I've told you that I would like to tell you how i would personally like to be treated. Some people with disabillaties might not agree with me and thats fine with me. There are certain people in my class who'm can be a real *****. Excuse My language. But they were always really nice to me. I am the only one out of my friends that can say anything nice about her. The reason is because of my arm. She is nice to me because of what I look like really. It might sound odd that I'm complaining about something like that but it's really annoying that a mean person is only nice to u because she thinks I don't have any friends.
I am hardly ever made fun of because of my arm any more. there was a boy at my school who has cerebral Palsy named Andrew. He was teased all the time. He was really nice but kids teased him till he cried. so i wondered why is he teased so much and I'm not? well i think I figured it out. When Andrew moved here and started getting teased and he let them do it. Andrew didn't stick up for himself at all and he cried right in front of them. Andrew let kids walk all over him. so the teasing got worst and worst. I was only teased a little bit when I first started school but I stood up for myself I told them to shut up and walked away. After about a week the kids let me alone. I went to a school named Lincoln from kindergarten to 3rd. the kids there didn't make fun of me but were scared of me. so i didn't have any real friends (I had "friends" that were overly nice but didn't play w/ me at recess) until the middle of 1st grade. Shasta was nice to me for who I was not for my arm. in 2 grade i made 4 more real friends because i was in the same class as one of them. and my being friends w/ them then was really great because Shasta moved to Missouri in the summer going into 3rd. All 3rd grade i had 3 best friends and a whole bunch of good friends (by then allot off kids realized I didn't need sympathy friends and acted normal around me.) Then another school in the district started an addition and i would have to go to a different school the next year. my 3 best friends got split up.
When i went to Blackstone i had about a thousand different friends the first year. i was going from group to group trying to find new best friends. then finally i found them. Kelsey Emily Brittney Jessie and Eva .I got along great with them. and they didn't mind my health problems. all the other kids i was friends with that year were kind of weird around me even after i told them what happened. and the best thing is they don't feel sorry for me and act overly nice.
I guess what I'm trying to say is treat kids w/ disabilities like you treat every other kid. If your not exactly the nicest person to other kids don't be too nice to the one kid. be normal as long as you don't make fun of him because of his disabilities. also instead of sting at a kid ask "if you don't mind my asking what happened to your arm?" and I'd say "Oh i don't mind. i was born like this and the scars are from surgeries that i had t fix it." I'd much rather have to say that all the time then have everybody stare at me. so just be normal when your around kids like me. It would make me feel a lot better if you were.
mishie

i totally get where your coming from. i have tourrette's syndrome, and im teased for my tics a LOT. at least i was. and it bothered me, but i didnt show it like many other kids do. i didnt cry, i screamed. the other kids were constantly one straw away from breaking the camels back. I flipped out ALL the time. I even got in a fight once, but we were both to scared to touch each other (even sixth graders aren't that dumb... mostly) so we each got a shove and thats it. now im in high school, and i still get weird looks and stupid comments (my personal favorite is "thats that thing where you swear all the time right?") but im much more confident now and i just blow it off as ignorance or flat out rudeness. actually, sometimes peoples blatant stupidity is quite amusing and entertaining (example, when someone says "whats wrong with you" i get to answer with a matter-of-fact "nothing. why, is something wrong with you?") in fact, i have often contemplated what i would say in some sticky situations, like if a cop or schooll administrator or somebody like that saw me and thought i was on drugs, lol. random thoughts, random thoughts. so anyways, long story short, is a phrase whose origins are complicated and rambling. while i get the etymology bood out, ponder this: dont let jackasses get you down.

*BUMP*

I am so very sorry to hear that..it truly breaks my heart to see people think that they can treat others differently just because of their physical apperance. I wish something could be done because everywhere teasing keeps escalading to unimaginable proprotion...and sadly there is nothing we can do but keep our head high and absolutely what ever you do..do not let those bullies get you down. I have a sister that has alot of problems and people tease her to and its wrenching to see her come home everyday crying it is actually bewildering to know a human being could be so mean. But still keep your head high and go on. Much love to you!
Magdalen

Thats strong stuff! Thanx Mishie!

Alot of people at my school make fun of anyone thats vulnerable(Sp?) Whether it be a physical, mental, or social problem. Then, there are people who act scared of the people who have the disabilty, or they feel sorry for them! And I'm sure that that can get really old. People need to realize that EVERYONE has a disability, and they need to realize its really whats inside that counts, not whats on the outside. "Everyone is an angel, but with one wing, to fly, we must all embrace"