My brother’s disability has affected my family so much for the past 12 years. Shortly after his birth on July 30, 1998 in Manila, Philippines – where our entire family was born – the doctors announced he was born with Cerebral Palsy, a disorder that affects the brain and body and makes him unable to do things that normally functioning people can do. He can’t walk like us, he can’t talk and he even has to eat from a tube that connects to his stomach since he can’t eat by mouth.
It really hurts my family because of his condition and since we have to pay additional money for things like special equipment and medicine that he has to take on a daily basis. Otherwise, he’ll have a seizure, something which has occurred multiple times. We have to buy other equipment like bath chair, wheelchair w/c has to be replaced every 5 years and stander that help my brother stand and build muscle strength and mobility so that he doesn’t have to stay seated on a wheelchair or lying down. Another expensive thing that we had to buy because of his disability is the wheelchair lift on the car so that we can easily put him in.
An effect that it has had on me is that I don’t really experience things which most kids with brothers do. I can’t take him outside and play football or basketball with him and I can’t play video games with him. My schedule is affected as well. Since I’m in sports, I have to stay after school to practice and sometimes this isn’t possible. My brother arrives after me and I have to be there to carry him upstairs to his room. Although there are a lot of negative things to it, I still love my little brother.
My entire family is much shorter than me. While they all stand five-foot, eight-inches or shorter, I tower above them comparatively at six feet. I believe that God made me like this because He knew my brother was going to be born with a disability, so He made me big and strong to take care of him when my parents can’t.
My parents have also been affected by my brother’s disability. My mom can’t get a job because she has to take care of my brother when I’m busy and when I’m out places for school activities and church youth activities. My dad had to carry him up the stairs at times and it has really affected his back since my brother is big.
Even though my brother’s disability is a huge obstacle for my family, it won’t stop us from loving him and caring for him. We will never give up on trying to make his life better.
