My Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi. My name is Demian Carpenter and I was diagnosed with CMT 7 years ago. In

high school comments were always made about the way I walked, but I just

told people I was bow legged. I realized my freshmen year in college that

some wasn't right with the way I walked when my flip flops kept falling off

my feet. I went to an orthopedic that immediately sent me to a neurologist.

After a spinal tap I was told the news. It wasn't the best thing to hear,

but I'm pretty pragmatic to tell the doctor " you play with the hand you've

been dealt. "

After seven years it's been a hard fought life for a young adult. I went

through some pretty rough phases that I now know spurred from the inadequacy

I felt from CMT. How can you be a " man " when you can't walk with pride? Very

few of my friends supported me, and at the time actually made fun of how I

ran during sports. So I stopped. I couldn't go out as much because I wasn't

confident in my step, constant tripping, and the inability to keep up with

the crowd. My hands would shake so bad when I gave speeches that people

would actually laugh at me, and I always noticed the smirks. I actually

tripped on " nothing " in front of the main girls dormitory, and caught

hell. I considered those years the hardest.

Now I don't let it stop me from trying to do well despite it's impeding

aspects. I just recently went on a 5 mile hike/camping trip where three

friends really supported me. With the way us guys usually pound our chests,

these three really proved how decency is first and foremost. I also use a

bike, weights, and a punching bag to keep in shape since I can't go for a

jog. I served last year in AmeriCorps NCCC as a Team leader where we had to

do P.T. (physical therapy) 3 times a week. During that year I worked at a

fire department in Crown King, Arizona. We did very physical work with alot

of up hill brush cutting in steel toed boots. Imagine hammer toe in those. I

started playing ultimate football again with my AFOs and realized the joy

of run gning for the first time in awhile. I now go out to bars without much

worry of tripping or being made fun of. Not because it won't happen, but

because I'm not going to let CMT keep me out of the social arena.

I am checking with Walkaide to see if their electronic orthodic will work

me. I won't be able to afford it if it does actually work, but just knowing

that steps are being taken to help people with CMT is a morale booster. Okay

so I think this introduction has gone on long enough. I figure I'll get a

response stating " text too long " or " don't write so much. " So that's my

experience with CMT. I went to college at the University of South Carolina,

and left with a BS in Sociology. I'm 26 working for AmeriCorps Vista now in

Spartanburg SC, and I'm excited to join this group.