Today we kick off the adventures of Flat Sam. Hi my name is Sam and I’d like to share with you a little bit about myself and my “Flat Sam” project. I am fourteen and I’ve been in a wheelchair most of my life. I have Spina Bifida which is a birth defect cause by an opening in the spine which allows this spinal cord to develop outside of the protection of the vertebrae. I had a special surgery while I was still growing inside my mom that helped protect by spinal cord however it did not save my leg function. I don’t let that slow me down at all and can whip around in my wheelchair most days.
Usually, I don’t let being in a wheelchair stop me from being active, however, this summer is a bit different. Four days after school let out for the summer, I had my first back surgery of two I will have this year. I’m happy to say that my first surgery went well and I am recovering quickly. I am disappointed that my activities are still limited and will miss getting outside to play or take vacations. My second surgery will be in early fall and I will be in recovery for six to eight months.
This year I have many friends taking my "Flat Sam's" with them on vacation so I can enjoy many adventures while I am at home recovering (A special thanks to the author of the book Flat Stanley for such a wonderful idea). I will be blogging about our adventures here on my site and would love for you to check in with me to see all of the amazing place I have "traveled." Thanks for being part of my grand adventure!
Wheels Up,
Sam
