From being judged as "can't walk" to walking independently; "standing" in a university lecture hall; using a trembling single finger to knock out a 360,000-word novel... These may seem easy to do, but for the suffering Chen Yuan, who has congenital cerebellar hemiplegia, only knows the bitterness behind and how much effort she has put in to do this.
Chen Yuan is exercising.
Photo by Wang Lei
In 1983, Chen Yuan, who was just born, was diagnosed with congenital cerebellar hemiplegia, with her body paralyzed and limbs weak.
But under the meticulous care of her family and her diligent efforts, she experienced a series of changes of decadence, hope, despair, and rekindling fighting spirit. She knocked out two novels with one finger and opened a new chapter in her life.
Chen Yuan joined the Sichuan Writers Association and also served as a director of Dujiangyan Writers Association.
Chen Yuan is writing.
Photo by Wang Lei
Ill-fated
Girl with cerebral palsy suffered multiple blows
"Stop, you stop!" In the crowded hospital, grandma anxiously stopped a mother holding a baby and snatched her granddaughter who had just been diagnosed with cerebellar hemiplegia.
"You don't want to raise it, I will raise it!" Grandma's eyes were tearful.
This is the opening scene of the non-profit film "Grandma on the Clouds", which is adapted from the autobiographical novel "Grandma on the Clouds" written by Chen Yuan. The fragments in the movie are also her real life experiences.
"In the future, she will be able to walk and speak, but she can't say clearly and walks unsafely." This diagnosis is a bolt from the blue for any family with a newborn baby. For Chen Yuan's family The same is true.
"Such a child has no quality of life, and staying in the society makes her suffer, so she simply gives up." Faced with the blow of reality, the thought of giving up flashed through Chen Yuan's mother.
Fortunately, Chen Yuan's grandmother did not give up, and took her to learn to walk, speak, and recognize words... "Although walking is unstable, I am still willing to walk; even if I am unstable and fall, I am willing to stick to it. "Chen Yuan said firmly, with the tenacity of herself and her grandma, she was finally able to walk independently.
Grandma played games with Chen Yuan.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee
"This child fell heavily." This sentence is the evaluation of neighboring neighbors.
At the age of 12, at the age when other children graduated from elementary school, Chen Yuan finally entered school.
In elementary school, Chen Yuan did well in school.
But in junior high school, there are many courses and many homework, and she often has to do the homework that other people have done in two hours until late at night.
"Because the fingers were not coordinated, the teacher couldn't understand the words that were written. The answer that was clearly correct made a mistake." Later, Chen Yuan was forced to drop out of school.
"I suddenly wondered if I was a person on this planet or an alien. Because of the circle of normal people, I couldn't blend in at all." Because of my own physical reasons, my parents were also divorced, and I also dropped out of school. Shocked, Chen Yuan seemed to fall into the abyss all of a sudden.
After dropping out of school, Chen Yuan went to her father’s shop to help, but because others couldn’t understand what she was saying, and even laughed at her, Chen Yuan started her own practice path: every day she went to Qingcheng Mountain and screamed at the woods and practiced. Own voice.
"Whenever there is no one at home, I practice singing at home through singing software." Gradually, Chen Yuan became like this.
Chen Yuan went out to appreciate ginkgo.
Photo by Wang Lei
Fight against fate
Self-study literature published two novels
"If you suffer from this disease, you must find a way to accept it and shake hands with it." Later, Chen Yuan chose literary creation, and through forums, books and other self-study literature, all the unspeakable sufferings were formed into words. Then gradually embarked on the road of literary creation.
Chen Yuan's pen name is "Yi Die", which is the name her mother chose specially for her, which symbolizes her mother's expectations of her.
"Ant Butterfly" means ants and butterflies.
Although small, ants are creatures that have been in existence since the age of dinosaurs; although butterflies are beautiful, they have to undergo painful transformation to grow.
After the Wenchuan earthquake, after being introduced, Chen Yuan met Zhang Danuo, a writer who was obsessed with cultivating the disabled. Under his guidance, Chen Yuan began to write the book "Grandma on the Clouds". After three years of hard work, this book The 130,000-word autobiographical novel is finally finalized.
"Grandma on the Clouds" tells the story of how Chen Yuan's grandma left a child with cerebral palsy and raised her in an environment that was opposed by everyone.
Chen Yuan is reading.
Photo by Wang Lei
However, good luck always makes fun of people. Just when the novel was about to be completed, Chen Yuan was diagnosed with (generalized) dystonia superimposed syndrome.
The doctor told her that the worst outcome would be total paralysis.
The legs that could walk freely now gradually lose strength.
To make matters worse, because of weak hands and feet, even typing is a bit difficult.
"Even if the creation is difficult, I have to finish this book. I want to dedicate a book that belongs to them for cerebral palsy children and their parents." Chen Yuan said, this is also a book to pay tribute to grandma, no matter how hard it is She must insist.
Later, Chen Yuan published her second book-"Half Wings".
"Writing the book "Half Wings" means that I have to face the pain I have experienced once again, to tear away the scars that have been crusted one after another." Chen Yuan said, from the decision to write this book, to When she started writing, she spent two years doing psychological construction for herself halfway through.
The second book published by Chen Yuan.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee
"I was reluctant to write for a long time, but when I saw the news of a grandfather and dad pushing a child with cerebral palsy down the river, I was touched." Chen Yuan immediately started writing. During the three months of day and night, Chen Yuan was deeply moved. The urgency of time comes from two aspects. On the one hand, her physical condition is deteriorating. On the other hand, Zhang Danuo told her that this book can be life-saving.
Different ways of living
Do your best to do public welfare
From slurred speech to a lecture in a university lecture hall, from the panic when she first came into contact with a speech to her calmness now, Chen Yuan has made tremendous efforts.
Now she not only goes to various schools to give lectures and share her stories, but also founded the "Yitu Bookstore" to provide children with a place to read, and use books as a medium to build a bridge of soul for the "harmony of the disabled".
Chen Yuan went to school to give a speech.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee
From 2008 to now, Chen Yuan has not stopped doing charity work.
Donate money, donate books, donate materials, give speeches voluntarily... "As long as I am able to do it, I am willing to do it." Chen Yuan always wants to help people in need.
In the "Yitu Bookstore", Chen Yuan is sharing stories.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee
"I just want to travel with my own manuscript fees. While being a writer, I also aspire to be a traveler who travels all over the world, so that I can continue to inspire and continue to work. This is a virtuous circle." Chen Yuan After receiving her own contribution fee, she changed her wheelchair to facilitate travel, and gave the wheelchair donated to her by the Chengdu Disabled Persons’ Federation to others.
In recent years, with the support of her mother, Chen Yuan has traveled to Guangdong, Beijing, Xinjiang and other places and saw a different world outside.
"The pain we encountered at the time seemed to be unable to come out, but as long as you work hard, calm down, and think hard, you will surely find your own way, and then come out of your own pain." Chen Yuan With what he knew, felt and acted, he showed the world the spirit of self-improvement and not surrendering to fate.
Chen Yuan traveled together with her mother.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee
"I know that there are many patients with cerebral palsy like me in this world. I want to give them some advice and also want to modify the way ordinary people think about us: We just have difficulty speaking and walking, but we are not fools or mentally retarded." Chen Yuan Explained.
Chen Yuan firmly believes that the unique charm of words can paint a different color in her life.
"Next, I will read more, read more, write some short essays, public account articles, and do charity again when I have the opportunity." Chen Yuan always believes that years will never be wasted on a person's experience.
Author: Zhu Huan