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Attitude The Daverts

ChannelTV One
Date Broadcast Sunday 10 August 2014
Start Time08 : 30
Finish Time09 : 00
Duration30:00
Series2014
Episode19

Michaela Davert, her twin brother Austin, and mum Missy all live with the condition ‘Brittle Bones,’ and dad has cerebral palsy. This mid-west American family is flourishing- find out why.

A inspiring weekly special interest programme for New Zealanders living with disabilities.

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GENTLE MUSIC INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC Captions by Faith Hamblyn. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2014 INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC CONTINUES Hi, I'm Michaela, and my family and I live right here in Bay City, Michigan. We really enjoy living here in Bay City. Everyone pretty much knows everybody, because it is a pretty small town. This is my family. Austin is my twin brother. Austin and I have osteogenesis imperfecta. It's also called brittle bones. My mom has it too, but my dad doesn't. He has cerebral palsy. I am 15 years old, and, I don't know ` I'm just, like, a really outgoing person, I guess. I love to, like, be around people and socialise, and I'm a total, like, girly girl. This is my mom, Melissa, and she enjoys arts and crafts. She has her own little craft room, where she spends her time making new quilts. My mom is a very crafty person, and so she taught my sister and I all kinds of different crafts. Growing up, I didn't play sports, and I didn't have a lot of outside activities, so I was` My mom and dad were pretty challenged trying to find things to keep me busy. I think when you quilt and you craft, you're never bored, there's always something to do. My mom was born and raised in Bay City too. I have five brothers ` one is deceased ` and a sister, all older than me. And none of my siblings have my disability, nor my parents. And, uh, they didn't baby me in any way. They made me pull the weight just like any other member of our family, and I think it's that philosophy that helped me to overcome a lot of obstacles in my life. Doctors told my mom and dad that I would never be able to sit up by myself or basically have any kind of a valuable life. And my dad was a forward-thinking kind of guy, and, um, he said as long as I had a brain, I could overcome any physical challenge that came before me. My dad works at Walmart. He loves golf ` when he's not watching it, he's out in the front yard, playing it. BIRDS CHIRP All right, Dad, now I'm gonna interview you. All right, Dad, now I'm gonna interview you. OK. No need to be afraid ` it's just me. No need to be afraid ` it's just me. OK. You gonna ask me some tough questions? Yep. Yep. OK. I'm ready for you. The world's gonna get to know you better. You need help setting up? You need help setting up? I think I'm good. OK. OK. (GRUNTS) This thing's really heavy, but that's all right. No, you got it. OK. You know, some people just really like to know things about other people. So today we're gonna be telling these wonderful people about you. OK. OK. So, Dad, did you ever, you know, have the thought of having kids? Or if you didn't, how come? Well, when I met Missy, your mom,... I truly fell in love with her. But I looked at the size of your mom, and I thought there's just no way. And lo and behold, there was a way. Mom and Dad got married 22 years ago. My dad was only 21. So, tell us, what is it like having a family like ours? A family like ours is totally awesome. I never thought my wife and I would have children, but you two have been a true blessing. Uh, what you guys do and accomplish each day... is truly inspirational to me. And you guys just give it your all. And I'm proud to be your dad. Aw, that's sweet. This is what Austin really likes to do in his spare time. He absolutely loves gaming and video games, and he especially loves flight simulators. When he was 7 years old, he asked our parents if he could buy a flight simulator. And Mom was, like, 'No, it's, like, way too difficult. 'I don't know how to use it, and, you know, there's no way I can teach you.' And he's, like, 'Mom, I got this.' Like, 'I know how to do this.' And so she finally gave in to, like, let him buy the flight simulator. And within a few days he started using it all on his own. He sure knows everything about it, and if you ever can't find him, he's right there in his natural habitat. This is our house. We have lived here about 13 or 14 years. Right now we are in our living room. This is our main hang-out. This is where we are most of the time. Um, when people come over, this is where we hang out. We have a nice couch here, and this is just one of our main hang-outs of our house. And now I'll start wheeling into the kitchen. On the left side over here, we have my dad's kitchen, where he is able to do the dishes and cook and... do all the kitchen necessities. Oh, hey, Mom. Hi. Hi. What's up? Hi. What's up? Oh, just cooking dinner. Oh, what's for dinner? Oh, what's for dinner? Uh, spaghetti. Oh, what's for dinner? Uh, spaghetti. Yum. Getting hungry? Getting hungry? I am, actually. Getting hungry? I am, actually. All right. And this is my mom's portion of the kitchen, and everything is down at her level, where she can cook, and Austin and I also enjoy, like, baking, and so it's really convenient for us too, because of everything. I actually feel very tall in my kitchen. (CHUCKLES) Um, it works really well for me. Coming over here, this is our other living area. It's a little bit more spacious, and they like to call it the man cave. This is where the men hang out and, you know, watch sports and do everything that men do, cos I don't watch sports. Oh, hey, Austin. What's up? This is my bedroom. Uh, I really like gaming. And right here, this is my snare drum. Uh, I love band and being in the high school's marching band. (PLAYS MARCHING BEAT) I've been in band since sixth grade, and I got to play at some of my high-school football games. I also got picked in my class to go to all-star band, where they picked some of the top musicians, I guess, in schools, and... you get to go and all come together as a band and, uh, be able to play. And I got a few awards from that, which was a lot of fun. My bedroom. I actually spend a lot of time in here, because I enjoy... making my YouTube videos in here. On the left side, this is where I do my homework. And on the right side, this is where I do my make-up and everything. And actually I have a TV, but I don't use it, because I don't like watching TV. And I know it's kind of, like, stereotypical of a teenager, but I would much rather film videos. GENTLE MUSIC CAMERA CLICKS MUSIC CONTINUES Hey, guys, and welcome back to another video. I make a lot of videos. I've even got my own YouTube channel, with 2458 subscribers. Most of my videos are about the latest make-up and fashion. I started making videos one day when I was just watching someone else's videos that do kind of the same thing that I do, and I'm, like, 'Wow, I really liked that.' You know, like, 'Why can't I start my own channel?' So let's go ahead and get started. We have the Be A Bombshell mascara. It's just your typical mascara, which happens to be one of my favourite make-up items. Another thing I do is make videos about my family. And welcome back to Michaela's Moments. And as you can see, next to me I have a special guest. And this is Austins Show 123, or also known as my bro, my twin. (CHUCKLES) (CHUCKLES) Oh yeah. We're just outside, and I'm gonna make a funny vid, just kind of a random funny vid with funny stuff, and it's gonna be totally random. OK, we're ready. All right, let's go. (CHEERS) Michaela's moment. Yee-hah! (LAUGHS) Yee-hah! (LAUGHS) Live from their backyard. Go, go, go. Here we go. Let's get the wrestling taped. So, tell us, what about your family? What's it like, you know, having us as your family? I absolutely love my family. My sister's the best sister in the whole wide world. Aw. Do you have any idea what you wanna do after high school? I probably wanna get into something in the medical field and to be able to help people every day. I think that'd be lot of fun. This is a new shade ` Flirtatious. I have it on my lips right now, and it's only, like, $1. And I highly recommend it. People that look at me the way that I am... don't expect someone like me to be... interested in make-up and fashion. I don't do make-up because I feel that I have to; it's just something that I enjoy doing. I think in today's society, people are often... not so, like, judgemental, but we all have this picture-perfect society of the way that we look and... or what it means to look the best. You know, but none of that matters, because we all look different. You know, it amazes me, because I've never been a person to really wear make-up at all. And so to see her find such a passion and interest in it, it's great. I think it's important the world should see a new face in beauty that they haven't seen before. It makes me happy to see that they're using more models who use wheelchairs, but they don't often have,... uh, visible physical disabilities. Um, and so,... you know, it would be great to see, um, the media and, um, society... look at all the different women who have... who are beautiful. And I think Michaela emulates that. She's a very beautiful person on the inside and out. You should wear blue eyeshadow. It'd go. And I'm wearing blue eyeshadow. You should wear blue eyeshadow. It'd go. And I'm wearing blue eyeshadow. Yeah? You have a huge collection. You have a huge collection. I think I do, though. So, hopefully. This is my best friend, Devon. She's into make-up too. Ready, Devon? Ready, Devon? < Yep. Ready, Devon? < Yep. All right. Let's go. Is your purse in the other room? Is your purse in the other room? Yeah. I still have to go get it. Is your purse in the other room? Yeah. I still have to go get it. All right. Where's my purse? Oh, yeah, I still have to grab mine. Devon and I love shopping at the mall. It's a big effort for all of us to go somewhere, but that doesn't stop us from doing the things we enjoy. Luckily, we won a specially equipped van in a competition. GENTLE MUSIC Here we go. I'm always bugging my mom to drive us around in it. GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES Okey-doke. VAN ENGINE STARTS (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) BRAKES SQUEAK GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES BIRDS CHIRP VAN ACCELERATES GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS Definitely. (LAUGHS) Definitely. (LAUGHS) Someone needs a Slurpee. (LAUGHS) Let's go get a Slurpee. Let's go get a Slurpee. Yeah, let's. It's great when you have, like, the best friend that's, like, interested in the same stuff as you, because you have, like, something to connect about, and we just love shopping, like every girl does. I like these nail polishes. We go to school together. We've known each other for a few years now. We love hanging out, whether it be here at the mall or just having sleepovers. And we always have a good time together, and we're just best friends, and we love being together. INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS GENTLE MUSIC Devon, what do you think about this hat? Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Yee-hah. (LAUGHS) 'Buying clothes is very difficult. Um, not many teenagers are my size. It is so very rare. 'The person that is in my size is probably 6 or 7 years old. 'What they wear and what a 15-year-old wears is very very different, 'so I would never want to wear something that a 6-year-old would wear, 'because that portrays, like, my personality, I think, and that's not, like, who I am.' GENTLE MUSIC OK, Mom, what's something I obsess over? Make-up. Make-up. Yeah! Make-up. Yeah! She has drawers... Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! ...drawers and drawers and more drawers of make-up. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Did I get that one right? Ding! Ding! Ding! Did I get that one right? Yeah! OK, I passed the test. OK, I passed the test. Whoo! There's always new things to try, OK? And the packaging is just so freaking cute, OK? That's why she's fun-sized style. My mom is an amazing mom... because most people, like... when she wanted to have kids, most people told her that it would not be possible and that it just wouldn't happen and it's not a good idea, but she didn't take that for an answer. They were very very concerned that the babies would grow up until my heart and lung area and none of us would survive the pregnancy. And so it was felt by some that we should have considered aborting one or both of them. And Ken and I just... didn't even need to take much time to think about it, because, uh, we totally decided we were going to do whatever we could to bring both of them into the world. Hi. Almost time. Hi. Almost time. Almost time. Hi. Almost time. Almost time. I'm getting excited. You know, I remember the night before they were born, thinking, 'We're about to do something nobody is recorded to ever have done before,' and it hit me really the night before. And that's when I was thinking, you know, just because nobody ever did didn't mean somebody couldn't. There's always a first for everything. Oh, it's a girl. Oh, it's a girl. It's a girl. Oh, it's a girl. It's a girl. BABY CRIES, EXCLAIMING, APPLAUSE LAUGHTER When my mom was 17 weeks' pregnant she found out that we were going to have a disability. I looked at the doctor and I said, 'Well, that doesn't mean they're not gonna drive a car, 'go to college and have a happy life. And we're gonna do, you know, 'whatever we can do support them in having a happy life and a positive attitude.' I look at my life and I've had a great life and I wouldn't trade it with anyone. Um, I know perfectly able-bodied people who have had unhappy lives. And so, um, I thought, 'Well, our child could have... 'a happy life, like I had. 'Um, and a good attitude ` they can overcome, you know, any disabilities that they might have.' COOING You know, in society, we want to have perfect. And there isn't any perfect in life. Some people's challenges are more visible than others, but everyone has a challenge in life. We get up in the morning, and we decide if we're gonna have a good attitude or a bad attitude. If they choose to have a good attitude about their life, they will have a good life. GENTLE MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUES Uh, my parents help me do things. Like, we don't have, like, a nurse or anything. Like, we're fully capable to do it ourselves, and I don't have, like, any major medical daily care that I need, so it's really not difficult for us. POIGNANT MUSIC My bones are very fragile, and over the years, I've had, like, a lot of surgeries. And when you start working out on things, you know, maybe you'll need a surgery, and then you have to wait another three months before you can, like, be, like, physically active. So it just gets very challenging at times to be able to do all the things on my own. POIGNANT MUSIC CONTINUES And I can't really do anything fast, because of, like, my brittle bones and stuff. And mobility ` you just don't do things that fast. POIGNANT MUSIC CONTINUES They've had surgeries to have metal rods put in the long bones in their arms and legs to help straighten and strengthen them, and so that's had to be redone several times. Um, uh, you know, we've had our medical challenges. The one thing about the disability that we have, though, is it's expected as we grow older, um, it improves over time. And so we're hoping that as the kids enter puberty, that their fractures will, we're hoping, can virtually become non-existent. I haven't fractured a major bone in probably... 30 years, where my parents could count the fractures at 200 when I was a child. Everyone has down times. Like, having a surgery isn't fun. I mean, it's not. Like, you can try to make it the best that it can be, but as an overall experience, it's not, you know, like, 'Whoo-hoo,' but, you know, you get through it and better things will be ahead or hospital visits once in a while ` just a bump in the road, but we all have those times, and we get through them, and then better things are ahead. Austin has a surgery coming up, and he's going to tell you a little bit about it. Yeah. So, basically, in our bones, we have metal rods which are kind of like the size of a big long needle, I guess you could say, and it keeps our bones straight and strong and protects it from, uh, getting broken. And, uh, so, basically, they start to, like, come out as you grow. And mine is pretty much, like, sticking out of the skin a little bit, so I'm gonna be getting that repaired. But, yeah, we've had a lot of surgeries like that, and it kind of gets frustrating at times, but it's just a part of our life, I guess. When my dad's not home, um, I get in bed ` we have a thing called a Hoyer Lift, and I guess it has, like, a sling-type thing, but, see, the problem is when they're manufacturally made, they come with a big giant, like, sling thing, and I am not the size of an average adult. So my mom actually custom-made with her, like, sewing and clothing skills ` she designed a custom, like, sling thing, and I'm able to, like, hoist myself up into that. And then it's kind of funny, but I, like, kind of swing into bed, and then it, like, comes down, and then I'm able to be, like, into bed. I thought that I would be a tougher mom, that I would really make them do a lot more than I did do, probably spoil them a little bit in not making them pick up or clean their room as much as whatever, but I think it's just a mom thing really. Whee! Go for it. Ah. Ah. Perfect landing. You got number? Listen, roll that way, and I will tuck it under you. OK, now come back this way. OK. OK. Come back this way. There you go. You get your remote? It's a strap so... It's a strap so... (CHUCKLES) It's a strap so... (CHUCKLES) ...that I don't tumble out of bed. No. OK. OK. Good job. OK. Good job. Right. I have to use a breathing machine every night. It helps to keep my airways open. OK. We make it work, don't we? At the end of the day I might be tired, but I don't think of, 'Oh, what an awful day because I had to do all this,' I, uh, would think to myself, 'Wow, we really overcame a lot of obstacles and hurdles, um, but we met all our goals for the day.' And that makes us all feel pretty good. INSPIRING MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUES My dad was really tough on me. And him and my mom would go to odds. My mom would want to be the helper and hand me things, and, um, one day, for example, they used to have me in a little swing and my head would flip back as an infant ` you know, fall back. And my mom would come up and she would help lift my head. And one day my dad told her, 'Don't do that any more. She needs to learn how to lift her head on her own.' Well, it tore my mom apart, but she stepped back and, sure enough, I brought my head up. It took me a while to, you know, wiggle my way back up, but I did it. And I thought I would be more tough with the kids like that. I don't know if it's because I have OI, that I know their struggle, that maybe I wanna them a little more, but then there's times when we really, you know, count on them to make their own way. When they have challenges at school or they have a challenge with a teacher, we look for them to resolve their own problem. DELICATE MUSIC OK. MUSIC CONTINUES (CHUCKLES) I think this is the part he likes to stand on his own. (CHUCKLES) MUSIC CONTINUES All done. LAUGHTER CHORAL SINGING We go to church, and we go to a church with a great group of people. Everyone there is just so nice, and we're pretty, like, known. I mean, we kind of stick out ` we don't really blend in. They don't treat us any different. I mean, we've lived here for so long that people just know us. CHORAL SINGING # ...we hold in our hands to the Lord. # We hold in our hands to the Lord. # ROCK MUSIC LAUGHTER We're a close family and really like spending time together. I suppose it's because we understand what it's like for each other by many of us in the family having the same disability. Hand me the other thing. I'll handle it. My favourite thing to order is grilled cheese, and what about you, Dad ` what's your favourite thing? They have the most... the best hamburgers. Mom, what's your favourite thing to order? My favourite thing to order is almost everything on their menu. Yeah, we've been coming here for a long time, and we just really like the people here. We love the people here. We love the people here. Yeah, we love them. They're like family. They're like family. We've known them forever. Of course, there's that group of people that find us just a bit too interesting, but you get those people anywhere you go, and it's something that we're used to, and it really doesn't affect us much. Uh, looking ahead for the next few years, I would like to move to Los Angeles, California, and attend college at Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, um, and get my bachelor's degree. And so I hope to do that one day. I love the city, and I think it would be, like, great to live on my own. And it'd just be a great experience, and experience a new place. I love to travel, which is another reason why I'm so interested. And I've been researching a lot into colleges, and that's the one that I really have my heart set on. Even though I might think it'll be difficult, I know I'll find a way. It might not be the way other people do things, but, you know, for me, I always have to do things differently, so it's really not that strange for me to find a different way to do things, because if I do wanna be there enough, I'll find a way to be there. OK, I'm gonna stop talking now, and I will see you guys next time. Thank you so much for watching. I love you, and I hope you have a great day or night. Bye. Captions by Faith Hamblyn. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2014

Attitude The Daverts

Michaela Davert, her twin brother Austin, and mum Missy all live with the condition ‘Brittle Bones,’ and dad has cerebral palsy. This mid-west American family is flourishing- find out why.

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