Monthly Archives: November 2018

#CPChatNow Recap- 11-21-2018

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Before participants in the CPChatNow community gathered with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving, they assembled for the live cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow Wednesday, November 21st, 2018. I am co-host Zachary Fenell, here to reminisce about the November 21st, 2018 chat the best way I know how. Your weekly recap!

Thanksgiving emerged as an early discussion topic thanks to my co-host Devin Axtman.

#CPChatNow community members discuss their favorite Thanksgiving foods.Devin asked people to share their favorite Thanksgiving food, naming pumpkin pie as his. Both Timmy and I experienced difficulty picking just one! Hannah meanwhile said mashed potatoes are her favorite, although this year Hannah looked forward to a special gluten free peanut butter cake her grandma made.

Aware not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving in November, I asked a question.

How the Canadian calendar lists American Thanksgiving.

On American calendars Canada’s Thanksgiving gets marked as “Canadian Thanksgiving.” I wondered if on Canadian calendars if they listed our Thanksgiving as “American Thanksgiving.” Timmy seconded my curiosity saying “Please tell us!” Heather DeYoe dropped in later to inform us Canadian calendars lists the day as “American Thanksgiving.”

Keeping to a Thanksgiving theme, we also discussed Thanksgiving family traditions.

Devin's family watches Christmas Vacation as a Thanksgiving tradition.Timmy's family Thanksgiving traditions are to eat, sleep, and repeat.

Devin shared his family watches Christmas Vacation on Thanksgiving. Meanwhile Timmy’s Thanksgiving tradition sounded quite enjoyable. He eats, naps, and repeats. I however need to patiently wait until Black Friday to eat. Since my mother works in retail, eating Thanksgiving dinner on Black Friday has become the Fenell family tradition.

Still I find Thanksgiving Day a reminder to show gratitude, which led to the next question.

Hannah is thankful to have survived 2018, even if that sounds cliche. I asked participants to share a 2018 accomplishment that they are thankful for. Hannah simply said surviving, given the difficult year she faced. What about you? Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “What is one accomplishment from 2018 you are thankful for?”

This week's extend-the-conversation question asks, "What is one 2018 accomplishment you feel thankful for?"Leave your answers in the “Comments” section below. Then come join the conversation LIVE Wednesday nights on Twitter, starting at 8pm ET.

Until then, remember. Do not blend in. Blend out!

-Zachary

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#CPChatNow Recap- 11-07-2018

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Names such as Ross, Monica, and Joey remained missing but nonetheless the live cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow contained a Friends-like vibe Wednesday, November 7th, 2018. I am co-host Zachary Fenell, here to explain what that means. Do you want to guess the best way to achieve this objective? If you said a weekly recap, then give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back!

Friends offered a memorable opening with the cast dancing while The Rembrandts’ song “I’ll Be There For You” plays. Lyrics in-part include “It’s like you are always stuck in second gear when it hasn’t been your day, week, or even year. But, I’ll be there for you.” For multiple #CPChatNow community members, 2018 has been tough. The unfortunate trend continued into the November 7th, 2018 chat.

#CPChatNow participants join the chat after a long, tiring day.Early in the chat my co-host Devin Axtman admitted to feeling very tired. Long-time regular Hannah Pike seconded the exhaustion. Although not her day, month, or even year Hannah stood there alongside everyone, tweeting out a pick me up.

Hannah tweets everyone encouragement with the message "So far you've survived 100% of your worst days. You're doing great."The knowledge “So far you’ve survived 100% of your worst days. You’re doing great” helped Hannah get through the day. So she tweeted the quote to help lift spirits. Do you repeat a certain phrase or mantra to empower you past the tough days? Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “What phrase or mantra helps get you through your bad days?” 

Leave your phrase or mantra in the “Comments” section. Another way to get through challenging times involves laughter. During the chat November 7th we shared a few laughs together.

#CPChatNow participants joke about feeling old.The laughter arose when new lingo emerged as a topic. Long-time #CPChatNow participant Jen mentioned the new lingo, for example “woke” and “what’s the tea.” Responding I credited #CPChatNow for single-handedly keeping me in the know. Simultaneously I tweeted a GIF featuring an old man shaking his finger accompanied by the caption “When I was your age, television was called books.”

Replying Jen recalled the lingo from her days, technically our days since only a few years separate us. One in-particular caught youngling Shira’s attention. She said others still use “Talk to the hand” around her. I quipped talk to the hand is a classic because the face don’t want to listen!

Elsewhere in the chat the looming winter surfaced as a common subject.

#CPChatNow participants discuss the best and worst parts of winter.I posed the question, “What do you find the best and worst part of winter?” Devin called the cold the worst part and Christmas the best part. I agreed about the holidays, saying people slow down and spend time with loved ones. A bit pessimistic though, I wondered how long that would last commenting “Just look at what Thanksgiving has become!”

Offering some hope Shira shared an optimistic outlook. She believes the holidays will naturally cycle back around to a familial focus. Her optimism lessened my pessimism. Once again an instance where #CPChatNow participants remain there for each other!

This week's extend-the-conversation question asks, "What phrase or mantra helps you get through your bad days?"Keep the positivity going. Remember to answer the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “What phrase or mantra helps to get you through your bad days?” Reply below in the “Comments.”

Until next time, remember. Don’t blend in. Blend out!

-Zachary

#CPChatNow Recap- 10-31-2018

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This past week’s #CPChatNow occured on Halloween and as you might guess, there was a lot of talk about Halloween and how it related to CP.  Members talked about costumes, trudging through the snow, and going up stairs.  Also, I burned my finger.  This is #CPChatNow Co-Host, Devin Axtman, and I’m taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

First, co-host Zachary Fenell tweeted about a cool Beetlejuice costume that incorporated a wheelchair.  Well done!

 

Zach tweeted about a costume incorporating a mobility aid. The image is the image of a kid's wheelchair being pushed by a parents and wearing a Beetlejuice costume with 2 characters sitting beside him

I shared my story of a burned finger due to an oven mishap and Zach and Hannah talked about difficulties with pot holders:

I talked about burning my hand while cooking and Zach and Hannah tweeted about loathing pot holders

Next, talk turned to Halloween and Zach’s question of the most difficult part about Halloween with CP.

Jen answered Zach’s question by stating it was difficult to get to houses that had stairs.

Jen answered Zach's difficult question with getting to houses with stairs

I talked about the difficulty of putting a costume on and Zach mentioned the difficulty of putting on face paint:

Zach and I tweet about the difficulty of putting on costumes. Zach mentions the difficulty of face paint with fine motor skills

Blemi then talked about the difficulty of having to trudge up and down the stairs in the snow:

Blemi said going up and down stairs in snow was difficult and she relied on her brother to get candy

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: Halloween is part of participating in your community.  What improvements do you wish for that would make it easier to participate in your community?

Extend-The-Conversation Graphic- What improvements do you wish for that would make it easier to participate in your community? on the bottom along with various people holding COMMUNITY in multi-colored letters with the multi-colored #CPChatNow logo in the upper left hand corner

Please share your answers in the comments and join us tomorrow night at 8 Eastern time on Twitter.