Monthly Archives: January 2021

#CPChatNow Recap- 1/20/2021

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This past week in #CPChatNow was a roller coaster as always. Members talked about doing brain surgery on mice, their funniest falls, attending sporting events, and more! Oh, and we gotta have a Bernie at the inauguration meme related to disability. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, I would like to share a cool thing that a member is doing. Timmy is currently studying his PhD and shared the latest on his research:

timmy tweeted about doing mouse brain surgery, chris tweeted she volunteered the rats in her house, timmy tweeted he injects a gene so the brain cells are stimulated with light to understand how different brain regions communicate with each other in alcoholism and other addiction

Next, we have to share a Bernie at the inauguration meme related to disability from Imani Barbarin:

i shared a bernie at the inauguration meme tweeting that was funny and relatable, imani barbarin tweeted disabled people in that one accessible spot at the party with a picture of bernie sanders in a jacket and mittens at the inauguration

Next, talk turned to member’s funniest falls with members sharing various stories:

zach asks what the silliest thing is that has caused a fall tweeting he tripped on his pant leg, blemi tweeted she fell turning to return something to the fridge, smacking her head on the cabinet with juice going everywhere, i tweeted about falling while emptying an electric pencil sharpener in 6th grade which got the shavings all over me
i also tweeted about a fall when i didn't hear my fiancee warn me about a step, zach tweeted that happened when he fell during a 3 mile walk, i tweeted my cat used to sprint at my legs and trip me, chris tweets she almost tripped over her cane when she didn't see it hanging up, timmy tweets he tripped over his foot

Finally, Blemi tweeted about an awkward fall she had on some bleachers. This led to a discussion about the perils of climbing bleachers and grandstands:

blemi tweets she fell to the bottom of the bleachers at a basketball game in college, she tweets that's how people though she injured herself, zach tweets bleachers are awkward for him because it's small railings and bigger railings which makes transitions difficult, chris tweets she cannot walk up bleachers and that's what they use for seating at race tracks and her friend needed to help her at the indy 500, zach tweets the lower seating at progressive field has no railings, but the steps are wide enough that he can get to them

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What are your typical feelings in reaction to a fall?

extend-the-conversation question graphic: multicolored #CPChatNow logo in the upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green above What are your typical feelings in reaction to a fall? in black, there is an drawing of a man in a dark green shirt and light green pants with tan shoes falling down the stairs with his arms out and a panicked expression on his face

Please share your answers in the comments and join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on Twitter at #CPChatNow.

Thanks for reading!

-Devin

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#CPChatNow Recap- 01-13-2021

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As the years pass, the bonds formed during the weekly cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow continue to flourish. A fact evident by the chat Wednesday, January 13th, 2021. Evidence I, #CPChatNow co-founder and co-host Zachary Fenell, will present today via your weekly recap. Shall we start chugging along?

#CPChatNow participants reflect on conversations about dating held early in the chat's history.

Conversation between my co-host Devin Axtman and long-time chat regular Blemi caused me to reflect. Leaving me remembering discussions from our chat’s early years when we discussed the dating troubles a disability can cause. Dialogue Devin and Blemi actively engaged in. Now seven years later both remain engaged to their respective significant others! Proof everything comes down to meeting the right person. As Devin stated, “It sounds like a BS cliché but it’s true.”

Another participant who experienced much change and growth since our community started in December 2013, stopped by to update us on his life happenings.

Jorge Oteiza updates #CPChatNow on his life happenings.

Yes! Jorge Oteiza tweeted to update us on his graduate school adventures. An ambitious high school student when our community came into existence, Jorge has come a long way with his studies. Nevertheless, he still remains a young man who possesses a bright future.

Speaking of the future, any discussion in 2021 about the future should involve COVID vaccinations. A subject which arose during our chat January 13th.

#CPChatNow participants discuss availability of COVID vaccines.

Devin raised the topic, mentioning he received his first vaccination shot over the weekend. Others meanwhile lacked a timetable regarding when they would receive their vaccinations.

Elsewhere in the chat, I also asked a pandemic related question.

#CPChatNow participants discuss sports continuing while COVID spreads.

Upon Devin and Blemi starting to discuss hockey season, I asked if they were happy sports are going on or if they feel sports create unnecessary risk of COVID spread. Blemi answered with mixed emotions, noting she does enjoy having the distraction. What about you? Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “Are you happy sports are going on or do you feel that creates unnecessary risk of spread?”

Answer below in the “Comments.” Then mark your calendars to join us on Twitter each and every Wednesday, starting at 8pm ET.

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

-Zachary

This week's extend-the-conversation question asks, "Are you happy sports are going on or do you feel that creates unnecessary risk of spread?"
Answer below!

#CPChatNow Recap- 1/06/2021

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This past week in #CPChatNow members discussed being a night owl versus a morning person, getting a smartphone, and their hopes for positive things in the new year. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, there was a discussion on whether members are morning people or night owls. Chris tweeted that she is neither because she needs drugs to stay awake no matter what time:

zach asks members whether they are a morning person or night owl, chris tweets she has idiopathic hypersomnia so she is neither- she just feels permanently exhausted, zach asked if she is used to this, chris tweets she was used to it, but it has been much harder as it has gotten worse

Chris, Zach, and I all talked about being a night owl:

chris tweeted he is a night owl, zach asks if he has always been a night owl and tweets he shifted to being a morning person when working at the library, chris tweets he has not always been a night owl, but he has never been a morning person, zach tweets if he has to be up, getting up is easy, i tweet i am a night owl which makes waking up for the train hard

Next, Zach tweeted about getting a smartphone. Longtime #CPChatNow members will know that Zach has been resistant to getting a smartphone.

zach tweets he is shocking longtime members of #cpchatnow and graduating to a smartphone, he asks about must have apps, i ask him what kind while tweeting a gif of Patrick Star's head exploding
zach tweeted he got a Moto G Power, i tweeted i recommended zach get a nice case, zach tweeted he ordered a case on amazon

Finally, Zach asked about positives that members are looking forward to in 2021.

zach asked about positives they are looking forward to in 2021- tweeting he is looking forward to the release of his next book, stating he is 75% done and hopes to have it complete for editing by mid February
chris tweeted she will be saying goodbye to her gallbladder and she will be finishing her master's degree, zach tweeted wishing her good luck

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your biggest goal for 2021? Please share your answers in the comments and please be sure to join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on Twitter at #CPChatNow!

extend the conversation question graphic. multicolored #CPChatNow logo in the upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green above what is your biggest goal for 2021? in black, happy new year in white against a background of fireworks on a night sky, #CPCHATNOW in white text against a green background on the bottom

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 12-30-2020

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Wednesday, December 30th, 2020 participants in the weekly cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow gathered one last time for the year. To tell you more, I am chat co-host Zachary Fenell. Join me in saying farewell to the past year, with the final 2020 chat recap.

Recap feels like quite the appropriate word too because in many ways the December 30th chat served as a recap for the year. Chat regular Chris asked others to name the best parts of their 2020, pre-COVID or under our current pandemic situation. Answers covered both periods.

Devin recalls the best part of 2020 for him.
Zachary gives a highlight from his 2020.

My co-host Devin Axtman found a positive within the pandemic, answering he and his fiancée grew closer together during quarantine. Meanwhile my answer to Chris’ question dated back to before the pandemic. In February, I finally released my CP memoir Off Balanced in paperback form!

Devin responded to my tweet with a ringing endorsement, saying “I read it! 10/10 recommend.” If you would like to make your own opinion, checkout Off Balanced for yourself.

Enough shameless plugging from me, though. Let us talk about you. Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “What was the best part of your 2020?” Leave your response in the “Comments” section.

Besides sharing our 2020 highlights, participants discussed how having a disability prepared them to handle 2020’s bizarreness.

#CPChatNow participants discuss how having a disability helped prepared them for 2020.

The subject arose when I asked the group how their disability prepared them for the bizarre year that was 2020. Devin said he was use to staying home. Long-time chat regular Blemi also answered, saying having a disability means we are already use to being told what we can and can’t do. Adding to Blemi’s thought, I stated we are more use to adapting to situations. So, all the changes 2020 brought felt less drastic to us. Or, at least that remains my opinion.

Although 2020 has ended, we can keep the conversation going! First, remember to answer the week’s extend-the-conversation question “What was the best part of your 2020?”

This week's extend-the-conversation question asks, "What was the best part of your 2020?"
Answer in the “Comments” section!

Next, mark your calendar and join us each and every Wednesday on Twitter. The fun begins at 8pm ET.

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

-Zachary