Monthly Archives: February 2021

#CPChatNow Recap- 02-17-2021

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To quote Gorilla Monsoon, this past week in #CPChatNow was a happening as always. Members discussed various topics such as obtaining Assistive Technology, maintaining motivation, publishing a book, and learning to fall. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

Chris shared something I thought was cool that you might want to look into in your area and state. Chris discussed the concept of lending libraries for Assistive Technology that she used to obtain products.

zach retweets heather's tweet about her swedish cutting board being her favorite assistive product, chris tweeted she has seen that and the state of washington has an AT lending lab that brought her things to check out

Zach talked about the difficulties he has experienced maintaining motivation and stated he goes through streaks of low motivation. Other members chimed in with their experiences and how they remain motivated.

zach asks if anyone went through streaks with motivation, i tweeted that i do and especially so with work being canceled for the week, zach tweets he was frustrated when his hours were cut in half, but it gave him more time to finish his book, but it took him a few weeks
zach tweets he asks himself what he will regret if he dies tomorrow, blemi tweets that is an ok way to motivate himself, zach tweets he feels it is a good attitude as long as the person does not overdo it

I would like to recognize that Zach has finished his manuscript and it is now in the editing phase. Zach is planning to write a book about the process of his training for a marathon.

zach tweets about the topics of his book, anxieties and falls he experienced, learning to refocus, how to stay motivated during training, he tweets he only did races that mentioned walking at first, chris tweets that she understands zach's anxiety towards running and shared experiences from high school

Finally, members discussed a common thing that is surprising to many able bodied people, learning to fall either in therapy or other areas.

i tweeted i learned how to fall in physical therapy, blemi tweeted her brother taught her after second judo class and it has saved her from many injuries, zach tweeted it is amazing he has never hurt himself despite the falls he has taken
blemi tweeted she bent her pinky finger this year and it is her most significant injury from a fall,

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is the oddest thing you have learned how to do related to your disability?

extend-the-conversation question graphic: an orange, blue, and green #CPChatNow logo in the upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green, What is the oddest thing you have learned how to do related to your disability? in black, an illustration of a half orange and half red lightbulb that looks like a brain with a variety of shapes and letters inside the brain, #CPCHATNOW in white with a green background

Thanks for reading and please join us each Wednesday on Twitter at 8 Eastern at #CPChatNow!

-Devin

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#CPChatNow Recap- 02-10-2021

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Cold weather made an impact on the live cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow Wednesday, February 10th, 2021. To tell you more, I am chat co-host Zachary Fenell. Time to fix yourself a hot beverage or situate yourself around the fire place so you can warmly enjoy your weekly recap.

Early dialogue in the evening related to unusually cold temperatures.

#CPChatNow participants from Texas discuss their unusually cold winter.

In Texas where my co-host Devin Axtman and long-time chat regular Jen lives, temperatures remained in the 20s (Fahrenheit). Quite cold for them! This led me to ask a question.

Participants in #CPChatNow discuss how they get by when temperatures are cold.

Curious, I asked others how they manage in the cold. Devin answered he “just wear layers and complain haha.” Similar to my own response.

Zachary talks about how he manages to get by when the temperatures are cold.

Like Devin, I mentioned wearing layers. In-particular noting I wear two pairs of socks. Additionally, I find myself using my heating pad (Cure Choice electric heating pad) a lot more. As we continued to discuss the impact cold weather has on cerebral palsy, Devin and I discovered another similarity.

#CPChatNow participants discuss needing to stretch more due to colder weather.

Through chat regular Chris, the havoc cold weather can cause on spastic muscles arose as a subject. Devin and I both noting we need to stretch our hamstrings more in the winter. Our specific stretches possessing some resemblance with both involving reaching for our toes. A stretch I do in a standing position. Meanwhile Devin sits on the floor and tries to touch his toes.

What about you? Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “How do you stay stretched out?” Leave your answer down below in the “Comments.”

On a related matter, the extend-the-conversation question Devin posed in the February 3rd, 2021 recap also surfaced during our Twitter chat February 10th.

#CPChatNow participants discuss their favorite assistive products.

As a reminder, Devin asked in the February 3rd recap, what people’s favorite assistive products are. Heather responded, linking to her Swedish cutting board. The cutting board making cutting with one hand a lot easier!

Please remember to keep the conversation going by answering this week’s extend-the-conversation question. “How do you stay stretched out?”

This week's extend-the-conversation question asks, "How do you stay stretched out?"
Answer in the “Comments” section.

Afterwards, write yourself a reminder to join our Twitter chat each and every Wednesday. The fun begins at 8pm ET.

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

-Zachary

#CPChatNow Recap- 2-3-2021

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This past week in #CPChatNow was busy as always. Members discussed scooters that look like cars, new adaptive shoes from Nike, and the struggles from CP caused by Old Man Winter. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, Zach pointed out this interesting scooter that looks like a car, but is sadly not street legal. We discussed the potential benefits from using the scooter.

zach tweets about a scooter that looks like a car that goes 18 miles per hour, but is not street legal. the tweet includes an image of a scooter with a body of a red car
zach tweets the scooter would cause a lot of second looks going down the street, i tweet that you would not get wet, zach tweets you could have room to put groceries in the back

Next, talk turned to Nike’s newest sneaker, the Go FlyEase, which is Nike’s newest effort at making athletic shoes accessible for disabled people.

zach asks what people think of nike's new go flyease shoes, there is a gif of someone wearing a yellow, pink, and teal shoe

Talk next turned to member’s thoughts on the usability of Nike’s new shoe:

timmy tweeted he would fall taking them off, i tweeted i think it's impossible to design a shoe for every type of disability, but at least nike tried, i tweeted i am not sure if the shoe would work for me, but it is a cool concept, blemi tweeted they look like a nightmare, zach tweeted they would have trouble with balance and he would need a hand to brace himself for balance which would make the shoes not hands free

Next, Zach asked members how winter impacts them the most:

zach asks how winter impacts people the most, i tweet it puts me on DL with hamstring tightness, but not as much in Texas, zach tweeted the DL is now the Injured List, blemi tweeted it makes her stiff, the wind and ice makes her fall, zach tweets he has been doing extra stretching to combat stiffness and that safely navigating winter elements is the worst part of winter for him

Finally, I would like to share a quote from one of the Nike team members about Nike’s recent efforts to develop shoes friendly to disabled people that Zach shared:

i tweet i feel it is impossible to design a shoe for every type of disability and at least nike is trying, timmy agreed and felt this is a really good start, zach shared a quote from the design team, "If you design for the most extreme needs, then you’re unlocking benefits for everybody. If a shoe works for someone who has no hands, then it will work for people who have two hands.”

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation question: What is your favorite adaptive or assistive product you have used? Please share your answer in the comments!

the extend-the-conversation question graphic: an orange, blue, and green #CPChatNow logo, extend-the-conversation question in green, What is your favorite adaptive or assistive product you have used? in black with a picture of a pink and green chameleon walking on a pink and blue vine, #CPCHATNOW in white above a green background

Thank you for reading and please join us each Wednesday on Twitter at 8 Eastern at #CPChatNow!

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 01-27-2021

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If you missed the live weekly cerebral palsy (CP) Twitter chat #CPChatNow Wednesday, January 27th, 2021, relax. You remain in good company! In fact only my co-host Devin Axtman and myself, Zachary Fenell, actively participated. Nevertheless, I still wanted to provide you your weekly recap. All aboard!

As the chat began Devin and I found ourselves making some references to an interest we share.

Zachary and Devin make wrestling references.

Admittedly, I am the guilty party who originated the wrestling dialogue. However, understanding the occasional lurker follows along with the chat, I figured we better get back on course. Knowing the right question can inspire lurkers to evolve into active participants.

Devin and Zachary discuss winter's impact on them.

Devin offered a huge assist in bringing the dialogue back to cerebral palsy matters, asking me how winter had been treating me. As the winter chatter progressed, we both noted the cold makes our muscles extra tight. What about you? Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “How does winter impact you the most?” Leave your response in the “Comments” section.

In addition to discussing winter, I brought up an article I recently read.

Devin and Zachary discuss a recent KARE 11 news story.

KARE 11 covered a story about how special technology helped a young girl with cerebral palsy order her own food for the first time. Their coverage impressed me because the news team managed to capture the moment’s significance oppose to emptily praising the story as inspirational. An assessment Devin agreed with. Feel free to tell us what you think in the “Comments.”

Also, remember to answer the extend-the-conversation question while commenting. Again, this week’s question asks “How does winter impact you the most?”

This week's extend-the-conversation question asks, "How does winter impact you the most?" Answer in the comments.

Perchance interacting via comments does not offer you enough engagement, join us live on Twitter each and every Wednesday. The fun starts at 8pm ET. Come interact with us in real time! Simply search Twitter for “#CPChatNow,” click the “Latest” tab, and add to the dialogue by including the hashtag in your tweet.

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

-Zachary