Monthly Archives: April 2021

#CPChatNow Recap- 04-21-2021

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During the weekly cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow Wednesday, April 21st, 2021 several subjects came to the conversation’s forefront. Here to fill you in on the details, I am chat co-host Zachary Fenell. Welcome to your weekly recap.

Admittedly, the night started a little slow. As I waited for others to filter into the chat, I caught up on participant Tonia’s blog. Reading her recent post “How Does That Work: Interdependence in the Disabled Community.”

#CPChatNow participants discuss Tonia's blog post about interdependence.

Throughout the post Tonia makes some excellent points. Or, so I thought. One I specifically commented about in our Twitter dialogue. Oppose to going on with my personal takeaway though, I will just encourage you to read Tonia’s post yourself. Allow you to develop your own takeaways.

In the meantime, let us continue recapping our discussion from April 21st.

#CPChatNow community members discuss their vaccination statuses.

Upon joining April 21st, long-time regular Blemi shared exciting news. She finally received her first COVID vaccination shot! This led others to offer their vaccination statuses. Veronica looked forward to getting her second shot on Sunday. Meanwhile Alessandro recalled his second shot taking a toll on him.

Another occurrence which can take a toll I raised via a question.

Participants of #CPChatNow discuss how long they need to recover from a horrid night of sleep.

I asked everyone how long they take to return to their regular selves following a horrid night of sleep. Blemi, Grace, and my co-host Devin Axtman all mentioned needing a couple days before returning to their status quo.

Regarding the status quo, participants reminisced about resuming a pre-pandemic lifestyle. Leading to concert going rising as a topic.

#CPChatNow participants discuss their best concert experience.

Recalling those simpler times, I asked our community about their best concert experience. Veronica answered she saw Queen and Adam Lambert in July 2019. Alessandro also replied, recalling seeing T.I. at the House of Blues in Orlando.

As the concert chatter continued, Tonia reminded us concerts are not for everyone. Saying she has never been to one due to their overstimulating nature. What about you? Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “What has been your best concert experience?”

Reply in the comments below. If you find concerts overstimulating, let us know that! Then plan 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, "What has been your best concert experience?"
Answer below!
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#CPChatNow Recap- 4/14/21

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This past week in #CPChatNow was a happening as always. Members discussed new jobs, their accomplishments for the week, canes, and stretching. 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 recognize some good news and a strong GIF game from Linds!

linds tweets that she got a job with a gif of spongebob talking on the phone with his eyes up. zach tweets congratulations and asks if it will take her away from #cpchatnow

Linds also tweeted about her cane and feeling accomplished by finishing laundry. I can certainly relate to finishing laundry sometimes feeling like an accomplishment!

zach asks about what members have accomplished in the last seven days, linds tweets she has started to use a cane and has a 31 wpm typing speed, she tweeted she also did another load of laundry, zach asks what her cane looked like and if she multiple so she can treat it like an accessory, linds tweeted her canes are blue scrolling paisley or tropical flowers

We had some new folks join the chat this week! Constance Jamet talked about her various accomplishments this week which including finishing some things for work and walking a bit more.

zach tweeted asking what members had accomplished in the last seven days, constance tweeted she has improved on the kneeling knight position, meeting deadlines on her job, and walking a little more after being immobile for a few weeks

Constance’s tweets led to a further conversation about stretching with Zach and I tweeting about our stretching routines.

zach and i tweet about stretching, i tweeting i can understand the difficulty of learning to stretch something new and that i have done that throughout my life with new muscles, zach tweets he has to stretch consistently, he tweets his body feels like it's being squeezed by a snake if he doesn't stretch

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your stretching routine? Please share your answers in the comments and join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern at #CPChatNow.

extend-the-conversation question graphic, orange, blue, and green #cpchatnow logo in upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green, what is your stretching routine? above a picture of

Thanks for reading!

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 04-07-2021

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Energetic proves a fitting way to describe the conversation which happened during the cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow Wednesday, April 7th, 2021. Why you may ask. Let me, chat co-host Zachary Fenell, tell you why via your weekly recap.

The description “energetic” encompasses a buzz and our chat buzzed from topic to topic April 7th.

#CPChatNow regulars discuss baseball.

Early in the night my co-host Devin Axtman and long-time chat regular Jen discussed a common interest multiple people in our community hold, baseball. In-particular Jen mentioned a bench clearing incident involving Devin’s favorite team the Chicago Cubs.

While players on the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers jumped off their benches and ran onto the field, participants in our community discussed a different jumping.

Devin discusses being super jumpy at the dentist.
#CPChatNow participants discuss scenarios which make them jumpy.

Both Devin and I brought up situations which can make us jumpy. Devin mentioning being “super jumpy” at the dentist. Meanwhile I shared how my workplace currently has HVAC work getting done. The work causing lots of banging. Neither situation stands ideal alone, but combined? Yikes! A scenario Veronica recalled experiencing while responding to my tweet.

Elsewhere in the conversation Veronica offered a useful tip.

Veronica offers a useful tip dealing with cerebral palsy and cooking.

Regarding cooking, Veronica said whenever she looks at recipes, she doubles the prep time because due to her CP she has to do her prep one-handed. Smart thinking, if you ask me! Would you agree? Comment below and let us know.

Also, while commenting share your own cerebral palsy tip. Consider that your extend-the-conversation question for the week. After commenting, mark your calendars to join us each and every Wednesday on Twitter. The fun always begins at 8pm ET.

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

-Zachary

Share in the comments below!

#CPChatNow Recap- 3/31/2021

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This past week in #CPChatNow was hopping as always. Members discussed good things from the pandemic, renewing their handicap parking placard, accessibility issues at a sporting event, and what makes a good doctor. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

Zach talked with Blemi about one good thing from the pandemic:

zach asks about a good thing that resulted form the pandemic after blemi talked about online yoga classes, zach discussed finishing his next book, stating he had planned to edit the draft in march, but was sidetracked by instagram posts, blemi tweeted striving for bigger material items is pointless

Next, I asked about something that is a common annoyance to disabled people, having to renew their permanent handicapped parking placard.

i asked how often people have to renew their permanent handicapped parking placard, zach tweeted he is not sure because he always gets a reminder to renew
blemi tweeted it is every five years to renew a placard in alberta, zach tweeted it is a pet peeve to have to renew the placard since the cp doesn't go away, chris tweets she has to do the same with paratransit even though she lives in the same house and her disabilities are permanent

Next, talk turned to the biggest accessibility concerns members had while at sporting events.

zach asked about accessibility issues members face at sporting events, chris tweeted about bleachers without handrails and buses with long routes that take forever, blemi tweeted hand rails that start and stop
veronica tweets bringing food to and from her seat is why she keeps her husban around

Finally, talk turned to a common issue for people with CP and other disabilities, finding a good doctor. Zach asked about the traits that make a doctor a good doctor:

zach asks what makes a doctor a good doctor, he tweets a crucial trait of a good doctor is the willingness to listen, blemi tweeted listening as well but also not just assuming something is CP related

Chris also tweeted about the traits that made someone a good doctor and the importance of building trust by being open about what the doctor doesn’t know.

chris tweeted about her experiences at valley healthcare's residency program, she tweets she appreciates people they saying they don't know, but they would consult and she tweeted she feels doctors care more if you are open about your health.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What made your favorite doctor so great?

extend-the-conversation question graphic: orange, blue, and green #CPChatNow logo in upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green, what made your favorite doctor so great? with a picture of white man using a wheelchair sitting by a hospital bed

Please join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on Twitter at #CPChatNow. Thanks for reading!

-Devin