Various subjects came and went Wednesday, July 27th, 2022 during the live cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow. Here to tell you more, I am chat co-host Zachary Fenell. Welcome to your weekly recap.

Early in the night I issued an important disclaimer.

I warned participants I planned to experiment with recording my participation in the chat that night in order to create a YouTube video with step by step instructions on how to participate in Twitter chats. The experiment proved successful as you will see below from my video “How to Participate in a Twitter Chat Using a Computer.”

Regarding topics discussed July 27th, Chris mentioned assistive technology (AT). In-particular Chris talked about using grabbers for assistance in getting dressed. I recalled trying to use grabbers following my surgery aftermath at 14 years old. My comment inadvertently shifted the dialogue’s focus to surgery experiences.

Chris recalled my co-host Devin Axtman also underwent major surgery when younger. Devin did his best to fit his surgical history into one tweet, saying, “I have had about 15 ish surgeries of different levels. The biggest one was where they sawed my femur and tibia in half and put them back together with a plate.”

Besides Devin, Chris and I discussed our histories with surgeries. Nothing too shocking, at least in comparison to what another chat regular had to say.

Replying to Devin noting he had multiple heel cord lengthening operations, Blemi shared, “I’ve had it done twice. The second time I was awake and something happened…” Consequently, Blemi couldn’t walk for almost a year.

Interestingly enough, walking arose elsewhere in the chat too.

Remembering back to a tweet Blemi posted within the last week, Chris echoed how walking independently should not necessarily be the end goal. Like Chris would go on to say, “I think maybe something about mobility devices or other adaptive equipment. I kind of feel like it’s implied that you’re ‘giving up’ if you use them. When really they’re tools.”

Those comments came from Chris when answering her own question about what misconception or thing do people get wrong about CP, adding a focus on medical professionals since, “that’s where that often comes from.”

Meanwhile Devin answered, “That it (CP) has no impact on aging.” What about you? How would you answer the question? Let us make the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “What misconception or thing do people, specifically medical professionals, get wrong about CP?”

Respond in the “Comments” below. Afterwards, mark your calendars to join us each and every Wednesday on Twitter starting at 8pm ET. If you need directions on how to participate in a Twitter chat, checkout my tutorial video, “How to Participate in a Twitter Chat Using a Computer.”

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

-Zachary