Tag Archives: cerebral palsy

#CPChatNow Recap- 5-27-2020

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Hello #CPChatNow! As Matt Hardy would say, the past week in #CPChatNow was wonderful! Thanks for stopping by for this week’s recap. This is your co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride.

We will begin this week’s recap by discussing an aspect of CP that is certainly annoying, hamstring stretches. Zach made a video of his different hamstring stretches and shared it in the chat.

zach asking what hamstring stretches people do and sharing his youtube video

Also, Jorge checked in with an update on his plans for graduate school:

jorge shared he applied to UVA, Rice, McCombs, Syracuse, UNC, and wake forrest

Finally, this brings us to a cool story about the invention of an adaptive gaming controller for people with disabilities:

i tweeted a story about an adaptive gaming controller. zach tweeted he is not a gamer, but related to something being annoying as hell like OT

Jen pointed out an obvious issue if people do not play XBOX, they could not use the controller:

jen pointed out that if people didn't play xbox, they couldn't use the controller.

This bring us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What common household adapted item do you use?

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 4/22/2020

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This past week #CPChatNow was out of this world on Earth Day! Members discussed Earth Day, trying new things while staying at home, and their thoughts around reopening. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

April 22nd was the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Jorge asked if folks were enjoying Earth Day.

Jorge asked if people got out to enjoy the earth on Earth day. Veronica tweeted her husband created a sitting area in her backyard where she drinks her coffee.

Next, members discussed trying new things while staying at home during the COVID pandemic. I discussed cooking more while at home and Hailey discussed trying a latch hook kit:

I ask if people have tried new things while staying home. Hailey tweeted about trying latch hook kit, but is worried about her motor skills

Jorge asked about a common topic that is impacted by the COVID pandemic, colleges and universities.

Jorge asks if I think colleges will open up in the Fall. I tweeted I felt it will be a patchwork of plans, but they would try. Jorge brings up the issue of international enrollment. jorge tweets he is applying to several schools.

Finally, Zach asked where different member’s home states are in the COVID pandemic reopening.

Zach asks where each member's area is on reopening. Grace tweets she is relieved Massachusetts is following guidelines and not considering reopening. I tweeted I am nervous that Texas is starting to open. I am nervous about going back to work and am nervous if I will continue to be able to work from home.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What new things have you been trying while staying at home during the COVID pandemic?

extend-the-conversation question graphic. An image of a green road sign reading discovery with the extend-the-conversation question and multicolored #CPChatNow logo in the upper right hand corner

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 4/8/2020

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This past week in #CPChatNow was intriguing as always. Members discussed strategies for dealing with the COVID stay at home situation, special education during the pandemic, and finding connections via the CP community and blogging. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

#CPChatNow member Tonia has been sharing concerns related to paying for her laundry. She shared an awesome story of a friend helping her out. This shows the power of community during the times we are in.

Zach asks Tonia how she resolved her laundry quarter issue. Tonia says that a friend with CP sanitized 100 quarters and sent them to her

Next, Zach and I talked about an issue that has been in the news a lot lately, virtual learning and parents. Concerns are even more amplified when you are helping your disabled child with their special education.

zach posts an article about virtual special education and mentions sped students may have advantages with distance learning since they are used to technology. i mentioned stuff has to be accessible for the technology to be used. i also mentioned difficulty of physical and occupational therapy
zach mentions PT by video and parents being stressed. i tweeted i would be nervous as a parent to mess something up and about access to technology stating many of my mom's students don't have access. zach tweeted he has learned many people don't have access to the internet by working at the library

Next, talk turned to forming connections with the CP community. Zach asked about the first people with CP we connected with.

zach asks about our first connection with somone with cp. i tweeted about a person in physical therapy. Tonia tweeted about a girl she met at camp for kids with disabilities at 13.

Next, talk turned to connections created with a common activity, blogging.

zach asks what got other people into blogging. tonia tweeted it was after reading the post of a parent of a disabled child and wanting to offer her thoughts. linds tweeted she was angry about a teachable moment with a coworker. tonia tweeted she feels obligated to teach others while linds says she does not.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: Do you feel like you need to teach others about having CP? Please share your answers in the comments!

the extend-the-conversation question graphic. the extend the conversation question is: Do you feel like you need to teach others about having CP? The multicolored #cpchatnow logo in the upper right hand corner, #cpchatnow on the bottom, and an image of a female teacher with a red book drawing on a chalkboard

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 3-25-2020

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This past week in #CPChatNow was interesting as always. Members discussed CP awareness, working from home, and famous people with CP. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

March 25th by coincidence happened to be Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day. Members discussed whether wishing people a happy CP Awareness Day was appropriate.

zach asked whether it's ok to wish someone a happy cp awareness day. heather asked why not. zach tweeted it feels weird and you don't wish someone happy breast cancer awareness. i asked why cp was bad. shira tweeted she did not feel it was good. zach tweeted it has positives and negatives.

Hannah also popped in to wish everyone a happy CP Awareness Day:

hannah said hi and wished everyone a happy cp awareness day.

Talked turned to the effectiveness of a common strategy for raising CP awareness, wearing green.

zach asked whether green is effective to raising awareness. i asked people know CP's color is green, heather tweeted she felt it was unknown by many, zach tweeted that people might notice something was happening if enough people were wearing green

Zach and I discussed positives and negatives of wearing green:

zach tweeted the positives for wearing green are seeing community and the negatives are what is actually learned. i asked about the negatives and he tweeted about the lack of substance in awareness.

Finally, talk turned to a common topic during the COVID outbreak, working from home.

i asked if people were working from home. zach asked if i liked it, linds tweeted that she was going to regardless of the pandemic, blemi tweeted she liked it and i tweeted there seemed to be less distractions.

However, Veronica tweeted about how the recent changes with the pandemic have impacted the availability of her work of scoring standardized tests:

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation question: How is CP impacting staying at home?

an orange, blue, and green #cpchatnow logo in the upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green with 'how is cp impacting staying at home?' below and a picture of a house with #CPCHATNOW in white with a green border behind

Please share your answers in the comments, join us at #CPChatNow at 8 Eastern each Wednesday on Twitter and most importantly, stay home and stay safe!

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 3-11-2020

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This past week in #CPChatNow was intriguing as always. Members discussed desires for stylish adaptive equipment, actors and actresses with CP, and advice for parents. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

Zach and Blemi tweeted about their desire for adaptive equipment to be stylish and why attention may not be paid to that:

blemi tweets about using her grandpa's walker and needing to make it stylish with a desire that companies take note. zach tweets that he feels it is due to society not viewing disability as a life. blemi tweets she would have adaptive equipment for every outfit

Next, attention turned to people’s favorite actors and actresses with CP:

toni says asked about favorite disabled actors. she tweeted alice kina diehl and gavin mchugh
zach tweets about micah fowler from speechless. i tweet about aj murray from becoming bulletproof. emily tweeted alice kina diehl and micah fowler

Finally, Zach asked what advice people would give to parents of someone with CP. Members offered a variety of advice, but most centered around connecting with community and exposing their children to people with disabilities:

zach asks what advice people would give to parents with cp. tonia and zach talked about connecting with their child's community with cp. zach tweets that community is vital for building self-confidence
blemi tweets that she would tell parents she is not lazy, just tired. chris tweeted that she wishes parents should help kids find opportunities to be around disabled people and adults

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What piece of advice do you wish your parent would have known about CP or having a disability?

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 2/12/20

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This past week in #CPChatNow was insightful as always. Members discussed things they had done to accommodate their CP, canes, and shoes. This is #CPChatNow Co-Host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

First, I would like to make a recommendation. Go buy Zachary Fennell’s book, Off Balanced. I bought it and I’m loving it so far:

I tweet about buying Zach's book with a picture of the cover of the book

Next, Zach brought up last week’s Extend-The-Conversation question about accommodating your Cerebral Palsy.

zach asks what people have done to accommodate their cerebral palsy. the extend-the-conversation graphic is below the tweet

Chris tweeted about being selective about her shoes while I shared I moved to using a wheelchair at school in high school.

chris tweets she pays close attention to the shoes she wears with brands like keens and sketchers. they don't wear holes in sole. she also has keen rainboots and uses elastic laces. i tweet about using a wheelchair in high school.

Zach and Chris tweeted about their past use of canes and adventures with them.

zach tweeted that his cane tip was worn out after completing his second marathon. chris asks if he uses a quad tip. zach said he did when recovering from surgery. chris tweets she prefers a quad tip because it stands up by itself. zach tweets a traditional cane can easily get knocked if propped against the wall

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: Have you worn a special type of shoe due to your CP?

the extend-the-conversation question graphic. the multicolored #CPChatNow logo is in the upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green with "Have you worn a special type of shoe due to your CP?' and green chuck taylor high top in the lower left hand corner. there is #cpchatnow in green

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 1/29/2020

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This past week in #CPChatNow was hopping as always. Members discussed moving, the difficulty of battling through winter, and terrible compliments they have experienced related to their CP. This is #CPChatNow Co-Host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, we check in on Linds. She has moved to a new town to start her new job as a paralegal:

Jen asks Linds how her new hometown is. Linds said she is settling in and she hasn't gotten lost in a few days.

Next, members discussed a common nemesis of people with CP, old man winter. Zach asked if members felt more tired during winter:

Zach asked if members get mored tired in winter. I tweeted that I do and I also believe it has something to do with it getting darker earlier. Zach tweets about the darkness sapping his motivation.
Zach reports he has been feeling more tired lately due to an increased work schedule, but also feels he would be bouncing back better if temps were in the 60s.

Finally, talk turned to problematic compliments members had received. Zach tweeted about the “I don’t see you as disabled” stereotype and Jen tweeted about being prayed for once.

Zach asked about worst compliments members had received. Zach tweets about being called "the most non-disabled, disabled person" someone knew. He indicated that emphasizes stereotypes. Jen tweeted she got prayed for and at a movie theater.

Chris also tweeted about some problematic compliments.

Chris tweets her hatred of the I don't see you disabled compliment and states without her CP she would be a different person. She tweets she wonders the impact this has on kids. She also tweets her dislike for the the compliment about her giving people hope for the future.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is the worst compliment you have received related to your CP?

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

-Devin