2022

Posted on March 1, 2022 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was buzzing as always. Members discussed their plans for Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, frustrations with insurance, dealing with the cold, and Erin stopped by to share her paintings! This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

Longtime member Erin stopped by to share her new painting venture at E’s Messy Gallery .

erin announced a caption contest for her messy gallery facebook page, tweet has images of erin's paintings and her holding a painting

erin tweets she throws her pain brushes occasionally. her personal caregiver puts duck tape on the ends of her brushes and she had a studio built with a sink in the floor. an image of erin with a red shirt and paint splotches

Next, members discussed frustrations with insurance. Alessandro is thinking about a knee replacement and Erin is battling with insurance to get a talking device.

alessandro discusses the possibility of knee replacement, but says he can't afford it, zach tweets it sucks we make decisions about wellness based on what we can afford vs what is best for us, erin shares an example of getting a talking device funding by insurance and tweets about how they don't care if it enhances her career

Members also discussed how they deal with the cold. Zach tweeted he uses a heating pad and Erin shared she moved to Florida.

zach tweets his shoulder stiffened up while reading. he tweets he got his heating pad out to relieve the pain. he asked what people do to counter the cold, erin tweeted she moved to florida

Finally, Zach tweeted about his plans for CP Awareness Month, releasing his new book!

zach asked if members had plans for CP awareness month. stephen tweeted he did not and asked zach for his plans. zach tweeted the plan is to release Slow and Cerebral but that depends on the proofreader feedback.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What are your tips for dealing with insurance? Please share your answers in the comments and join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on #CPChatNow.

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 12/29/2021

Posted on January 4, 2022 by devinaxtman

The last #CPChatNow of 2021 had members looking back on their highs and lows of the year and what they had learned along with looking forward to 2022. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

First, members discussed their highs and lows from 2021:

zach asks about highs and lows, i tweet getting married and low of the cubs season, zach tweeted his high is progressing on his book and getting promoted at work, low is not getting video work done to work on book, blemi tweeted her high is getting engaged and her low is having to leave work

Next, members discussed what they had learned during the year.

zach asks about life lessons from 2021, chris tweets don't ignore what you think are little or insignificant health issues

zach tweets his life lesson is to focus on the present and that he injured his groin because he was not focused on the present. i tweeted that he stole mine and that sometimes things are worth waiting for.

Finally, members discussed their goals for 2022.

zach asks about goals for 2022, i tweeted to stretch more regularly, he tweeted simple goals can have great results and the cold weather has had him needing to stretch, blemi tweeted continuing to get her health back in order.

stephen tweeted to get a girlfriend, zach tweeted getting a signficant other is hard because things are out of your control and it's better to be single than in a bad relationship, chris tweeted to finish her master's degree.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What are your goals for 2022? Please share your answers in the comments and join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on #CPChatNow!

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 12/22/21

Posted on December 29, 2021 by devinaxtman

The #CPChatNow recap is back! This past week in #CPChatNow was bouncing as always. Members discussed holiday traditions, driving, eye surgeries, and more! 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 Stephen Commander on his recent birthday! I hope you enjoyed your day!

I also want to recognize Zach’s cool “Don’t blend in, blend out!” holiday sweater.

zach tweeted a picture of him in blue mask and his green don't blend in, blend out green holiday sweater with white snowflakes, sleighs, and reindeer

Fittingly for a few days before Christmas, members discussed their favorite holiday traditions.

zach asks what members favorite holiday traditions are. stephen said eating homemade chex mix with corn and wheat chex, peanuts, and pretzels

blemi tweets she loves watching people open presents she gave them. zach tweets he loves giving gifts when he doesn't have to ask

Next, members discussed the challenges and opportunities that can come from not being able to drive.

stephen tweets he wishes he could drive and not have to rely on his parents. veronica tweeted she was chauffeured by her son this afternoon.

veronica tweeted it was a condition of him getting his license and second car. veronica tweeted her children learned it is different to have a parent with a disability, but they help pay for his car expenses wile he goes through veterinary school

zach responds to stephen by saying he understands, but he has found benefits to not driving by spending bonus time with people he cares about

Finally, Veronica tweeted about her recent laser eye surgery and members asked questions about it.

veronica tweets about a laser treatment she had her eye to help the lens with reading. i ask if the treatments are painful. veronica tweeted the treatment was not painful, she just heard some clicking sounds and built it up to be worse than it is

veronica asked if members have looked at lasik stating she got lasik done after her cataract surgery to fix her stigmatism, blemi tweeted she is always told she is not a candidate for lasik

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your most significant medical procedure you have undergone?

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap 12/1/2021

Posted on December 7, 2021 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was a banger as always. Members discussed the 8 year anniversary of #CPChatNow, stretching hip flexors, and their favorite part of the holiday season. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

We have a milestone to mark this week, the 8 year anniversary of #CPChatNow! Members discussed the passage of time and Zach shared some history of the chat.

zach tweets we have provided us answers for 8 years with our 8 year anniversary, i tweet that is 2 presidential terms and zach tweets it's time to write a book and jokes oh wait.

zach tweets about members who have been there since near the beginning, blemi, myself, jen, others.

zach tweets december 3rd, 2013 was the first #cpchatnow and shares a graphic with @handicapthis, John Quinn, and @zacharyfenell

Next, I asked if members could share ideas on stretching hip flexors independently. Blemi shared some tips.

i ask if anyone knew how to stretch hip flexors independently. zach tweeted no, but on googling it would be hard for him to do himself.

blemi tweeted to lay on your back with a towel under your knee while moving the towel in the opposite direction, i tweeted i have had hip pain lately, blemi tweeted she got the stretch from her pt and she wraps the towel like a sling to move her leg

Finally, Zach asked about member’s favorite part of the holiday season and #CPChatNow OG, Hannah Pike, chimed in.

zach asked what the favorite part of the holiday season is for members, hannah tweets surprising those that she can and she reminded zach he was on the end of a surprise her dad came up with

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your favorite holiday tradition?

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 10/27/2021

Posted on November 2, 2021 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was “A Happening” as Gorilla Monsoon would say. Members discussed driving, Halloween plans and struggles, and how they would describe the year 2021. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

First, members discussed what went into the decision on whether to drive or not with a variety of considerations going into member’s decisions.

zach asks what factors went into people's decision to drive or not, veronica tweeted there is a lack of hand eye coordination and everything is set up for right handed people and her right hand doesn't work

blemi tweets she did not feel she would not be able to, zach tweets he has a dull sensation in high right leg from back surgery complications and hand controls make him nervous due to hand-eye coordination and that if his hand-eye coordination isn't good enough to play little league, should he be driving?

Next, members discussed their Halloween plans and concerns they have surrounding accessibility of trick or treating.

zach asks if anyone has halloween plans, carrie tweets she is taking her daughter out to trick or treat and that she hates walking in the dark so she is glad she has a coop behind her and she is praying it is not raining, zach tweets navigating front steps is the trickiest part of trick or treating and many front steps don't have a handrail

Finally, Zach asks members how they would describe the year 2021 at this point.

zach asks what word members would use to describe the year 2021 and what they plan to accomplish still, veronica used the word frustrating with her eye still adjusting to a new lens, zach tweets his theme is patience with two job rejections, a groin strain, and progressing on his book.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question which is inspired by Halloween: What is your favorite Halloween costume of all time?

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 10/13/2021

Posted on October 19, 2021 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was hopping as always. Members discussed showing off their new walker, disability related books they would recommend, and the reasons they read. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, I wanted to give kudos to Blemi for showing off her new pink walker to help promote her Youtube channel. Making mobility aids “cool” is a challenge for disabled people, so any time we can it’s worthy of praise!

zach asks if blemi has had a chance to show off her pink walker, blemi tweeted she did a photo shoot with it with an instagram account that wants to feature her. she said it is a big deal because she used to only take photos from the waist up. zach tweeted it is an incredible feeling when others reach out and they want to partner with you or feature you.

Next, the rest of the chat turned to books and reading. This may have been inspired by Zach finishing the manuscript on his latest book! First, Zach asked members what disability related book they would host for a discussion.

zach asks what disability related book members would choose for a discussion, i tweeted john quinn's or judy huemann's book. huemann's book illustrates disability history and john explains cp so well. zach tweets john's book is one of his favorite books period, blemi tweets sitting pretty by Rebeckah Taussig

Finally, talk turned to the reasons people read. Members shared a variety of reasons. Also, you can find Emily Ladau’s book Blemi references here.

zach asks why members read and offers some reasons such as escape from reality, self-improvement, inspiration. blemi tweets she reads for the pleasure of it. zach tweeted he read for multiple reasons, sometimes escape from reality, others better skills (finance), or disability related material because they open him to other's experiences. blemi tweeted she picked up Emily Ladau's book Demystifying Disability

zach tweets he will eventually get to emily's book, but he has other things on his list. i tweet i mostly escape reality, but i like current event books.

Please share your answers to the Extend-The-Conversation-Question in the comments and join us each Wednesday on Twitter at #CPChatNow at 8 Eastern!

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 9/22/2021

Posted on September 28, 2021 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was hopping as always. Members discussed life events like completing a 5k, their favorite fall activities, and how Australia is handling COVID. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, I want to share a cool thing that Zach recently accomplished. He completed his first 5k after experiencing a significant fall. Way to go Zach!

zach tweets he is doing a run through history 5k this weekend and his goal is to not fall during the race. i tweet my encouragement

zach tweets he completed the 5k in one hour, 4 minutes and achieved his goal of not falling on the hilly course. there is a picture of zach standing by the finish line

Casey and Zach tweeted about their favorite ways to deal with pain from cold weather.

casey tweets they have been feeling more discomfort than normal due to cold weather, zach asks what they do to reduce discomfort and tweets he deals with back aches in winter, but he uses a heating pad, casey tweets they use heating pads, medicine, and laying down in the middle of the day.

AcquiDis checked in from Australia with an update on how the government is handling the COVID situation.

AcquiDis tweeted she is coming out of lockdown number 8 in australia, zach asks if a new lockdown starts once cases hit a certain number, AcquiDis tweets instances of COVID are detected in local areas which cause immediate lockdowns

zach tweets that sounds much different than the states, AcquiDis tweets there have been 766 cases with 4 deaths, zach tweeted he didn't know the numbers in northeast ohio, but he is an area of high transmission so his employer is requiring masks for everyone, but he is far from lockdown

Finally, Zach asked members what their favorite fall activities are.

zach asks what members favorite fall activities are, i tweet watching football and eating pumpkin delights, zach tweeted his favorite fall activity is watching Cleveland postseason baseball, but not this year — This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your favorite part of the Fall? Please share your answers in the comments and join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on Twitter at #CPChatNow.

-Devin

Thanks for reading!

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 9/8/2021

Posted on September 14, 2021 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was a fun one! Members discussed outdoor activities, what they want to do to make 2021 a success, and the fact #CPChatNow is turning 8 soon! This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, Blemi shared some recent exciting outdoor activities she and her fiancé have been doing lately. First, they recently went kayaking. She tweeted a video about her experience.

blemi tweets her youtube video of kayaking with her fiance, zach tweets that looks like beautiful scenery and asked what blemi finds most challenging about kayaking, blemi tweets the most challenging thing is getting out of the boat and the most enjoyable is getting to enjoy nature from a different viewpoint and she tweets the rapids got pretty high at one point

Also, Blemi tweeted about a new camper that she is buying with her fiancé:

blemi tweets a picture of her new toy, a camper

i tweet that i'm sure they will take the camper out a lot, blemi tweets it is in for a check up and she does not have to camp in a tent and will have a bed and toilet

Zach asks members what they want to do to make the year 2021 a success:

zach tweets the last quarter of the year is approaching. he asks what members would like to complete before the end of the year to consider 2021 successful, chris tweets her degree, but the past month put a wrench in that, blemi tweets she wants to make through the year with mind and body in tact

Zach also asks Blemi why she feels 2021 is more challenging than 2020:

zach asks if the continuation of covid has made 2021 more challenging, blemi tweets her agreement and that people where she lives are being stupid with numbers climbing and she can't hide in the house

Finally, Zach points out that #CPChatNow is about to turn 8 in December:

zach tweets #CPChatNow will be turning 8 in December, i tweet it is in 2nd grade, zach tweets next thing you know, we will be having a graduation party, blemi tweets we're old

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your favorite outdoor activity?

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

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 8/25/21

Posted on August 31, 2021 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was eventful as always. Members discussed falls, reactions to their falls and accessorizing their mobility devices. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, talked turned to a familiar topic for those with Cerebral Palsy, falls. Zach discussed one of his recent falls with Blemi that led to a groin strain:

zach tweets he saw his doctor who confirmed he suffered a groin strain, blemi tweeted we can expect more falls as we age, zach tweeted he is curious about that, he did have a face mask in his back pocket which caused a jerk and his reaction time could be delayed

Next, members discussed the strangest reactions to falls they have experienced:

zach asks about the strangest reaction others have had to a fall, i tweeted about a friend in high school picking me up like a heybale on his farm, zach tweeted about yelling at a friend who did not ask him if he needs help when he went to pick zach up

tonia tweets about a reaction where a chair user reacted to her flipping off a steep sidewalk in Costa Rica and landed in the grass, he asked casually if she was ok

Finally, talk turned to another common topic for those with CP, mobility aids and making them fashionable.

zach asks who has multiple mobility devices so they can make their disability fashionable and match with outfits, i tweet that i have one pair of shoes and a wheelchair, zach tweets his cane is black and black goes with pretty much everything, alessandro tweets he uses a scooter, but he wears jordans or crocs

Blemi and Zach tweet about how it’s hard to find cute devices and they wish there was more availability:

blemi tweets she is trying to find cute devices, zach asks if she would spray paint a device or have rob work on it, she tweets it would be difficult with all of the parts and grooves, zach asks if there is someone who specializes in mobility devices, blemi tweets she wishes there was a site or store dedicated to young adult mobility aids

This brings to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your favorite mobility aid you have ever had? Please share your answers in the comments and join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on Twitter at #CPChatNow.

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 7/28/2021

Posted on August 3, 2021 by devinaxtman

This past week in #CPChatNow was lit as always. Members discussed aging and CP, perceptions of disabled people, and books by disabled authors. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

Chris started the conversation by sharing research that showed people with CP are more likely to break bones as they age with people in their 50s having the bone strength of people in their 80s. This led to conversation about what we can do as we age to help bone health.

zach tweeted a link to an article demonstrating research that people with CP are more likely to break bones in their 50s

i tweeted that is not reassuring, but at least we have research into cp. chris tweeted she is at risk for osteoporosis so she asked her doctor. her doctor said that what you do in your 20s or 30s is important and calcium supplements help. chris tweeted about a friend who had to have surgery for breaking his toe.

Next, Veronica tweeted about her son interacting with a disabled person who other people at work did not respect:

veronica tweeted about an interaction her son had with someone who used her phone to communicate at work. she appeared very smart, but other people did not treat her as smart, karen tweeted that is ableist and wrong, veronica tweeted she feels no one has any patience which is the problem

Finally, talk turned to disabled authors and books members liked to read. First, Karen and Zach discussed Zach’s in progress book.

karen asked if people are going to watch the paralympics. zach tweeted he will if he has his book done by then. karen asked what his book is called. zach tweets the title is still TBA, but the book is about accomplishing the unreasonable which for him is becoming a marathoner.

Karen talked about books related to disability that she liked. She tweeted about All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything and Being Heumann. Becoming Heumann is being turned into a movie!

karen tweeted she recommends all children read All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans With Disabilities Changed Everything. I tweeted it is hard to believe the ADA is 30 years old and karen tweets it is actually 31 years old as of july 26, 2021

karen tweets that Being Heumann is being turned into a movie and asks who is excited. I tweeted my encouragement for people to read the book and karen tweeted she likes the book.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your favorite book or other art created by someone with a disability?

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

-Devin

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Tag Archives: cerebral palsy

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