Tag Archives: Paralympics

#CPChatNow Recap: Paralympics Focus Chat

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After nearly a two-year absence, a big return arrived to the weekly cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020. Focus chats! I, co-host Zachary Fenell, am here to tell you more. Get ready for your weekly recap!

A concept originally suggested by community pillar Jorge Oteiza, focus chats center around a particular subject. The Paralympics remained the topic at hand January 22nd. To lead the discussion we welcomed past chat participant and 2016 Paralympian Ayden Jent.

2016 Paralympian Ayden Jent joined #CPChatNow Wednesday, January 15th, 2020 to answer our questions about the Paralympics.

Prior to discussing the Paralympics, we asked Ayden some questions about his athletic background.

Devin asks Ayden what inspired Ayden to start running.
Zachary asks Ayden how long Ayden had to work before being able to reach the Paralympic level of competition.

My co-host Devin Axtman asked Ayden about what inspired him to start running. Ayden explained his initial interest came from both his parents running in college. That interest reached another level when he began joining his step-father on runs.

Meanwhile I asked Ayden how long he had to work before reaching competition at the national level. “All my life” Ayden answered in-part, adding wearing braces, casts, physical therapy, and botox injections all helped prepare him to get to that point.

Within his answer to me, Ayden also mentioned stumbling upon the Paralympics. After a follow-up question, Ayden clarified he discovered the Paralympics when he came across a Youtube video featuring a fellow runner with CP named Michael Mckillop. Thankfully Paralympic awareness seems to continue increasing, at least according to Ayden.

Zachary asks Ayden if he finds people often confuse the Paralympics with the Special Olympics.

Ayden addressed knowledge about the Paralympics’ existence when I asked if he finds people often confuse the Paralympics with the Special Olympics. Alongside three crying with laughter emojis, Ayden replied “All the time!!!!” However, Ayden showed an optimistic outlook saying commercials and the United States Olympic Committee changing their name to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee enables more people to realize the two games are different.

Elsewhere in the conversation Devin asked about the classification system the Paralympics use.

Ayden explains the classification system the Paralympics use.

While too late to get in a question for our Paralympics focus chat, you could still try tweeting Ayden on your own. He did express enjoyment in answering our questions.

Ayden enjoyed answering #CPChatNow's questions.

Looking ahead, who else would you like to see #CPChatNow host a Q & A with? Actually, that sounds like a great extend-the-conversation question! Make sure to answer below. “Who would you like to see #CPChatNow host a Q & A with?”

Answer for the week's extend-the-conversation question, "Who would you like to see #CPChatNow host a Q & A with?"

Your answers will help us plan the best possible focus chats!

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

-Zachary

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#CPChatNow Recap- 1-15-2020

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This past week in #CPChatNow was bouncing as always. Members talked about what they are reading and what gifts CP has given them. Also, we have a focus chat on 1/22! This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the recap.

First, we have an exciting announcement at #CPChatNow. We will be doing a focus chat with member and former Paralympian, Ayden “The Jet” Jent. You can read Ayden’s bio here.

Zach announces a focus chat on 1/22 with Ayden Jent about the Paralympics

Next, Zach asked members what they are currently reading. Members shared a variety of different books and Chris shared Haben Girma’s memoir, the story of a deafblind woman graduating from Harvard Law School and becoming a lawyer for disability rights.

zach asked what people are currently reading. blemi tweeted Nora & Kettle, chris tweeted she is meaning to read Haben Girma's memoir

I bring up reading because in more exciting news #CPChatNow co-host, Zachary Fenell, is going to release his book, Off Balanced, in paperback! You can buy it now in Kindle form here.

Zach announcing Off Balanced is soon to be available in paperback. There is a picture of him holding up the book

Finally, we move to a great question asked by Blemi. She asked what Cerebral Palsy had given people. Members shared a variety of different positives which illustrates the wide variety of experiences in disability.

blemi asked what cp has given people. zach credits his work ethic to cp and to listen to his body, along with a BS filter. i tweeted I do not get too high or too low.
Daryl Perry tweets CP has made him resilient, robyn tweeted resilience and ability to adapt along grip strength. jen tweeted empathy.

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What do you like about your CP?

an orange, blue, and green #CPChatNow logo in the upper right hand corner, extend-the-conversation question in green with what do you like about your CP? in black. The Facebook like button is in the lower left hand corner.

Please share your answers in the comments and join us for the focus chat on Wednesday, January 22nd at 8 Eastern.

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 6-20-2018

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#CPChatNow was brisk this past week. Members discussed competing as a Paralympic athlete, baby announcements, stubbornness, and the difficulty of trying to convince others to use mobility devices. This is #CPChatNow Co-Host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap.

First, we’re starting the recap with some happy news! The creator of #CPChatNow, Tim Wambach, from Handicap This just welcomed a baby girl. Congrats Tim!

Zach announcing Tim welcoming a baby

Picture of Tim with his baby girl

Also, #CPChatNow welcomed a new member in Ayden Jent. Ayden is a Paralympian, two-time World Championship US team member, and Para Pan-Am silver medalist.

Ayden Jent says hi to CPChatNow. He is a 2015 Para Pan Am silver medalist and runs the 100 and 200 meters

Zach and Ayden talk about halfmarathons. Ayden tells Wum he prefers longer distances and has mild CP

Next, talk turned to whether members had talked loved ones into using a mobility device. Zach and Hannah talked about coming to terms with using their respective mobility devices:

Hannah and Zach talking being hesitant to use crutches and walkers. Zach said he was hesitant to use his cane for his marathon

Discussion then turned to mobility aids being tools for independence:

Devin discussed his wheelchair being a tool for independence, but that mindset being a transition. Zach tweeted he wished this thought process could be embedded into stubborn individuals

Hannah and I then talked about how the experiences of CP make adjusting to a mobility device easier:

Devin tweets about how adjusting to a mobility device is different due to having to deal with physical issues that others may not have

This brings us to our extend-the-conversation question: What has been your toughest form of disability related adjustment?  Please share your answer in the comments! A sky blue background with a person rolling a boulder up a hill outlined in black. Extend-The-Conversation Question centered in white text at the top. What has been your toughest form of disability related adjustment? in the middle and #CPChatNow logo in bottom left hand corner

 

#CPChatNow Recap- 3/7/2018

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This week in #CPChatNow was a rambling week as always.  This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along on this week’s recap.

Rachel started us on a great note by continuing her tradition of greeting #CPChatNow participants with a greeting containing a characteristic of CP:

Rachel greeting her Hypertonic boos. I expressed appreciation for her greetings

I also want to encourage folks to check out the Paralympic coverage.  The Paralympics are the Olympics for athletes with disabilities and there is some awesome action going on:

Devin passed along the Paralympic schedule

Talk then turned to dreams.  Shira and Zach discussed the appearance, or lack thereof, of CP in their dreams.Zach and Shira talked about dreams. Zach said he has CP in his dreams while Shira does not.

Then, talk turned to pain and CP.  We talked about the difference between CP related pain and normal, everyday pain.

I talked about asking my doctor if pain was CP or normal pain. Zach and I agreed normal pain is pain unrelated to CP like pain after a workout versus CP pain like pain from weather impacts surrounding CP

Finally, talk turned to the all-too-familiar 1-10 pain scale and how CP can cause confusion of how to rate someone’s pain.

Zach and Shira talks about how CP changes our perception of pain.

Everyone agreed that CP causes us to live in the 1-3 pain range

Rachel and Zach agree they live in the 1-3 range of pain

Shira then asked whether someone is in pain if they really don’t notice it:

Shira and Zach continued talking about pain. Shira asked if someone is in pain if they don't notice it

ETC- How Does CP Impact Your Perception of PainThis brings us to our extend-the-conversation question: How does CP impact your perception of pain?

Please share your answers in the comments and join us every Wednesday at 8 PM ET on Twitter at #CPChatNow.

-Devin

 

 

#CPChatNow Recap- 09-07-2016

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Excitement stirred throughout the evening Wednesday, September 7th, 2016. I am #CPChatNow co-host Zachary Fenell, ready to compress all the excitement into a weekly recap. This week’s Twitter chat coincided with the 2016 Paralympics opening ceremonies. Naturally the conversation drifted to the games.

The #CPChatNow community discusses the 2016 Paralympics.Now while I directed my question to Devin, anyone could answer. So let us open up the floor. Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question “Are there any particular Paralympic events you are looking forward to?” Leave your response in the “Comments” section.

Discussion went beyond the Paralympics too. I sparked dialogue with my greeting by asking about lessons learned this week.

Hamda learned leaving your comfort zone leads to personal growth.Hamda’s reply led to detailed talk about leaving comfort zones.

#CPChatNow community members answer "When has leaving your comfort zone benefited you?"More discussion about leaving your comfort zone.Additionally I shared some community news, officially announcing our September 2016 Google Hangout date.

The September 2016 #CPChatNow Google Hangout takes place Thursday, September 15th at 8pm ET.Google Hangouts gives our community a chance to chat face-to-face using web cams. Please contact me via a Twitter DM with any questions on how to join.

Glancing ahead next week looks eventful for us at #CPChatNow. You may recall Wednesday we hold September’s focus chat. A chat our own Jen will lead!

#CPChatNow's own Jen will showcases her expertise in collectibles when she hosts our monthly focus chat Wednesday, September 14th.Zachary shares what you can expect from next week's focus chat on collectibles.Before starting a countdown to September 14th and September 15th though, allow me to finish recapping this week’s Twitter chat. Towards the chat’s end conversation returned to the Paralympics.

Paralympics emerge again as a discussion point.#CPChatNow discusses how the media covers the Paralympics and if ableism is involved.Honestly, like Blemi I did not always know the difference between the Paralympics and Special Olympics. However, I quickly learned in 2012 when writing the following blog post, “Debunking Misconceptions: Paralympics/Special Olympics Confusion.” Feel free to pass on the post to help educate others on the differences.

Meanwhile also remember to answer this week’s extend-the-conversation question. “Are there any particular Paralympic events you are looking forward to?”

Keep the conversation going! Answer "Are there any particular Paralympic events you are looking forward to?"Comment below to respond.

Talk with you later!

-Zachary